BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Belly Dancing How were you introduced to Belly Dancing?

How were you introduced to Belly Dancing (BD)?

Is it something that is apart of your culture? Did a friend teach you and you were hooked? Did you see it on TV and decided you wanted to try it out?

In 2001, my senor year, I was enrolled in a dance class. If a student had a dance to teach, they taught it. It was very nice. Anyway, we had an exchange student that year and she taught us the very basics of BD. I have to admit that I didn't like it at first. Maybe she wasn't teaching it right? The reason I didn't like it was because my hip hurt, real bad for a day or two. It hurt to walk, in other words. I graduated and a few months later, on a Spanish channel, there was a new Novela (Soap Opera) called El Clon. It was based in the middle east and BD was a big part of it. The music was wonderful, there was always dancing...it was great. So, I went online and ordered a BD video and the instructors were The Belly Twins: Veen and Neena. 2 years later I enrolled in a online health class. We had to share, with the class, what we did to stay in shape. I shared that I liked to belly dance but I only knew the very basics since I used a video. A student contacted me and told me she was a belly dancer and was thinking about putting together a class and asked if I would like to enroll when she found a studio, so I told her to keep in touch. She's an awesome instructor, she makes the classes so much fun. It's so awesome! She has so much faith in my friend and I that she told us that we could become professional belly dancers soon and wanted to share one of her gigs with us, it was a big deal. She also wanted to start a troupe. But, she stopped teaching for a few months, for personal reasons, but has started classes this month.

I was really depressed that she had stopped classes. I tried to belly dance on my own, in my room, but it wasn't the same as being in the dance studio with the beautiful BD photos, the colorful walls decorated with beautiful veils...ya know? But, I'm so happy that we're starting again. I had to actually join a gym because I needed to do SOMETHING and I couldn't go to another instructor for lessons...I liked MY instructor. Hahaha. I didn't know how much BD had become a big part of my life until my boyfriend pointed out that it made me happy. So as soon as November comes around, I'm back in action! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, that's my story. I hope you all share.

Hi Lalita,

I've loved to dance for most of my life and have always been fascinated by belly dancing. I even spoke with a local instructor a few years ago but never got around to going to her classes.

I was having some serious problems with my back and ended up having two surgeries. The second one was a little over a year ago, when they removed the metal I'd been trying to tell them was not quite right. One rod was broken and the other bent.

I'd always controlled my pain with exercise until the last 2 years. I couldn't exercise at all without extreme pain after the 2nd surgery.

Last October, I had a table at a metaphysical fair. A new studio gave a bellydance demonstration.

There was something different about this instructor. Her dancing was beautiful but it was the joyful smile on her face that really caught my attention. Yes, the dancing was sexy, but what I noticed far more was her passion - she looked like she was having the time of her life.

There was a party after the fair and she attended. We were drumming and dancing, and she came over and tied her hip scarf on me.

Two weeks later I called her to enroll. At the second class, we were doing a sort of rib cage circle as a stretch and there were horrible noises coming from my back. I was like, "uh-oh, last time I heard that I couldn't walk the next day." But the next day, about 90% of the pain I had when sitting and driving was gone and hasn't come back.

That was almost 3 months ago. I'd seen her balance a sword on her head at the fair and while I thought it was cool, I didn't have any great desire to try it.....well........I am now balancing and my 22 year old son gave me a beautiful sword and a gorgeous hip scarf/coin belt for Christmas.

This means so much - because I'll be 50 this May! My husband passed away last June and I was falling into a terrible depression. If bellydance hadn't found me, I shudder to think what may have happened.

Yes, I'm hooked. It makes me feel centered, connected and sane. Tonight I showed my belly in class for the first time. I was warming up in front of the mirrors and the instructor said, "Wow, look at you! You're beautiful!" She pointed out the muscles that are forming.

That also means alot, because I grew up with a crazy father who told me that I was stupid and ugly every day of my life.

Now if I can just stop spending money on bellydance stuff....no more eBay for me for a while! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> All my Christmas money and then some is gone......