Belly Dance Your Way to Fitness - Without Embarrassment!

I read Dawn's article on learning to belly dance with great interest ("Physical and Social Benefits of Learning to Belly Dance - Improving Your Posture, Flexibility and Confidence"). I've developed quite a passion for this ancient manner of dancing. Prior to starting to learn to belly dance, I didn't know the difference between Little Egypt and quality "Middle Eastern Dancing." Shoot, didn't they ALL gyrate in physically impossible ways with a bare midriff and gold coins clanking around their hips?

After working at some of the basic belly dancing moves for several weeks, and reading more about it on-line, I've learned a few things. The most amazing revelation for me was that although I wasn't at all embarrassed to watch other women do this, I've spent my entire life sort of hunched over, with less than great posture. But I wasn't aware of that. When you learn to belly dance, the chest is UP, it is OUT, it is a part of the dance! It doesn't matter if you are flat or overly endowed. One learns to dance with a sort of attitude.

As I watched a very good dancer/choreographer demonstrate moves (DVD-Dahlena's Technique - for Basic and Intermediate Dancers 35.00) and attempted to copy what I was watching, my body and mind said "Hey there! You never push out your chest. That's different!" and "Wow! you actually are supposed to move your hips. Weird!" See, like many women, I grew up in the 1950's and many of us with lower self-esteem walked clutching our school books to our chests, bent over the load. The last thing I wanted to do was swing my hips. Someone might make fun of me! So what started out as a defense mechanism became a silent habit, forgotten about ,but firmly rooted in place. Heck, I'm almost 57 years old now, a sassy redhead with a sparkling personality (if I do say so myself). No self-esteem problems these days, yet it took some basic belly dancing moves to bring old habits to the surface.

Dawn commented that, 'Belly dancing posture emphasizes keeping your shoulders back and lifted, and your chest forward, which keeps your rib cage from sitting down near your hip bones. It also focuses on keeping your head and chin lifted, something that I was usually loathe to do." The thing is, that you aren't aware of these things on a day-to-day basis. What has become habit feels "normal." It is only when you watch someone demonstrate a belly dance move, and try to copy that move, that your body points out to your mind the differences.

As people age, their backs tend to get shorter. You've got to do something physical to prevent that compression and stretch things back out again. Belly dancing is a fun way to go about it!

I've noticed that after 55, my flexibility has diminished. Unless a middle-aged person does something regularly to regain their lost flexibility, their body will become set and more rigid year by year. Belly dancing works a lot of muscles, not just those around the middle, although that benefit alone is worth a lot! The exercises start to loosen up and separate one's hips from one's chest area. As the muscles regain muscle tone, other benefits arise as well. A friend of mine who took belly dancing for two years said her back quit hurting her during that time. Then she stopped her lessons and the back pain returned as her muscles lost their tone.

To my disgust, I've developed a "beach ball" midriff . A lack of exercise and reduction in hormone levels leads to this sad state of affairs. Clothes don't fit like they used to: you're a big size in the middle and your regular size everywhere else. That's why I started learning, with reservations, to belly dance. I figured if it simply reduced my midsection, it would be worth it!

After observing a ton of scantily-clad women doing belly dancing moves, I was concerned. If you think I'm going to put on some flimsy costume, with a bare midriff, think again! I needed to be able to develop a costume slightly less voluminous than being draped head-to-toe; I didn't want to end up looking like "Omar, The Tent-Maker's Daughter!" You know: peeping out of a hole towards the top end of a big piece of fabric with only my eyes showing.

Fortunately, there are many variations in belly dancing attire! In the VHS "The American Dancer, Volume 1, Dahlena," (which sells for $35) I noticed that Dahlena wore a charming yet satisfactorily modest costume. I liked the leotard which formed the base of Dahlena's outfit. There were chiffon decorations around the upper arms which fluttered and floated in the breeze - perfect for flabby upper arms! Hey! -if you belly dance long enough, the exercise will remove these trouble spots, but remember...I'm still a beginner! A midriff garment covers the chest area, and has beads dangling down towards the skirt. When the beads part, you see the colored leotard underneath. No skin shows there! A skirt slung on the hips with two slits at each side, to allow ease of leg movement, and some sort of hip belt or coin belt completes the outfit. It was nice to see that a person could cover up, if they wanted to, and still look good! By the way, Turquoise International, who offers Dahlena's American Dancer tape (not an easy one to find), also sells the whole gamut of belly dancing products, from videos to costumes to music, etc. They offer lengths of beaded fringe which can take you a while to find on-line! I love their Coin Loop Belts. There are many variations available of coins strung a wide variety of ways around the hips. This one is a classic!

Want to know what my daily private belly dancing routine is like? Imagine stretching up and then bending down, letting your body droop to see if you can reach the floor. I start with that stretching exercise before moving on to belly dancing moves.

My hips were "frozen" when I first attempted to do this next exercise, but they are freeing up bit by bit now. One hip goes up and the other goes down. I watched the instructor and said, "Mine must be broken: they don't move!" I felt like my middle was made of cement. And not the wet stuff either! It is initially frustrating to wiggle and waggle your hips around, trying to make the darn things MOVE! Then I remembered the poses I'd see models use in the 1960's. They had long legs and bony hips which they'd push out to one side. Oh yeah! Okay. My hips didn't "push" very well, but I knew the key was to keep trying. Sooner or later something gives a little and it is cause for celebration. This is like "how do you eat an elephant?" The answer bit by bit.! First one little muscle gives a tiny bit. Next time it gives a bit more. If you keep trying, things start to loosen up. Honest! I found that it was somewhat easier to twitch one hip up than it was to try to twitch it down. Initially the darn things don't want to go down but with practice it does become easier.

There are parts of me that still are frozen in place, like the chest region. Good dancers can move their chests around this way and that in an impressive manner! My chest doesn't know it is supposed to have "independent suspension! " That is just one more thing that needs work and will be a big cause for celebration when it frees up and does eventually work more independently.

Belly dancing isn't a three month deal! Many parks and recreation classes (which are often the least expensive way to go) will offer classes which last three months, just like school semesters. I've been told that you need to keep at this for at least two years to feel like you are really doing these moves and to attain the benefits which come with regular exercise.

I have found it very helpful to stand by my bed each morning (alone, except for the dogs, who don't critique my technique) and do some of the "moves." Remember the old hula-hoops? With those, you stood there, and circled with the hips, and the hoop spun around and didn't fall to the ground (in theory)! I remember my father watching me "hula-hoop" and he commented that if I did that all the time, I would never have a weight problem. It was hard work! A person started puffing after the first five minutes! One of the differences between "hula-hooping" and belly dancing is that belly dancing isn't that violent circling with your hips. You make smaller circles, or push your hips towards the four points of a compass.

Well, if you visualize modifying the move to make it less huge, that is one of the exercises that has been so beneficial to me! It works the stomach, sides of the torso, and back muscles all at once. You stand in one spot, with your legs slightly apart, and not stiff, but just a little bent, and circle the hips, keeping the chest straight and steady. Hips to the left, hips in front of you, hips to the right, hips to the back. Around and around, circling slowly. The circle doesn't have to be big at all! I'll count the circles, then do the same number going the other way. The first time I tried this my mind asked, "What do you think you are doing? You must look ridiculous." But I peeked in the mirror and lo and behold, I didn't look ridiculous, so much as sort of sexy. Well, that was a shock (at my age). But when you have a reason to be practicing this stuff, a rationalization, then it is okay to be doing it.

After a while, I'll push the hips to the left once. Then to the front once. Then to the right once, and to the back once. Like hitting the four points of the compass, but not making a circle with the hips. Just bonk, bonk, bonk, bonk! First one way, then the other. Those two exercises will work the midsection quite well. It is pleasant to do it while watching TV (grin). I watched part of a Perry Mason "who done it" this morning.

Like many people, I find that if I get bored, I won't exercise. TV is a wonderful "babysitter!" and if I can do something that I don't have to think too much about and watch TV, I'm more likely to do the exercise (as a result, there is a TV near the treadmill. It is easy to rack up an hour or an hour and a half if the TV shows are interesting). If I tried to belly dance for an hour and a half right now, my middle would probably fall off. One has to work up to these things slowly!

Another exercise that I like to do daily is to push the chest out to one side, and the hips to the other side. The chest goes one direction, and the hips go tin he other. Hips left, chest out and to the right. Hands are on the hips. Then you swivel the hips the other way, the chest reverses its direction, and you crouch down a bit. This is another Dahlena move - I had a heck of a time remembering how to do it until I watched it several times and followed it on the DVD. (American Dancer - Dahlena-Volume 1). Rather than attempt a long and complicated explanation, I recommend getting one or more of her videos. She demonstrates moves very clearly and slowly.

Believe me, when your chest and hips are moving around, the muscles get a work-out and after a while, you stand and walk differently...actually better and more confidently! I have become aware that my chest is up, and whereas before starting belly dancing I would have asked myself silently, "What do you think you're doing? They sayit pays to advertise, but this is ridiculous!" Now I KNOW what I am doing and why: I am becoming a belly dancer! There is a reason why I walk more smoothly these days, and hold myself more erect. There is a part of me which wants to practice some of the moves when I'm walking the dogs across the condo parking lot, but so far, I'm not that gutsy! The neighbors might think I'd flipped out completely!

An unexpected and unwelcome discovery was that my underarms have lost their muscle tone completely/ Geez, it was only a few years ago that I was doing an hour of aerobics, and had toned that area pretty well. Now, I hold my arms out at shoulder height, practicing for when I'll have a big veil stretched from one hand to the other, and my arms get tired right off the bat. Well ladies, if you too hang a little too low in the upper arm area, belly dancing practice is just the thing to tighten the upper arms!

There is something magical and delightful about learning to manipulate a chiffon veil and hearing the clinking of metal coins when you put on a coin belt for the first time and shake your hips. Initial practice is most rewarding when you gently place your hands in the hip area. Then you can FEEL your hips going up or down. "Hey, looky here...I'm doing it!" It's a big thrill when those stubborn hips start to move. When you can hold your arms at shoulder level, move your hips, and hear the results, that is pretty amazing. It is proof positive that things are starting to free up!

You can find a whole bunch of great links to good belly dancing sites in Associated Content's article Top Holiday Gifts for the Belly Dancer, including links for specific costume pieces and patterns, music, etc. Whether you give a belly dancing DVD a try in the privacy of your own home, or decide to take a class (or do both) this is a fun and rewarding mode of exercise which delivers strength, toning ,flexibility and increased confidence in your body!