OLE LADY BELLY DANCING

No two people will ever do belly dancing in the same way. That’s because your body dictates your movements when you “enter” into this unique and very individual method of self-expression.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought of belly dancing as a physical exercise. Yet I have discovered that it is, very much so. In fact, it is an excellent and rewarding physical exercise while being meditative at the same time.

Anyone who has followed my blog, since about August of last year, knows that I have been struggling with finding the right exercise program. Going to the gym twice a week for a year felt like work, not fun. It was something that I felt I had to do. The results were worse, a bigger, more muscular stomach and loss of some thigh curves that I had grown kind of fond of.

So I signed up for Curves (my insurance paid for that one, by the way, considering it preventative medicine.) Many people love it. For me it was too noisy, too busy, tiring.

Then somehow belly dancing came into view. I loved it so much the first night that I signed up for weeks. It’s a lot about mood and feeling the role, so today I finally found some time to go to a local “tourist trap” called Tangents.

I regretted having parked in a 20 minute zone, but it saved me a fortune. They must know about the belly dance craze. Tangents, across from the Depot, is a Mecca of wild, cheap and beautiful “costumes” that gave me goosebumps. I managed to get out the door with only one item – a triangular, velvet hip scarf in maroon, rust and brown velvet with rows of gold coins that will dance as soon as I teach them how.

In Asia this is the year of the Tiger. I relate to that just like I do to belly dancing. Look around you, you might find your bliss.