Last spring, I took this great class at the Lifetime Fitness club – it was an introduction to Belly Dancing. At the time that I signed up for it, it was relatively inexpensive about $30 or $40 for an 8 week course in Belly Dancing. We would meet for one hour per week and I admit to some trepidation that first night when I showed up. After all, as much as I love dancing – we’re talking about belly dancing and this is a beautiful form of dance that can be as simple and as complicated as you might imagine.
I was hooked from the first night. The instructor was great. There were women in the room of all different body types and ages. We even had a grandmother of three that was taking the class with her granddaughter. The classes began with a light stretch and a warm up. We learned how to move our shoulders and our upper arms. We learned how to walk (and yes it is walking) that makes the hips roll and shake.
We practiced doing rounds and serpentines. Every class taught a new set of movements and we put those movements together with movements from the previous week so that ultimately by the end of the 8 week session we’d learned a 3 minute belly dancing number.
The Liberated
There are a lot of people who may snicker or stare in wonder when you tell them that you are taking a belly dancing class – but none of those people will be in the class with you. In fact, I was really amazed by the unqualified acceptance and warmth of genuine welcome I felt from each and every woman in that room. We were strangers when it started and there was no mistaking that everyone felt a bit uncomfortable in the beginning – but as we relaxed – we began to enjoy ourselves.
The lively Middle Eastern music and warm, earthy laughter of the women punctuated every session. There was no worry about anyone having the perfect body. In fact, many of the larger women had an easier time of getting their bodies to wiggle without exaggerating their motions. And if anyone ever tells you that belly dancing isn’t exercise …
…challenge them to take a class!
At the time, I was taking yoga twice a week, doing cardio twice a week and working with a personal trainer twice a week. I was getting some great endurance and that class soundly kicked my but each and every time. In it’s own way, it never felt like a workout – even when it was hard to get some of the movements down – instead it felt like a lot of fun that left you tired, but replete at the end.
The first day after my belly dancing class, I was pretty sore. I could feel where I’d used muscles in combinations I hadn’t in my other workouts. So, I say if you try out belly dancing and you like it – stick with it. It’s important to engage in a physical activity that you enjoy. Regular exercise is good for you. Regular exercise that gets your heart rate up and your body toned (and dancing will tone you) that you enjoy is the best form of exercise.
When you enjoy something, you will keep doing it. That’s more critical to your success than just trying it out in the first place. Granted, you may take a belly dancing class and not find it to your liking – but who knows – you may discover a new passion and a fantastic way to get in shape.
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