Belly Dancers Online Resources

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, 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 it.

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.

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.

Dancers and Drummers come from all backgrounds. Christians, Jews, Atheist, Pagans, you name it - we have it. 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. 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. maybe you could open up a whole new world of possibilities for yourself.