You Might Be a Belly Dancer If You . . .
(by Lita)
- experiment with moves every time you pass a mirror.
- spend more time watching belly dance videos than regular TV programs.
- find yourself practicing shimmy variations during long waits.
- know the location of all MED venus within a 100-mile radius of where you live.
- compulsively buy a belly dance garment to discover once you get home that again, it does not go with anything you own.
- anticipate getting costumes and accessories in every color.
- sacrifice the price you spend for meals to own a magnificent belly dance costume.
- realize most of your friends are belly dancers.
- have thought about holding or have already held a hafla at your house.
- find it more reasonable to buy a pricey belly dance costume than a piece of furniture.
- start placing your MED cd's in alphabetical order.
- fret over never having enough (costumes, music, teachers, time, choreographies).
- can visualize ordinary garments being transformed into a belly dance one.
- are accenting to unassuming sounds like the windshield wiper, turning blinker, etc.
- have considered including your pet(s) in dance numbers, belly dance photos or web pages.
- have contemplated quitting your day job to take belly dance on full time.
- spend more than 50% of your waking hours thinking about belly dance.
- find that once you can do a stomach roll, you unconsciously do them during conversations.
- are subscribed to several MED mailing lists or magazines.
- find you forgot how to dance the pre-belly dance way.
- would rather spend your vacation time and money at MED workshops than on a pleasure cruise.
Contributions by Visitors:
(All contributions welcome)by Sharonda:
- Your hubby starts humming the tune of your favorite music. (Mine was doing this the other night!!!!!)
- When you actually start using the belly name you chose.
by Zorba:
- "Compulsively buy a Belly Dance garment to discover when you get home that again, it does not go with anything you own"
.... And this does not particularly bother you!
I'm particularly guilty of this involving veils! Oh darn, I
guess I'll have to put together ANOTHER costume! ;)
- You have a bumper sticker that reads "Put the veil down and DRIVE!"
- You evaluate new furniture not on how it will look in your home, but rather by how much Belly Dance "stuff" you can cram into it!
- You find yourself playing "air Zills" in your car!
- You have enough veils to do "the dance of the seven veils" -- TWICE!
Mindful Movement
*Who we are is expressed through how we move*Our core essence is experienced through the medium of our bodies. Our bodies are vehicles by which movement is rendered. I like to use mine as a vehicle through which I extend myself out into the world to shine my light and offer blessing. When I bring total awareness into my body, I feel the subtle energy that guides the movement from within.Where there is movement there is life. Improvised movement is authentic, organic, natural and surrendered. Once movement becomes contrived or structured, the immanent flow is diminished. Relax deep into the body and yield to the essential force contained within to experience the organic movements that begin to occur spontaneously.
Movement is a pathway to self-development. Contrary to most Western disciplines, Eastern disciplines are more in harmony with the role of movement in holistic awareness. Movement is encouraged to inspire the depth of human emotions, to open the heart and extend the mind. Whereas most Western movements are structured and forced and overrides the body's natural rhythms and movement, causing a higher incident of injuries.
Movement is also a portal to our true nature. Paradoxically, by fully entering the material world, one may experience the spiritual.
Through the simple act of mindful movement can you come to understand that there is no goal outside of your present experience toward which you are moving, than the simple act of being fully present in this moment as you tread the path on which you walk is itself the goal. Make the most of each moment on this stage of life of which we are all dancers. "Each moment is our most important performance."
Daring to Dance
*Dance is a moving representation of spirit*Dance is my favorite means of movement, as it helps me get out of my head and into the knowing of my body. Dancing has enabled me to find new ways to embrace the full experience of movement and to experience the richness of my soul.
The beautiful art of Belly Dance brings a new dimension to dance, with its colorful movements and impressive isolations. Belly Dance is a sensuous act of beauty that tells a story of the rich wealth of human experience. Each nuance of the intricate melodies and rhythms of the music are made visible by the belly dancer, who interprets the music through her body. I started belly dance not only because it was a childhood dream, but so I could enrich and expand my vocabulary of movements and make the most of manifesting the motion of music.
It is a joyful means of self exploration and healing. It reveals what requires balancing and harmony. My journey in belly dance has brought rich rewards of growth and self-mastery.
OTHER GREAT ARTICLES: Articles written by Miramar