Learning bellydancing

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hey, I know we have some bellydancers out there (hi Noura )

Husband and I went to a cultural festival yesterday and representing Egypt were some bellydancers. Granted, not a one of them were actually Egyptian, but they did some pretty spiffy cane dances and the like.

Now, this has inspired me to add some variety to my fitness routine. I thought maybe I could learn bellydancing. Husband seems to think that I should be able to just watch a video of some dancing and learn it that way. Buttttttttttt, I'm completely ungraceful and inept when it comes to dancing, so I thought maybe I could find a dvd or vhs that is good for someone who has two left feet. Taking a class is out, unless I find a studio that is women only, so I'm thinkin video is about my only option.

A few years ago, I think I did a Veena and Neena video from the library. I still sort of remember how to do the hip thingy, yaaay. Are they decent instructers? Maybe a video that both teaches something that could be used to seduce husband and that would provide a good workout?

Edited May 7, 2006 by rahma

[LebaneseMama 1]

I bellydance but its something that I grew up with ... when I was a little girl my mom used to tell me

"Noone will marry you if you dont dance and weddings and parties"

Well that gave me incentive to get and do it. Nobody ever taught me how. I got up at the parties and mimicked what everyone around me did. I cant imagine learning by : step 1, step 2.

I learned by "you wont get married if you dont throw yourself in there and start shaking it"

Just get up and try it .. it's not that hard.

[jordanianprincess 0]

I bellydance but its something that I grew up with ... when I was a little girl my mom used to tell me

"Noone will marry you if you dont dance and weddings and parties"

Well that gave me incentive to get and do it. Nobody ever taught me how. I got up at the parties and mimicked what everyone around me did. I cant imagine learning by : step 1, step 2.

I learned by "you wont get married if you dont throw yourself in there and start shaking it"

Just get up and try it .. it's not that hard.

LMAO!!!!! It takes alot of those parties too! Its fun, I grew up around it too My parents never mentioned the marriage thing, but they always pushed me to get up and shake it I used to be really shy about it when I was young, but not now

[noura 0]

Hi gals! yes, I love dancing w/ the arab-americans.... so natural for them!!! Some of the "technique" can be difficult for "westerners" just cuz it's so different than how we grow up dancing.

As for some good workout/bellydance videos, I suggest Suhaila's workout collection (bellydance fitness fusion) which you can find on amazon, ebay, etc.... her site is: www.suhaila.com and also Delilah's Absolute Beginning Bellydance (www.visionarydance.com). Veena & Neena are fun to watch and some of their stuff is good, but I find some of their technique "lacking" (shall we say) in proper form. Also, if you're into yoga, Rachel Brice's Yoga Bellydance Fusion (Tribal style) is excellent for flexibility and isolations.... the woman has no bones

At http://www.bayoushimmy.com/Beginners_Page.html you will find some wonderful recommendations of music and videos (by me & my former dance partner), and here: http://www.bayoushimmy.com/NourasPage.html you will find *me* w/ a brief bio and blah, blah, blah. Ok, when are we meeting for a group class? It's a lot of fun and a wonderful exercise! Let me know if/when you want more info!

Noura

[honeyblonde 0]

Noura, you look very much like Kirstie Alley in the middle picture. Abdel commented that in the bottom picture you are wearing Moroccan Traditional dance attire.

Thanks for the links. I need to learn to bellydance before I go back to Morocco so I won't be so embarrassed when his sisters try to teach me.

[LiszyandKenny 5]

I used to belly dance 5 years ago... and for 4 years... I love it...

[noura 0]

Ok, now I'm kinda rested so I wanted to tell you abt our day... the festival was on! It was storming at the studio as we left, but it was not raining downtown, so off we went. We were a big hit (as always ) and it was a good time. After we packed up our equipment, we all went out for mexican food and mango margaritas! go figure . I'm axiously awaiting the dvd of our impromptu party from yesterday - our own little "Fest for Y'all"!

So, I hope everyone's day was nice.... it's Monday soon

Noura

[snz1802 0]

I have a couple of bellydancing vhs tapes as well, they are pretty cool, fun moves, I like it too

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Thanks for the video suggestions. I'm going to get them as soon as my husband gets a job (ya Allah please be soon!)

I've been to enough parties where arab ladies will get up and shake their thing, and the indian/pakistani crowd will do their thing. They all urge me to get up and dance, but man, my hips don't move that way and I look really really silly