Belly Dancing, best exercise

[rawpriestess]

This was touched on in another thread, so I will post this info here.

Belly Dancing is one of the most beautiful, sensual, exercises that anyone can do.

I've seen little old ladies in wheel chairs do it, (with their arms) and they are lovely.

I've seen 2 year olds do it, and they are beautiful.

Anyone, any size, any age, any heighth looks gorgeous, when they put on a Belly dance costumes and moves around.

You don't have to show your tummy, there are many costumes that don't show anything but your eyes, hands and feet.

But it can be the most fun exercise in the world, with beautiful music, dazzling costumes, lots of makeup (or not) and glitter, and glamour, and sparkles, or you can go all ethnic, with gypsy colors, of crimsons, turquoise, and saffron, lots of coins, or Indian, with saris, a bindi, and kohl rimmed eyes, or totally Nigerian, Ouiled Nail, Uzbek, anything you like.

But, get into a class or get a video, Neena and Veena are friends of mine, and have purchased some of my costumes, they are great. Their videos are very easy to watch and follow.

But there are tons of them, (none when I was into it though) and it is so easy to learn, I can give you countless tips too.

The most important thing is to get up outta' that chair and move, slow and sensual, or fast and shimmies, or gypsy-ish, hopping up and down with your tambourine.

What ever you like, there is a Belly Dance style to go with it.

Have fun.

[LNdolls]

Oh, yes, please point me to the right beginning DVD, please!! I am eager for a new way of dancing that works me out and I have long admired belly dancing.. grin
A link, a website..
Thanks,
LN

[ReneeSC]

When I was very young and in the military, I was infront of the entire TTMC ( Trauma Troop Medical Clinic ) conducting an introduction on transitional processes, when a person in my "care" pipes up infront of everyone that I did some belly dancing .......... I about died right then and there.. turned funny colors.. couldn't breathe.. the docs and nurses thought it was hysterical, but I was so embarrassed! I had to work with these straight-lacers everyday and carry some decorum while doing it! Well, my boss, an ICU doctor, was pretty straight-laced ( nothing wrong with that, of course), and he just about fell off of the table he was propped upon.

I just told them it was for exercise and fun... ( it really WAS!), and I wasn't some lap dancer at a nightclub or anything...
They couldn't stop laughing... and it took me a while to get back to my overhead projector.

Anyway, it's great exercise, even if it's just you alone in the livingroom. Just becareful to whom you advertise it - it might come back to you.

[rawpriestess]

One of my dearest friends when I was dancing is Delilah, her website is www.visionarydance.com

and she is a beautiful, gorgeous, lovely woman, you must see her flip quarters on her belly, one at a time, or 3 at a time, and she can flip one into a cup on her tummy too. Absolutely amazing.

http://www.visionarydance.com/VideoClips.html (go to "coin flips")

Her website it huge, so it takes a while to navigate it, but her videos are wonderful.

she lives in Seattle, and still dances almost every night in the clubs. She is my age, in her 50's and she was the Belly Dancer in the "China Syndrome" in the first fiew minutes. She still looks the same, some of the pics on her website are from 30+years ago, and some are from this year, you honestly can't tell the difference in her age at all.

[sweetgoddess]

wow, she is seriously cleopatra reincarnated! I just love all the costumes. ahhh! I loved that red/gold one in your pic. She has a lot going on, yikes!

[Sharon in Colorado]

My son got me The Goddess Workout DVD and I've always been meaning to use it. I think the girls name is Delphina. Or something. She's a blonde girl. Have you ever heard of her RP?

[rawpriestess]

Sharon, no, I haven't but that doesn't mean anything, she probably hasn't heard of me either. LOL

Do you like the tape? Are you having fun? I love dancing, it is something you can do in your own home, and all by yourself, and feel so pretty and still workout, and have fun, what more can you ask?

[Sharon in Colorado]

I just pulled the tape out. I have never used it, but am going to right now. Looking forward to it. The name of the girl is Dolphina, not Delphina, LOL, got it wrong.

Here's her website www.goddesslife.com

My mother is a folk dancer. She's done it over 30 years. My father had a heart attack and died on the dance floor at the age of 39. They would go out dancing every Friday night. That night was Friday the 13th, the day before my 10th birthday.

I just realized that at this very moment he died dancing, which should be a good way to die. Better than a car accident or a murder, huh?

My mother still folk dances when she gets the chance. Belly dancing reminds me a bit of the folk dancing because of the costumes and it's a Middle Eastern thing.

[Sharon in Colorado]

It was a good work out but there were a couple of things I didn't like. I'm just interested in the body movements and not particularly the Hindu messages she kept piping in. Kept going on about chakras, kundalini, serpents within and the goddess coming out, etc. I know all about that stuff and I don't practice it or subscribe to it personally.

Also the video wasn't showing her legs and feet certain times when I was trying to get a movement down, it kept focusing on her torso and face. It was also difficult to see what her legs were doing for the shimmies because of the long skirt. I would have liked to see her legs so I could get the movement down.

I wanted my daughter to try it but she was clearly not comfortable with the Hindu stuff going on either. She was also a bit too "seductive" for my daughter, I thought.

One thing for sure my neck feels a lot better and my arms hurt!

It would be great to get a video that concentrated more on the movements themselves. Meanwhile I'll be doing this after the kids go to bed! LOL

Thanks RP for bringing up this thread. It got me to move my body around in a new way.

[rawpriestess]

Dear Sharon,

I have been a professional Belly Dancer since 1977, and I HAVE NEVER heard of any teacher, talk about the Kundalini or serpents, or any of that stuff while teaching.

The original movements were done by women for women, to help them learn how to move their bodies, NOT FOR SEX, but for childbirth.

These movements are like the labor contractions, and really can help build your leg, back and stomach muscles.

YES, your arms will hurt if you keep them up.

The leg positions below the skirts for shimmies

First, a teacher is NOT supposed to be wearing a skirt, while teaching, the leg positions are very important.

Second, the camera person, needs to back off, and let you see the entire dancer, legs included

So, this is the leg position for shimmies. feet about a foot apart, facing straight forward, and knees slightly bend, then depending on the type of shimmie, fast, slow, undulating, figure eight, up with a down thrust, or down with and up thrust etc. you can either straighten out one knee, and leave the other bent, then straighten out the other knee and bend the other one, so it looks like you are simmying, this is a cheat shimmy, but can work in the beginning,

The real shimmie, is done the same way but you leave the legs with knees bent, and you simply wiggle your butt, plain and simple, you'll ge the hang of it,

Delilah is a great teacher, although she is into the mother earth goddess and all that. (which I am too, I just don't teach it with dancing as not everyone is into that), just teach the dance, for crying out loud. Sheesh, let people find their own spiritual path. HUMPH.

Okay, back to dancing, but Veena and Neena are fun twin dancers, and since they've bought some of my costumes, I feel it is important to support them by recommending their tapes, you can buy them most anywhere, I know they are on amazon and ebay.

BUT MOST OF ALL, HAVE FUN.

The dance, is NOT about sex, it is about moving, without hurting yourself.

Also, it slims the waist, and strengthens the legs, more than any other form of excersize. I know. it also builds endurance.

I used to dance for hours on end, without ever getting tired.
(back in my day) LOL

[Darkflame213]

Dear Sharon,

I have been a professional Belly Dancer since 1977, and I HAVE NEVER heard of any teacher, talk about the Kundalini or serpents, or any of that stuff while teaching.

The original movements were done by women for women, to help them learn how to move their bodies, NOT FOR SEX, but for childbirth.




This was a BIG issue in the reviews I saw back when I was deciding on a set of tapes. She seems to be pushing something beyond dancing. I LOVE Neena and Veena. I think the beauty of BD is how comfy women get in their skins. No one feels out of place because these are the movements your body naturally takes to. Right now I am very much into putting on my favorite tunes and dancing around my room or my basement. Many of my moves are the ones I learned from my BD tapes

[rawpriestess]

Darkflame, you are so right.

I've taken from some fantastic instructors, and know tons of Belly Dancers extraordinare, I mean I knew Suhalia, when she was a baby for crying out loud. LOL

Anyway, there are many tapes out now, back when I was dancing they had albums and books, that was it. then they started coming out with cassette tapes, that was so much better, now of course, there are CD's and you can watch your favorite dancer on DVD or video

[Sharon in Colorado]

Thank you RP - that sounds great. I agree that the teacher needs to ditch the skirt for beginners so they can see what the legs are doing.

Well, hey if you have a good recommendation I'd love it.

I know there are varying types of BDer's and I could tell that Dolphina was a bit ecstatic about the camera, and all of the chakras, etc. especially when she was counting (almost sounded climactic! LOL - I had to laugh a little bit. She is a beautiful dancer, lovely woman and very sensual but it doesn't help me learn the moves). I think she may have been a better performer than teacher.

The shimmy she was doing was the one with the hips - she shook/fluttered the coins around her hips.

Yes, the arms! I have really, really, really long orangatun arms they are even longer than my husbands and they get sore when I hold them up too long. I would love to strengthen them through belly dancing.

But wow, I can still feel that work out around the arms, neck and shoulder. I will definatly run through the DVD again tonight to try to get the hang of it.

Like I mentioned, my mother is a long-time folk dancer. I used to attend a Messianic congregation where they did Davidic dancing during the worship music. It is very close to how the Israeli's praised the Lord, with cymbals, trumpets, etc.

And I love to dance. I did folk dancing when I was younger and my husband and I have taken ballroom dancing. I'm all about the dance!

It would be fun to get a video where my daughter could participate. Something to help her get more fluidity and grace in her movement. Maybe something I could take out from the library for a ride to see if I like it first.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Okay well at least I wasn't imagining it!

Many others have felt the same thing.

Reviews: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005K3N9/102-0688465-6089729?v=glance&n=130&n=507846&s=dvd&v=glance

[Darkflame213]

I really liked this book.

Belly Dancing for Fitness: The Ultimate Dance Workout That Unleashes Your Creative Spirit (Paperback)
by Tamalyn Dallal "


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1569754101/ref=pd_ir_imp30/103-3262539-2165448?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

[rawpriestess]

One way to get alot of fluidity in your music, is to practice the moves underwater, such as in a pool or hot tub.

If that is convenient.

Also, the best way to strengthen your arms without too much pain, is to take a dowel or broom stick in both hands behind your back, and lift is up and down several times, this strengthens the underarm muscles, and really makes a nice workout without alot of pain, you can add weights to the broom handle as you progress, or just do more repetitions.

[Sharon in Colorado]

So I checked out Veena and Neena's Belly dancing for beginners fitness video from the library. For some reason I was expecting to see a couple of goofy magpies (I guess Heckle and Jeckle was on my mind) but I saw 2 very lovely women on the cover.

It was a very user friendly work-out. The voice over explained all the moves in a sweet, gentle voice. The work-out was hard on me, so that was good. Veena and Neena are truly beautiful and so graceful with all the moves.

And the camera angles were perfect. They didn't just focus on the face like on Dolphina's Goddess Workout. The cameras focused on the necassary body parts that needed to show the move. The twins were wearing work-out pants and scarves w/coins around their hips so their legs could clearly be seen. They didn't try to make eye-candy out of themselves, they smiled and looked very sweet and friendly rather than porno queens.

There was no talk of chakras, kundalini, snakes in my spine or goddesses wanting to come out. There was a couple of references to be sensual as you move but that was to be expected. I felt comfortable with my daughter in the same room - didn't feel like I was watching some seductress or anything.

It is a great video for anyone wanting to learn the moves. It truly moves every part of your body. I really need it for my arms. I know of no other exercise that uses the arms as much as belly dancing.

Well, that is my review of Veena and Neena from a beginner's perspective. Needless to say, I've e-mailed about half a dozen instructors in my town to see what's available!

[rawpriestess]

Oh, I am so glad that you like them.

They are truly sweet and nice women, and of course, talented and absolutely gorgeous.

I met them about 10 years ago at a Belly Dance festival in California.

[GlimR]

I have that video by Veena & Neena and it is terrific...I've done it a few times and realy felt tapped into the feminine...I loved it but carry most of my weight in my abdomen and had a hard time getting past that in all the moves..as far as dwelling on that negative feeling about my body. I need to try to get past that because I loved it and felt so connected and sensual doing it.....*sigh*...something I need to work on~

[Sharon in Colorado]

I also find it challenging with my body type - narrow hips and big stomach. It is hard for my to do some of the hip movements.

I think if you keep at it it'll get easier with time.

[GlimR]

Sharon~
I don't find them too hard, I have hips without a doubt......just the belly giggling thing.....it pretty much has a mind of it's own, if you know what I mean~:rolleyes:

[jenna rose]

I just tried the Bellydance for Beginners: Slim Down by Veena and Neena, yesterday. It's 30 minutes and they focus on the correct body parts instead of just showing their lovely faces the whole time. They were also wearing leggings instead of a skirt so I could see the foot and leg movements without any problem. I really loved it. It is definitely a workout and I plan on trying some of their other dvd's, as well.

This one also had some bonus features. A performance by someone named Marina. Also it had a bonus workout: flexibility by Marina. It had a section to show trailers/clips of some of the other bellydance workouts those look promising, as well, so I will have to check those out, too.