How did you find belly dance?

dancersdreamland · Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 1:42 pm Post subject: How did you find belly dance?

About five years ago I saw the movie Center Stage and just new I wanted to be a dancer. After calling local dance studios, I finally begain taking partner dancing lessons (ballroom, Latin, swing) and line dance sessions.

I always kept my eyes open for other forms of dance and watched music videos to determine what styles of dancing I really wanted to learn. About that same time Shakira and Britney Spears (BS) were perfecting the art of shimmies, hip bumps, and camels. Being a huge fan of BS's dancing I happened to be watching the Making of the Video (on MTV) of her "Slave 4 U" video shoot. During the show, she mentioned the style of dancing which was highly influencing her choreography was belly dancing. I knew right then and there I had to find a class.

As fate would have it, I received a flyer from our local YMCA who was offering a beginner, intermediate and advanced belly dance class. I figured I'd simply sign up for beginner, work my way through advanced and be done with this style of dancing. Little did I know that after taking my first class I would yearn for belly dancing all the time!

I began absolutely fanatical about this amazing style of dance...wanting to dance all the time and looking everywhere for the perfect dance costumes! I took classes for quite a while, attended speciality workshops in our area, and even joined a performance troupe.

Then, about a year ago I had to move for my husband's job. Leaving belly dance was incredibly hard and I've missed it ever since. I've picked up some videos and still shimmy around the house to the drum beats, but its not the same...

Well, I am so excited because a belly dance class just picked up in the area we moved to. I've been dancing again now for about a month, and I am so psyched! I'm back to listen to the music all the time, shopping for practice outfits, scrounging local consignment shops for the perfect hip scarves, choli tops, costume jewlery, etc. I just love it!

How about you? Have you taken belly dance classes? How'd you get into it?

Candy · Guest

Well, I was initially a chinese and ballet dancer as I mentioned before.
After I left secondary sch educations, I left dance for 8 yrs.
The reasons was that, during my yrs in the dance troupe, my teacher was a demanding person. He scold, and sometimes even hit us with rulars if our hands movements are not straight enough, not of the correct height, or dance off beat.
During one of the chinese new year shows rehearsals, I was even called off the stage and be replaced by another dancer. Felt so humilated. I actually cried. I was only 14 that time. Its like, somebody give me a tight slap and throw me off the stage. The feelings is, terrible. Its been 11 yrs and I still have not forgotten it.
Every year when we are preparing for the singapore youth festival competition, we are tremendously stressed. For our sch has always been the best, getting gold medals every yr. Everyone in the troupe is afraid of being the first to get a silver, and if that happens, we will die of excessive scoldings.
I left. Because its too cruel a place to stay. I was not happy and neither did I enjoy dancing. I wanted to dance like I enjoyed expressive myself through moves and music. Not all these tortures.
However, during these yrs, everytime I see people dance, I hear music, my body just shake...moved according to the rhythm. I know I am in for dance...so I began searching, looking around. Was tempted to go back to ballet, but somehow the nightmare still persists....at first I thought I wanted to do salsa. But my fiance is not inerested to join me. So after a while, I approached one of my colleague who said that she wanted to do belly dancing. I thought, well, why not? Give it a try, and I am hooked! Hahaha, in fact, this sunday I am gonna learn how to dance with a veil. And yah, I began looking for arabic music, shopping for accessories, costumes and all. Its something that I always yearn in dancing. That is to enjoy and expressed myself.
By the way, I am with jitterbugs swingapore, under Belinda Tan

dancersdreamland · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:

Wow! I am so sorry to hear your beginning dance training was such a terrible experience...so brutal, harsh, and not about the joy of movement. Perhaps some time you can pick up ballet again with a different school and see it in a different light...

On the other hand, I am so excited you found belly dancing! It really is a joyous dance and the movements just make you feel happy. I can complete related to buying music and costumes and well anything that resembles belly dancing! I am hooked!

So this coming Sunday you begin veil work? How fun! You will love it! Veils add a whole new dimension to belly dancing. You can be shy and hidden, flirtacious and silly, or demanding and firey. Enjoy the class and please let us know how it goes!

Candy · Guest Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Singapore

I just did veil work today!
Fun!
We danced to Hossam Ramzy's Aziza
But I had too many barrel turns...and its making me giddy..hahaha...cos I didnt managed to spot turn very well.

dancersdreamland · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:17 pm Post subject:

Oh, I love veils!!!!!

Is Hossam Ramzy not the best musician for belly dance! I'm a little biased as my former teacher (and first belly dance instructor) absoluately loved him. I greatly valued her opinions and have adopted many as my own.

Barrel turns...also tons of fun! They can get quite goofy, though, when spotting doesn't happen. Spotting is not my strong point...perhaps I should practice! :wink:

Candy · Guest Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 37 Location: Singapore

dancersdreamland wrote: Oh, I love veils!!!!!

Is Hossam Ramzy not the best musician for belly dance! I'm a little biased as my former teacher (and first belly dance instructor) absoluately loved him. I greatly valued her opinions and have adopted many as my own.

Barrel turns...also tons of fun! They can get quite goofy, though, when spotting doesn't happen. Spotting is not my strong point...perhaps I should practice! :wink:

I cant spot very well too.
We did 8 barrel turns for 16 counts to the music.
By the 5th turn, I messed up my spotting and got giddy...flipped around like a lost bird and my classmates had a good laugh over it...haha :lol:

Mitra · Guest Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Minnesota

Me, I can't really remember when I got started on belly dancing, although I do remember how I used to just adore the colors and movement of fabrics of video clips of dancers and photos. Just something about it that I couldn't resist ^_^ I've only been able to use dvd's to do any training, much to my dismay, but I currently am too busy with my other love, ballroom dancing, to take time for more lessons, not to mention that lessons in my area are sparse.

dancersdreamland · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:04 pm Post subject:

Mitra wrote: I've only been able to use dvd's to do any training...

Have you tried Dolphina's Goddess series featured in the Sex in the City show? They are wonderful!

I've also tried the Neena and Veena videos and enjoyed them as well.

Mitra · Guest Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Minnesota

I've heard of Neena and Veena, but not Dolphina's Goddess series. Currently I have no money to afford anymore dvd's. but if I do get my current job in training, I hope to get a few more.

dancersdreamland · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 12:10 pm Post subject:

Best wishes with the "job in training!"