Feel Sexy and Work Yo' Belly
Guinea Pig Experiment #2: Bellydance Class
The problem:
My un-Shakira-like dance floor shenanigans.
Hypothesis:
If I go to bellydance class, then I can learn to writhe and jiggle in a sexy manner while working several muscle groups.
Variables:
I figured bellydancing would be a piece of cake. Beyonce does a bellydance-type-thing in her Baby Boy video and I’ve seen bellydance performances. What’s so hard about shaking your hips around and being sultry? I’m sultry, like, all the time.
According to Yasmina Ramzy, the founder of Arabesque Academy, bellydancing is an ancient art form that was persecuted and repressed for the last 2000 years. She calls it “a shameless display of femininity.”
Procedure:
The dance studio fills with Arab music and our instructor, Emese (we can call her “Em”) speaks just loud enough to hear her over the music. The class is filled with women of all ages and sizes, which is nice, and we all wear hip scarves with little metal disks sewn into them that jingle as we shimmy. We do some stretching and ab work, then get to the dancing. The ladies all giggle as we try to move our necks without moving our hips and vice versa. We do several hand, hip, head, stomach and chest movements.
Analysis:
Whoever thought bellydancing was easy (oh, right, that would be me) should try a class. There was hardly any cardio, but the whole class was a series of muscle work and movements. “The point is to isolate muscles and work all the muscles you never knew you had,” Em tells me. The next day, my legs (quadriceps) and arms (triceps and biceps) hurt the most.
Conclusion:
Definitely try a class before deciding it’s not for you. The introductory class was suitable for people of all levels and it was quite interesting to see how to isolate and control different parts of your body. Try to wear tight clothing as it’s easier to see how your body moves in the mirror. Classes cost $11–$16.
Data:
The hips don’t lie, so try the ancient art at these places (recommended by Melody Bogin from the Arabesque Academy):
Toronto:
Arabesque Academy
1 Gloucester Street, Suite #107
416-920-5593
www.arabesquedance.ca
Stratford, Ontario:
Sahar and The Jewels of the Nile
291 Lorne Ave. E
519-273-2610
http://www.stratford.bellydance.tripod.com/
Montreal:
Hadia at Studio Metronome
4557 St. Laurent at Mont Royal, 3rd Floor
514-969-2220
www.hadia.com
Edmonton:
Dance Aurora
Sherbrooke School at 12245 131 St
780-238-5099
www.danceaurora.com
Vancouver:
Venus Bellydance Instruction
Various locations
www.venusbellydance.com for contact information and schedules
Written by: Nicolle Weeks