[AxeGoddess]

Imagine this: there was a time in history, a long time ago, when the bounce and sway of a woman's hips was considered so beautiful that they set it to music and made a dance out of it...

I have, in recent months, found out that there are a LOT of belly dancers, would be belly dancers, and fans of belly dance.

So, here is a thread to share video links, workshop info, costume ideas, talk about different styles, promote your troupes/studios, and so on.

[Smyle]

Ha! funny because a friend of mine told me recently she had started to take belly dance, and showed me videos of it (and I was actually searching for something like that or similar) so I'm gonna try it, I've never had difficulty with dancing and this is fun.
I'll be watching you =D

[AxeGoddess]

Ha! funny because a friend of mine told me recently she had started to take belly dance, and showed me videos of it (and I was actually searching for something like that or similar) so I'm gonna try it, I've never had difficulty with dancing and this is fun.
I'll be watching you =D

You totally should! It's a blast!

I have only one video of me dancing so far, and unfortunately my computer won't load it. But hope to have some more eventually.

[axm9237]

Yay!

I loved my class tonight so much that I'm already worrying about how I'll fit it into my fall schedule lol. As of right now, the studio only has classes on Tuesday nights. I think it was the same last month. Considering I'm most-likely going to have a Tuesday night grad school class in the fall, I need to ask the instructor if the classes are ALWAYS on Tuesdays, or if they ever change. I'd hate to get used to the instructor and the group, only to have to switch studios or stop going all together when my grad classes start. So we'll see what happens.

The studio also has a belly dance workshop for $40, so after I get a bit more experience, I think I'll try that.

[Leavchip]

I am happy to see this thread begun........... you guys can post the videos, chat the boom booms and tat tats... whatever,

Ginny & I talked about belly dancing today actually- she has the perfect belly dancer body right now and wants to try that form of dance........ she asked if I wanted to go to, but my back will not allow that style of dancing.....

shimmy on.....

and please still visit the healthy thread from time to time too...

[Smyle]

You totally should! It's a blast!

I have only one video of me dancing so far, and unfortunately my computer won't load it. But hope to have some more eventually.

I find them in youtube
I will, of course ;D

[Reflecting]

I'm glad this thread is here.
You've all been making me curious. I'm going to try an actual class soon.. as opposed to a DVD with my curtains shut/doors locked.

I'm sure I'll be back.

*shimmies*

[Kelissima]

First of all: YAY! I was thinking about starting one of these but never got around to it...

And Alex, I'm so glad you loved it!

I am happy to see this thread begun........... you guys can post the videos, chat the boom booms and tat tats... whatever,

Ginny & I talked about belly dancing today actually- she has the perfect belly dancer body right now and wants to try that form of dance........ she asked if I wanted to go to, but my back will not allow that style of dancing.....

shimmy on.....

and please still visit the healthy thread from time to time too...

Actually Becky, bellydancing has helped my back problems tremendously--when I do it regularly anyway . It will help strengthen all your back muscles; however, I'm not sure exactly what your back problems are, so you should ask your doctor about it...

I'm glad this thread is here.
You've all been making me curious. I'm going to try an actual class soon.. as opposed to a DVD with my curtains shut/doors locked.

I'm sure I'll be back.

*shimmies*

Good!



*does hip circles, figure eights, and a belly flutter just for you!* <3

[AxeGoddess]

I am happy to see this thread begun........... you guys can post the videos, chat the boom booms and tat tats... whatever,

Ginny & I talked about belly dancing today actually- she has the perfect belly dancer body right now and wants to try that form of dance........ she asked if I wanted to go to, but my back will not allow that style of dancing.....

shimmy on.....

and please still visit the healthy thread from time to time too...

Well I'm not completely abandoning you guys over there. haha. Just don't want to clutter up the other stuff.

Unless you plan to do crazy laybacks a la Mizz Brice, belly dance is very low impact. In the beginning especially. In fact, it might actually help your back. Posture, pelvic alignment, and such as well as strengthening your core muscles will help with that. If you have a good instructor, you'll learn to do moves so that you protect your back, so don't count it out yet. When I started, my ankles CRIED and my knees begged me to stop, and my upper back and shoulders were just sore because I wasn't used to working them in that way. But now, I hardly feel that, and I can actually get up from laying flat on the floor without flopping around like I used to. I've not lost a ton of weight, but I am a lot stronger than I was 10 months ago.

I bolded that one part, because since I've started doing this, I've discovered that there is really no "perfect" belly dancer body. Sure, most people want to see an aesthetically pleasing dancer, like the Zoes, Rachels, and so on, but I don't think that I would have stuck with it had I felt pressured to lose weight. I don't to be honest. I am slimming down for my health and for myself--I mean I've danced with my belly out at over 200lbs. And had a woman from the Middle East (a beautiful, slender woman who has grown up with this artform) tell me that I was a beautiful dancer. And had a wonderful guy friend tell me that my chest circles were sexy (well okay that might have not been JUST about the movement...but anyway)

And I always go back to that video of Rachel Brice talking about what inspired her to start belly dancing.

I don't mean to sound defensive, but I guess in a way I am. lol. I do understand what you're saying--Ginny is in a healthy body and still has her flexibility and such (God I remember not having to work for it so hard lol). I definitely don't mean to offend by saying that above. I just feel like I've won this HUGE battle with myself over body issues. I definitely want anyone who is even considering trying this to go for it, no matter what your size. It's how the dance makes you feel and for the first time in a very long time (if ever) I actually feel very feminine and very graceful...and dare I say sexy (Okay that earlier chest circle compliment from someone helped that along but I digress).

Do it. Take classes. Encourage Ginny to take them. Do them together! It'll bond you like you can't believe. And with the women in your studio/classes. It's like a sisterhood, you know?

Ok...stop rambling now.

AND YAY!!!! Even if you just take a couple of classes to soothe your curiosity---DO IT!

Kelli *hugs* LELELELELLELELELELELELELELELELELELELELELELEEEEEEEEEEEEYIP!

[Iwlizz]

I am going to start looking around me for a studio that offers it... but with my schedule it may be a lil difficult.

Can someone suggest a dvd, or two (maybe on the cheaper side) to start with if I don't find a studio??

[axm9237]

Is it sad that I already can't wait until my next class?

Lizz, I've only used a Neena/Veena (sp?) dvd a couple times, and it was ridiculously cheesy. Very basic, though, so if nobody else has better suggestions, try it. You might also want to try just looking up some instructional videos on YouTube.

[RockIzure]

I wanted to go to, but my back will not allow that style of dancing.....

I agree with others who have posted before me, belly dancing is a great way of strengthening your core muscles that in turn will help to support your spine and general posture. It will also make your body more flexible and loose. Belly dancing definately helps me with my neck/shoulder/back problems I have because of my office job. Of course, I cannot know what your back problems are but if possible, you could try. But again, what Kelissima said - v

Actually Becky, bellydancing has helped my back problems tremendously--when I do it regularly anyway . It will help strengthen all your back muscles; however, I'm not sure exactly what your back problems are, so you should ask your doctor about it...

I have done belly dancing (well we call it 'Itämainen tanssi' which translated means 'oriental dancing', same thing anyway) for 2 years now. Unfortunately we have classes only during the fall. I could always go to another teacher, at least during spring, but I just love the teacher we have and wouldn't want to upset her by 'moonlighting', though she would totally understand.

We had a performance a little while ago. I think it went well. Can't be sure though, 'cause the only thing about the performance that I can remember was that during it at one point I was thinking that 'this is going well' and at that very moment another voice in my head shouted 'don't jinx this!' It was a buzz. The performance was filmed, it was a part of one big show, but I don't know if I'd dare to upload it here even though I would get my hands on it somehow.

Great thread topic! I will be back.

[axm9237]

General question--how long had you all been dancing before performing for the first time?

RockIzure, if you were able to upload the video, I'd love to see it.

Ahhhhhh, can't wait until Tuesday!

[eevika]

Nice to see this thread over here!

I started belly dancing 7 years ago, although I've danced only for 3.5 years (had a little gap in between). But my passion for it only grows. I got started with it in curious ways.. I just went to regular showdancing with a choreographer who later started taking belly dance classes herself and so our group turned for belly dnace as well. But I had to move after 2 years...
Now I've been dancing in a new studio for 1.5 years. I'm doing 'regular' belly dancing, in sense that I have never tried tribal or fusion. But hopefully will someday.

I agree about the effects on back problems as well... It's been a huge relief to mine, finally I can sleep well and don't have to roll myself out of bed in the morning, haha!

And the second thing that has kept me dancing...

And with the women in your studio/classes. It's like a sisterhood, you know?

It's just amazing group of women I dance together with. Most of them are 10 or more years older than me, but they've totally accepted a silly 20-year-old like myself to be part of their little circle. And this expands well out of dance classes; we have regular wine and cake ecenings (to keep 'fit', haha).

[axm9237]

And with the women in your studio/classes. It's like a sisterhood, you know?

It's just amazing group of women I dance together with. Most of them are 10 or more years older than me, but they've totally accepted a silly 20-year-old like myself to be part of their little circle.

That's a big part of what I hope to get out of this, aside from the whole health/fitness/self-confidence bit. I've been itching to make some new friends (who I actually see more than once or twice a year lol), and whenever Mary has talked about the bond she has with the girls she dances with, I've been kind of in awe of it.

P.S. It's nice to see all the dancers coming in here! This is going to be a fun thread, I can tell already.

[AxeGoddess]

Axm to answer your performance question:

My first public performance (with a group choreography we learned in Beginner 2) was in December so abou 4 months in.

My first SOLO was in April...about 8 months after I started.

Our studio holds student nights with open floor every few months and haflas (parties) at the studio as well to get us comfortable with dancing in front of people. There is never pressure to do so but always an invitation.

The solo I did is rare, especially at my level. I am, according to the instructors, very strong in free-style so they asked me to do one because they were confident that I could handle it. There are girls that dance years before ever soloing. I was scared to death but I'm getting better about it. With the support I get from everyone it helps a lot with the fear.

They were the ones who encouraged me to sign up for a performance spot at the San Francisco Hafla for Mecca. I will be very nervous because some of the "big girls" (including my absolute favorite, Zoe Jakes) will likely be there.

Perform in your own time, hon. When you're ready you'll know. )

[axm9237]

Thanks for the response, Mary. I know it's silly to think about it now, but I guess I'm just that excited. As far as I know, my class/studio doesn't even really do performances or anything like that--as a whole, anyway. But yeah, I'm nowhere near ready for that. It's just fun to think about it.

I really, really wish I could do a second class each week, but this studio only offers Tuesday nights (and there ARE two back-to-back classes on Tuesdays, but that's not what I mean), and the closest studios after this one are 45 minutes away from me. I think I'll email the one I'm with now and ask if they have any plans to add more classes on different nights. Then, of course, they offer a Bollywood dance class that apparently incorporates belly dance, so maybe later on, that'll something I could try as well.

P.S. Call me Alex!

[AxeGoddess]

Alex, bollywood is awesome! And very high energy. Its Indian based with very hip hop kind of feel. And some belly dance too. Our studio offers it twice a year. I will probably take it later.

[axm9237]

Alex, bollywood is awesome! And very high energy. Its Indian based with very hip hop kind of feel. And some belly dance too. Our studio offers it twice a year. I will probably take it later.

I'll probably take it at some point...as of right now, I can only afford one class per week. But after I get my money situation worked out, I'll try that class. There are just sooooooooo many classes I want to take at this studio!

[AxeGoddess]

I am going to start looking around me for a studio that offers it... but with my schedule it may be a lil difficult.

Can someone suggest a dvd, or two (maybe on the cheaper side) to start with if I don't find a studio??

Let me see what I can find, Lizz. For basics, although cheesey, Neena and Veena are good for basics. I think Jillina is a good start for basic cabaret.

Example: Level 1

You want to start there before venturing into Turkish or Tribal or anything like that.

I have done belly dancing (well we call it 'Itämainen tanssi' which translated means 'oriental dancing', same thing anyway) for 2 years now. Unfortunately we have classes only during the fall. I could always go to another teacher, at least during spring, but I just love the teacher we have and wouldn't want to upset her by 'moonlighting', though she would totally understand.

We had a performance a little while ago. I think it went well. Can't be sure though, 'cause the only thing about the performance that I can remember was that during it at one point I was thinking that 'this is going well' and at that very moment another voice in my head shouted 'don't jinx this!' It was a buzz. The performance was filmed, it was a part of one big show, but I don't know if I'd dare to upload it here even though I would get my hands on it somehow.

Great thread topic! I will be back.

Welcome! I love that fellow dancers are finding us!

Nice to see this thread over here!

I started belly dancing 7 years ago, although I've danced only for 3.5 years (had a little gap in between). But my passion for it only grows. I got started with it in curious ways.. I just went to regular showdancing with a choreographer who later started taking belly dance classes herself and so our group turned for belly dnace as well. But I had to move after 2 years...
Now I've been dancing in a new studio for 1.5 years. I'm doing 'regular' belly dancing, in sense that I have never tried tribal or fusion. But hopefully will someday.

I agree about the effects on back problems as well... It's been a huge relief to mine, finally I can sleep well and don't have to roll myself out of bed in the morning, haha!

And the second thing that has kept me dancing...


It's just amazing group of women I dance together with. Most of them are 10 or more years older than me, but they've totally accepted a silly 20-year-old like myself to be part of their little circle. And this expands well out of dance classes; we have regular wine and cake ecenings (to keep 'fit', haha).

So you are raks sharqi as well?

I started basic cabaret/raks sharqi last August. This is the troupe Desert Shadows at a local international festival in '08. My instructor, Courtney is the one in green.

I just started Tribal. We do an offshoot of ATS (American Tribal Style). It's called ITS, or Improvisational Tribal Style. Everything is done by improv, signaled by cues. Each tribal group has their own cues, own vocabulary, etc.

This is our Tribal Group Tribe Habibi Bizarre at 3rd Coast Tribal this year. That's my instructor, Ilea, with the poofy sleeve things. Once I finish all three levels of Tribal, I'm invited to join the troupe. This is just a small part of the entire group.