Why do we dance? Or at least, why do I dance?

When I first started to think about this particular article, I was contemplating going back and making it historical. I mean really going back; I believe that there are language and musical specialists out there who claim that the earliest forms of language were tonal and motion based. So perhaps if we were to observe earliest wo/man communicating it might appear to us somewhat like a musical!

That is something I will have to research to find out more, and maybe there will be an article about that in the future. While I work on that, though, I thought I might try to articulate some of the more immediate reasons why we dance. 

Well, why I dance, to start with.

My first thought is, because I can. Once the music starts it is automatic, unconscious. I grew up with dance. Not in the way that some people have – there was no tap school or parent taking me to classes – but every Friday Mum would finish cleaning the house and turn the music up, and we would just move, whirling around the living room. My mum can dance, (she did some ballroom, and still loves it) and watching her glow as she cha-cha’d around the coffee table, shaking away the weekly blues, will always stay with me. So moving to the rhythm has always been a part of me.

I’ve tried other forms of dance before. Jazz, when I was little. Hiphop when I got a little older. One or two others. But they never stuck, never felt good in the same way just moving to the music did, never brought that same glow to the edge of things. Perhaps it was the dance, perhaps the teacher, or the class themselves, whatever the case they didn’t last for me.

I started bellydance as a moral support for a friend who was a bit nervous about going alone. Since I have no shame and am unlikely to get nervous in a beginners-try-out type situation, I offered to keep her company. Three years later, and I am still dancing.

Belly dance offers a different view, or it has in my experience. The atmosphere is different, the attitude is different, the movement feels more to me like a female form of expression. Perhaps it’s not just the bellydance, but the group I dance with that has also affected my reaction. When I walk into a class I can’t help but smile, the knots that drag at my back start to ease. After spending the day as someone else in my professional life, I can start to remember me. As I warm up, concerns are lost in laughter, in the pull of muscle and the shine of shared activity. Bellydance appeals to me also because it lacks the bitchery (hope no one is offended by that word but it is the most accurate) that so plagues every female group-oriented activity. Each woman is truly positive, happy to see her fellow dancers express themselves. There aren’t the snide compliment-come-insults, the eyebrow lifts, the subtle snubs. (At least not intentionally. Even I shove my foot down my oesophagus occasionally!) We are 16 to 60, we are size 6 to 20, we are homemakers and career oriented and everything and in between, but two nights a week we shimmy it all away. We all learn to isolate those muscles, to dance those steps, and we forget that we aren’t supermodels and learn to be a little more comfortable in our own beauty. It’s a covert lesson, some times we get bogged down in life and forget, but it’s a simple lesson underlying each class. The celebration of the female, the person, the movement – this is the joy in bellydance for me.

Picture curtesy - Karen Box

Written by Cara Kwiecien

Tips for Beginners

• Getting Started: a couple of tips.

Trying anything for the first time can be daunting. Not knowing what to do or to expect makes is even scarier! To combat this, I will try to set out a pretty good guide to at least head readers into the right direction.

There are heaps of web sites, DVD's and books that you can use to gain an insight into class structures, basic techniques and (all importantly for some of us) what to wear. Don't hesitate to browse a bit to get ideas. Also, the instructor of your local bellydance classes is there because he or she loves imparting knowledge, so don't be scared to call or email with your queries!

That said, here follows a little of my knowledge.

• Finding your class

Obviously, you need to identfy the "when", the "where" and the "how much." Many schools can now be found online, but for those who aren't web-keen, classes can often also be found through community advertising in local papers, sometimes your local yellow pages, flyers at community or dance halls, and even through gyms.

While you are researching, give some thought to what type of bellydance you want to learn. Do you like Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese, Gypsy, Bollywood....? (the last two are not bellydance style) Check out different styles on belly dance school sites or even you tube (look at multiple examples of each type from professionals so you get a good example though!).

Another consideration is intensity. Age, fitness, other dance experience and general health can influence your choice of class. Many areas actually have classes or a school which specifically offers dance for those who are a bit limited by age or health (was that fairly tactful?!) so don't let that excuse stop you! Consult a doctor or physiotherapist if you have queries about whether bellydance is the appropriate for you.

Class structure varies from group to group. Some schools will run a course for specific dates, and you will need to book and pay for the whole course, and start from the beginning. Some schools are more flexible and will allow you to walk in and pay by the class. Both of these have advantages and disadvantages. Obviously, many people like flexibility. However, joining these classes can be a bit "thrown in at the deep end," so remember not to be phased if it takes a few weeks to pick up what everyone else seems to know. With date-specific courses, you know that everyone else is likely to be at the same point that you are, however, if you miss a week you may miss out on a significant lesson or choreography point which may not be repeated in depth. Also, check to see if money is refundable if you happen to be forced to drop out - often its not.

• What do I need and what do I wear?

First and foremost you need to be comfortable. Most instuctors will like to see your legs work (these are your engine!) so comfy yoga or beach pants are often a good idea. Once you are a bit more experienced you can move to a flash swishy skirt! You may or may not want to wear a top that shows off your tum. If you don't, be aware that its really good to be able to see your body "broken up" into chest, belly, and hips, so a belly-covering top with a cropped one over it helps with this visualisation.

When you are first trying out bellydance, you may not be ready to invest in a coin belt, so a fringed scarf can be a good start. If you are fairly certain that you want to be dancing for a while, a coin belt is a great tool in knowing when you have the movement right - and of course they help you feel fabulous. There a heaps of places to get an inexpensive one to start out with; Devs, of course, has some great ones which are excellent value for money. Cheap shops and market stalls can also be a source, but of course you have to be prepared to search.

Check out the flooring surface. Most places will be proper dance studios with sprung floors or have a soft lino type floor. This is important so you know what to have on your feet. Dancing in shoes is actually a little limiting, and some places are very protective of their floor surface. Most bellydancers will dance in bare feet or soft soled dance shoes or sandals. Bare feet is usually ok but you can end up a bit footsore if learning lots of turns. If you have foot problems, chat to your podiatrist about footwear.

Check with the instructor whether you will need a stick, veil or other 'prop' for the class. Some people like to bring a pad and pencil to note down moves, or a folder to keep choreography handouts tidy. What ever works for you!

Dont forget a bottle of water!

• Learning the techniques

The first thing to remember when learning is that everyone learns at different rates in different ways, and we all have moves that we find easy and some that just don't seem to work with our body. Don't get discouraged if you don't pick it up immediately!

Don't be scared to ask for help! Either at the time or after class, the instructor will usually be happy to show you if you don't get it straight away. If you are in a mixed class of beginners and more experienced girls, don't hesitate to quiz the other girls - sometimes they may have a method for learning that works for you.

Do get some bellydance music and practice at home. Firstly, its usually fun music to listen to, and secondly you will find it significantly easier to remember moves if you've done them more than once a week. I turn the music on when I'm housecleaning, or chopping veges, and shimmy away. I find it helps to make things automatic and also you learn to do more than one thing at a time!

Remember - Feet, then hips, then chest, then arms at the end. If your feet aren't working properly, nothing else is going to work! So, start with the steps, get your hips moving (often this comes naturally), add on any chest moves and then learn your arms. Your instructor will ususally tell you this anyway.

If you are having trouble getting your hips to do the right thing, I have found lots of girls suddenly get it by using their finger as a guide. Move your finger next to your hip in the motion that you want (ie hip drop, lift, or figure eight) and often your hip will suddenly follow it and look right! Not always true, and maybe a little bizarre, but helpful just the same!

Breathe!

Stretch. Expect to be a little muscle sore. So stretch, I tell you! Out of class as well as in. You'll thank me.

Dont take it too seriously. If you are too serious, you'll be tense. If you are tense, you wont dance well. That's just the way it is.

Finally, have fun. If you can't smile while you're doing it, it isn't for you. For the rest of you....see you shimmying this way soon!

Written by Cara Kwiecien