Unique Belly Dancer Gifts

Years ago my sister Dawn started taking up belly dancing. At first I was a bit shocked - I seemed like the type to do something like that - not her - a then self proclaimed born again Christian, it didn't seem to fit. For years I watched in awe from a distance while she grew more confident in herself, and through that because a more beautiful person inside and out.

I had to know what this was all about so a few summers ago I decided to and watch her perform with her troupe at a local festival. I fell in love immediately. The drums, the women of all shapes and sizes - not to mention those wonderful hip movements and gorgeous costumes. I knew I had to join in on the fun. So in the fall of last year I joined beginners belly dance with the local instructor Ruby Jazayre.

Starting a class with a whole lot of women I didn't know was very nerve racking - I am a nervous person anyway, and having to dance with other people when I had no history of any kind of dance was scary to say the least. But my teacher told us all something that I always try to keep in mind. "No one is looking at you - they are all looking at themselves". So, I practiced and practiced, and finally started to feel like I got the hang of these wonderful hip drops, shimmy and such.

After a few semesters of this my teacher invited my to the advanced/performance classes. I was shocked - although I did feel good about where I was at in learning, I didn't know about being able to perform in front of a crowd.

After taking a few performance classes, I had to do some thinking. At this point I was certain I didn't want to perform for people. This was something I did for myself. This dance was something I almost held sacred. Exposing it to a crowd of people who aren't belly dancers, to criticisms, I just knew I couldn't do that and risk loosing my love of the dance.

So, I found another outlet. Drawing Belly Dancers. I already had art of fairies, and goddesses, so it seemed like such a great idea. Turns out - it was. I've drawn my teacher twice and a few girls from our troupe I have done commissions for. My art is now on the Show DVD covers. And I plan on showing my belly dancer products at the next big workshop.

Now I have a way with really connecting to this wonderful community, still taking classes, without performing.

I love being even a small part of it. Dancers are so unique. So - underground - it's like a whole world that you wouldn't even know about unless you were a drummer or dancer involved in it. To see just a small part of how big it really is check out tribe.net - most people on there are belly dancers.

Dancers and Drummers come from all backgrounds. Christians, Jews, Atheist, Pagans, you name it - we have it. As my teacher says - this is NOT a sexual dance - it is a sensual dance. I feel like it is the most empowering thing I have ever done for myself. When dancing - I feel beautiful, almost at times goddess-like. Other dancers appear goddess like to me as well which makes them so much easier to draw. You don't have to be skinny to be a belly dancer. A belly dance world without bellies just would not be right.

And this belly dance world is very connected. Women come together from all over the world to dance together and share experiences. It is a truly magical thing in a nation where we are so divided; something so diverse can make people from all backgrounds come together.

Call it belly dancing, Middle Eastern dance; it is so many things to me. And I encourage every woman to look up her local instructor and at least try it out. It is powerful and at the very least you will feel like you are doing something great for your body. And maybe you could open up a whole new world of possibilities for yourself.