The Healthy Benefits of Belly Dancing

In the eyes of many people, the art of belly dancing may appear to be nothing more than a sensual dance of Middle Eastern origin. Something that some people may associate with something slightly perverse, maybe a little sleazy. Something closely related to the sorts of skills employed by strippers or ladies of the night (though any belly dancing aficionado will tell you that nothing is further from the truth). As mystical as practicing it may seem, belly dancing is something that anyone can enjoy regardless of your gender, age, body, or fitness level. There are many practical, modern benefits that belly dancing has to offer, ranging from the physical to the mental-even the spiritual.

Being able to isolate muscles and other parts of your body allows you to have greater control over your being and allows you to heighten your awareness of your movements. The muscles of the hip, in particular, are utilized in many of the moves-including shimmies, pivots, hip rolls, figure-eight circles, and drops. Additionally, the muscles of the lower back are also utilized and conditioned through these moves, and the mild, rhythmic motions help lubricate the joints in these areas. When done correctly in the proper way, belly dancing can improve posture and help with balance by decreasing the pressure put on the lower back and pelvis.

Getting your heart rate up several times a week this way is not only fun, but healthy for you. It increases circulation and belly dancing can help with weight loss, as it is, after all, a form of exercise. Although some classes are more rigorous than others, it all comes down to how often you're exercising in general. Dancing (of any sort) is a great way to get your cardiovascular system going and belly dancing specifically helps limber up the body and increases flexibility. In addition to the obvious benefits, strength is also built through the conditioning of the core muscles-those in the trunk or torso-as well as those in the spine, pelvis, and legs. All movements in the trunk depend on how elastic your body is and how well you can bend and move in a variety of ways without causing pain or injury. Working these muscles by practicing belly dancing helps tone and exercise them effectively, and leads to better flexibility in the long run.

But not only are the major parts of your body affected while practicing belly dancing. Fluid, hypnotic arm movements-such as the snake-like arm gestures, side-to-side neck motions, and isolated actions in the upper torso-accompany most dances and can soon be quite exhaustive to keep going at first, but often tone the shoulders and arms very quickly. Having to hold up and move your arms for a relatively long period of time is hard enough-being able to fluidly and gracefully move them is even harder. Playing the finger cymbals (known as zills or sagat) can help increase independence in the fingers as well as build their strength.

Belly dancing is regarded as a low-impact because when done properly, the risk of injury is small. Furthermore, it puts little strain on the ankles and knees, making it a great solution for exercise for a variety of people young and old. Stress is lowered with the repetition involved in most of the movements; most people find it calming and relaxing to do and find it easy to let go of worrying about other tensions when trying to focus on moving their body in just the right way. Many belly dancers also report increased self-esteem and self-awareness, as well as an enhanced feeling of overall wellbeing and a better body image.

So while this age-old form of dance can be sensual in nature if the performer wants to convey that message, the health benefits of belly dancing are far too tempting to pass up on. The dynamic benefits are shareable by everyone, it requires little to no equipment, and is often cheaper then paying a monthly gym membership fee. Belly dancing has emerged as a unique and fun way to exercise your body (and parts of your body you never knew you had!)