Belly dance, like many other Eastern dance forms, has been largely misunderstood and misrepresented by the Western world as something dirty and, well, slutty. Unfortunately, many people in the West have commercialized and cheapened it (and -made- it slutty). Real belly dance is a complicated, highly technical form of dance that is beautiful to watch when done well.

Apparently, belly dance was developed as a means of helping women prepare for labor. It was not originally a performance art, and was never done in front of men.

Here are some links with information about the history of belly dance:

http://www.joyofbellydancing.com/bdhistory2.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_dance

http://www.esto.es/bellydance/english/history.htm

It depends where you’re starting from. If you’ve never danced before, then belly dancing is a great way to get started. If you have a good teacher who knows good technique, then you’ll find it excellent for your tummy and back muscles, and for flexibility in your upper body. It won’t do anything for flexibility of the legs, though, unless you do Tribal Belly Dance which incorporates yoga in its warm-ups.

If you have some dance or gymnastic experience, you’ll get results faster with ballet or jazz ballet or contemporary – but they’re hard to take up as an adult if you’ve never done dancing before.

Sirena

http://bellydanceoz.com

If you just want something sexy for you hubby I would suggest Dolphina goddess-workout dvds.. Good for just beginning steps, but not to become a real belly dancer..

oh for sure, the first time i ever took a belly dancing classes i was in so much pain because i never had used those muscle in my body.
chiropracters say its great for your back and posture, there was a guy in my class and he was a chiropracter and he raved about it and its great for you abs.
i would totally go that route if you want to lose weight.
if youre in my area, I’ve listed a bunch of locations for classes and also a bunch of beautiful hip scarves for the class.
check it out http://www.marzino.com
good luck

Do I have to show my belly thou? I don�??t now what to wear. Shouldn�??t I wear something that shows how my belly is moving so the instructor can correct me?

Thanks!

You want to wear something comfortable that doesn’t restrict your movement. You can show your belly if you want, but you don’t if you don’t want to.

Usually I wear jazz or yoga pants with a tank top or crop top and a hip sash.

Your instructor may have sources where you can purchase costume items and accessories. There are many reputable vendors of costumes and accessories for belly dance.

Try looking at the directories on the following sites

http://www.minneapolis.edu

http://www.shira.net

http://www.bhuz.com

Just follow these easy instructions from the renowned makeup expert Kevy Aucoin for the perfect look.

You will need the following:

• concealer and face powder
• powder and sponge
• black or dark colored eyeliner pencil
• neutral beige powder eyeshadow
• sponge tip applicator
• eyeshadow brush
• eyelash curler and black mascara
• tweezers

First, start by tweezing your eyebrows. They should be perfectly manicured with no stray hairs. No matter how perfect your eye makeup untidy brows will spoil the look.

Apply black or other dark colored eyeliner pencil to upper and lower inner eye area. Smudge pencil gently into the lashes. Using either a sponge-type applicator or shadow brush (your choice), blend pencil into smoky circle around eye.

Using an eyeshadow applicator, softly retrace around the penciled area from lashes outward with a dark colored eyeshadow. Remember to use as little shadow as possible to get the best results. Or to emulate the photo above, apply shadow around the outer half of the top lid only.

Use a lighter colored powder eyeshadow to highlight browbone and eyelid. This is a good place for some shimmer-try gold or other metallic toned shadow to create a great showy effect. (You can even sweep a little bit slightly down the side of the nose and under the eye.) Then, if you like, you can add a brighter color to the inner half of the eye as in the above photo.

Curl the lashes and apply black mascara then top with a bindi and your ready to dazzle!

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Top by Sharif Wear

A Quick Guide to the Best Belly Dance Costume and Apparel Sites for Full-Figured Dancers.

If you are a full-figured gal like me you know that finding belly dance apparel and crop tops in plus sizes can be tough.So here I have listed the (precious few) sites that offer belly dance tops for D cups and bigger.I have only included sites that I feel have reasonable, competitive pricing.

e.k. clothing is one of my favorite sources for belly dance practice cholis. They carry long-sleeved and short-sleeved tie-front cholis in three colors and in a full range of sizes, including plus sizes. They also have the lowest price I have found on the web for this style of choli. Recently I placed an order off their site late at night and then realized I had ordered the wrong size. I emailed them-hoping a human would read it and make the correction, and sure enough a human, (Nicole) emailed me back the next morning confirming the correct size and it was shipped that day!

Interestingly enough I found this site searching for latin dancewear, rather than belly dancewear. Many sites that sell latin dancewear have cholis and flamenco skirts that are perfect for the belly dancer- and from what I have seen the prices on these sites are much more reasonable.

L. Rose Designs will custom make your belly dance choli. They have a great selection of fabrics to choose from, and since its custom you’re almost assured a perfect fit. You choose fabric and sleeve length and pricing is about what you’d pay if you bought off the shelf!

Reflections of Dance is a general dancewear site but they have practice skirts and tops for belly dance, Flamenco, and folkloric dance-all of which works for belly dancers. They also have a plus size section that has tops, pants, and skirts.

Sharif Wear has a HUGE selection of awesome gypsy-style cholis that are great for tribal belly dance. They are pricier than most sites most around-$48. But they do have a clearance section. The thing I liked the most about this site is most of the cholis are shown on full-figured models.

Last but not least isMoondance. This site has a wide variety of belly dance tops and skirts in all sizes from kids to women’s plus sizes. They have every color and style imaginable. I also like that Mooddance uses plus-sized models. Good regular prices-outstanding prices on their sale items. This is a good site for stocking up on the basics.

For performance costumes you can’t do better than Turkish Emporium-no matter what your size. They have hand made cabaret style belly dance costumes for usually under $200! I have some of their costumes and believe me they are exquisitely made and they really do hold up! They carry bra-type cabaret tops in up to D-cup and they have other styles that go all the way to an E-cup.

If you know of some other good sites let us know by leaving comments!

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1.Will Belly Dancing help me loose weight ? Yes-Definitely, any exercise can help you loose weight, but as with anything else it depends on how much you put into it. But don’t take my word for it, Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Edward Laskowski, M.D. says:

” Belly-dancing and other types of dance can be good exercises for weight loss. Dancing in general can burn as many calories as can walking, swimming or riding a bike.”

As with any physical activity, the weight-loss benefits of dancing depend on several factors, including the frequency and length of your workouts and your exertion level. Bottom line: The more you move, the more calories you burn.”

2. How many calories does Belly Dancing burn ?

According to the Daily Plate Calorie Counter an average 145 lb. person can burn up to 296 calories per hour! You can calculate your own estimated calorie burn on their website or use any of the calorie counters available online.

3. Where can I find a Belly Dancing class ? As Belly Dancing has increased in popularity it is getting easier to find classes in local areas. Check out gyms in your area to see if they offer one (most do) and your local community college or learning annex may also offer a few. There are also some websites that offer comprehensive listings.

4. Can I learn to Belly Dance on my own ? You sure can. There are many high quality DVD’s for dancers of every level. Your local video store most likely has at least a few titles and you can find a plethora at Amazon.com. A few titles I strongly recommend are:

• Bellydance Basics and Beyond DVD
• Discover Bellydance DVD Set
• Bellydance with Veil DVD

5. What should I wear to class ? Like with any exercise you want to wear cool, comfortable clothing. But unlike other exercise classes, you will mostly see participants wearing skirts (it is just so much fun when spinning). Long skirts with elasticized waistbands are good, like a broomstick skirt. Also, sweats, leggings, tank tops, sports bras-anything goes as long as you are comfortable and feel good!

6. How long does it take to learn Belly Dance ? I have taken the same beginner class over and over -because I like the teacher so much- and in my experience newbie dancers are usually kickin’ butt in just 3-6 months time! That’s one of the great things about the dance it’s easy to learn because the movements are really instictive. This is uniquely an exercise form that works with your body – not against it.

7. Can I Belly Dance while I am pregnant or after childbirth ? Belly Dance was invented in the ancient Middle East for the purpose of aiding childbirth and helping a woman recover her body after childbirth. The undulations and hip movements are specifically targeted to strengthen the pelvic muscles used in childbirth. Most Belly Dancers report having an easier time in childbirth if they danced during their pregnancy.

8. Will Belly Dancing help me lose my tummy ? Yes and No. Belly Dancing will tighten and tone your entire body, but Belly Dancing is all about accentuating the natural female form-which includes curves! Most importantly Belly Dancing will teach you to love your body- including that tummy!

9. Where can I find Belly Dancing music ? You can try your local stores, but the internet is really your best bet. Amazon has a MP3 store that includes thousands of downloads and you can hear a snippet before you buy. They also have some great CD’s. I like the collections that include various artists so I can find something that fits my mood. I really enjoy Bellydance Superstars . The songs are fast paced and fun to dance, to. you can listen to the music at Amazon.com and purchase not only the CD but individule DRM Free MP3s for your IPOD.

10. Is it true that Belly Dancing can enhance my sex life ? Here I have saved the best for last. Yes, Belly Dancing can and will enhance your sex life! See #7. Because the same muscles are used during intercourse,Belly Dancing can increase your stamina and performance during sex. Trust me he will thank you for it! All around Belly Dancing can make you a healthier, happier and more sensual woman. And that’s something you can never get from a treadmill!