How to Learn Belly Dancing

Belly dancing is one of the most ancient arts in the world, and is not about selling sex or loose morality as some misguided people want to believe. There are many ways to learn belly dancing and its varied styles, including dance classes and videos.

Classes are probably the quickest way to learn belly dancing, but can be prohibitively inconvenient and expensive for people, especially students and stay-at-home mothers. However, there are numerous belly dancing classes offered at local recreation centers, colleges, YMCAs, gyms, and health clubs. Finding a teacher you like may be harder, but it is highly recommended to try to take at least one regular class a week if you are serious about belly dancing.

Videos can be a convenient way to learn belly dancing, especially for those who wish to study a variety of styles and are building self-confidence in their own body. Remember that while many videos and instructors have flat, hard stomachs and thin bodies that belly dancing is ideal for all body types, and that every woman and man interested has the right to stand up and learn it.

Creating an at-home belly dance class need not be difficult, and depends on if you are looking to learn dance, workout, or both. There are videos devoted to belly dancing workouts and also traditional and modern belly dancing moves. World Dance New York makes some of the best videos out there.

Get a few videos, including a performance video. Start learning a few belly dancing moves each session. Continually rewind the steps until you get it. I like to try my belly dancing moves two to five times per session depending on how difficult it is. I'd also advise getting a belly dancing workout to give yourself a cardio workout if desired, because belly dancing lessons really don't get the heart rate up that much. However, if you already have other workout methods and just want to learn the dance, this is not necessary.

Bellydance For the Beautiful Freaks was my first belly dancing video, and is really fun and easy to do. However, it appeals to those interested in gothic belly dance. If you would rather keep your options more traditional, a great instructional video for you might be Contemporary Bellydance and Yoga Conditioning with Ariellah. I've seen Ariellah perform on some performance-only belly dancing videos such as Gothic Bellydance, and was really impressed with her unique blend of multiple styles.

Practice regularly, and you will be belly dancing for yourself and even others if you wish in no time!