The Joys of belly dance:
Belly dance's main focus is women dancing together. In the West it has become a dance genre focusing on dancing as a troupe or as a solo performer. What does this mean?
YOU DON'T NEED A PARTNER!
For most women who want to dance, dragging along a male who wishes to dance with you is the biggest drawback. The man who loves to dance (and can) is a rare jewel.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A SIZE ZERO WAIF!
Women of all sizes can enjoy, benefit from and perform at professional level in the world of belly dance.
While slim ladies do well in this genre, plus size and super plus size ladies can just as easily gain credibility and respect as dancers. Size is irrelevant: if you can build the necessary talent and the fitness level, you can become a performer ... or just dance for fun and fitness.
YOU DON'T NEED TO RETIRE AT 30!
In some dance genres, youth is almost a requirement due to the suppleness of joints that is required and the capability of the body to take punishment. Belly dance is a dance genre that is ideal for all ages, from the very young to those well past the state retirement age. Belly dance is a broad scoped genre that can stretch those who have youth and flexibility on their side while giving equal but different challenges to those of us who are not so young and flexible. (If you've had to retire from another dance genre, take note! Belly dance often comes easily to those who have a dance background in other genres.)
YOU DON'T NEED TO START AS A CHILD!
In some dance genres, if you don't start as a young child, you're too late to ever become a dancer.
In belly dance in the West, many of the respected performers of today started long after their children had been born ... and in some cases, after their grandchildren had been born!
YOU ARE NOT STUCK IN ONE VARIETY OF DANCE!
As mentioned above, belly dance is a broad scoped genre. It ranges from the pure, classical varieties of Egyptian dance, through all the many variations of the Arabic world including Turkish, Morrocan, Berber and Bedouin, to name but a few. It includes the many varieties of Tribal style belly dance from the American Tribal Style of Fat Chance Belly Dance through to the more urban British Tribal Style; from Gypsy and Gothic styles to Bollywood and classical Indian. If that's not enough for you, many exponents fuse different styles together; there are even groups that fuse belly dance moves with Morris dancing and Scottish reels ... with amazing success.
YOU GET TO PLAY DRESS-UP!
I've saved one of the best advantages for last. Taking part in a belly dance class and borrowing one of the teacher's colourful, jingly hip scarves to wear over your dance leggings and T shirt can be the start of a love affair with glamorous costuming. Particularly in England, ladies tend to wear relatively drab colours in daily life that don't draw attention to themselves. This tendency is probably even more pronounced if we don't think our body type matches the standards set for us in the media. If you're a belly dancer, all that goes out of the window; each and every lady is a diva and has an excuse to dress up in outfits and jewellery that would make Shirley Bassey look drab. The variety available is endless and covers many styles suitable for a host of different tastes; you don't even have to expose your belly!
Glamming up for a dance performance doesn't even have to be terribly expensive; a little ingenuity and creativity, a knowledge of where to shop, an eye for a bargain or skill with a sewing machine can soon kit you out in an outfit that will make you feel like a belly dancer and boost your confidence.
© 2010 www.conniehurd.com
Belly dance's main focus is women dancing together. In the West it has become a dance genre focusing on dancing as a troupe or as a solo performer. What does this mean?
YOU DON'T NEED A PARTNER!
For most women who want to dance, dragging along a male who wishes to dance with you is the biggest drawback. The man who loves to dance (and can) is a rare jewel.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A SIZE ZERO WAIF!
Women of all sizes can enjoy, benefit from and perform at professional level in the world of belly dance.
While slim ladies do well in this genre, plus size and super plus size ladies can just as easily gain credibility and respect as dancers. Size is irrelevant: if you can build the necessary talent and the fitness level, you can become a performer ... or just dance for fun and fitness.
YOU DON'T NEED TO RETIRE AT 30!
In some dance genres, youth is almost a requirement due to the suppleness of joints that is required and the capability of the body to take punishment. Belly dance is a dance genre that is ideal for all ages, from the very young to those well past the state retirement age. Belly dance is a broad scoped genre that can stretch those who have youth and flexibility on their side while giving equal but different challenges to those of us who are not so young and flexible. (If you've had to retire from another dance genre, take note! Belly dance often comes easily to those who have a dance background in other genres.)
YOU DON'T NEED TO START AS A CHILD!
In some dance genres, if you don't start as a young child, you're too late to ever become a dancer.
In belly dance in the West, many of the respected performers of today started long after their children had been born ... and in some cases, after their grandchildren had been born!
YOU ARE NOT STUCK IN ONE VARIETY OF DANCE!
As mentioned above, belly dance is a broad scoped genre. It ranges from the pure, classical varieties of Egyptian dance, through all the many variations of the Arabic world including Turkish, Morrocan, Berber and Bedouin, to name but a few. It includes the many varieties of Tribal style belly dance from the American Tribal Style of Fat Chance Belly Dance through to the more urban British Tribal Style; from Gypsy and Gothic styles to Bollywood and classical Indian. If that's not enough for you, many exponents fuse different styles together; there are even groups that fuse belly dance moves with Morris dancing and Scottish reels ... with amazing success.
YOU GET TO PLAY DRESS-UP!
I've saved one of the best advantages for last. Taking part in a belly dance class and borrowing one of the teacher's colourful, jingly hip scarves to wear over your dance leggings and T shirt can be the start of a love affair with glamorous costuming. Particularly in England, ladies tend to wear relatively drab colours in daily life that don't draw attention to themselves. This tendency is probably even more pronounced if we don't think our body type matches the standards set for us in the media. If you're a belly dancer, all that goes out of the window; each and every lady is a diva and has an excuse to dress up in outfits and jewellery that would make Shirley Bassey look drab. The variety available is endless and covers many styles suitable for a host of different tastes; you don't even have to expose your belly!
Glamming up for a dance performance doesn't even have to be terribly expensive; a little ingenuity and creativity, a knowledge of where to shop, an eye for a bargain or skill with a sewing machine can soon kit you out in an outfit that will make you feel like a belly dancer and boost your confidence.
© 2010 www.conniehurd.com
All images on this site are by my husband and are copyright of www.markhurdphotography.co.uk. If you need portrait photos (he does "digital cosmetic surgery", too), event photos or have other photographic requirements please visit his website.
Approved Instructor
