For a long time, I’ve aspired to become a belly dancer. Back when I was a little girl, the first time I saw belly dancing was on television. The way those dancers shake their hips amazed me. As a child, my curiosity for things unknown was still alive and working, so I wanted to try belly dancing for myself.
It was also during my younger years when Shakira was prominent on radio and television. Besides her songs, her graceful movements never failed to astound me. From that moment on, I wanted to become a belly dancer.
Fast forward to the present time, just a few months when I enrolled in belly dancing classes to see if I’m up for the task. At the time, I felt like I was the most motivated woman in the world. I was prepared to take belly dancing classes as if my life depended on it. But then, the first day of classes started…
Let me say that belly dancing isn’t quite that difficult as you’d expect. The belly dance studio was near me, and I had enough money to invest in the courses. I’d say I’m pretty darn privileged to say that belly dancing is exhausting. But if there’s one thing I’m sure about, it’s that belly dancing is challenging.
During my first week of learning, the belly dance instructor allowed me to familiarise myself with the fundamentals of belly dancing. It’s enjoyable because I got to know more about the culture of belly dancing. As time moved on, however, I started to feel the challenging stages of performing advanced belly dancing techniques.
The way I had to move my hips from one side to the other felt exhausting. On television, you’d think it’s easy to belly dance, but you know what they say: “It’s easier said than done.”
However, you shouldn’t worry if you want to try it out yourself. It’s easy at the start then it gets harder from there. But once you’re used to the techniques, belly dancing feels like it’s a part of your body and soul. I moved past the difficult stages of belly dancing in class, and I’m proud to say that every minute and dollar I’ve spent is worth the price.
If you want to enrol in a belly dance class in Singapore, try to consider a few things first before you do. Here’s the experience of learning how to belly dance in class.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO LEARN BELLY DANCING?
1. IT’S EASY (AT FIRST)
As mentioned earlier, your classes will most likely focus on the culture and history of belly dancing. However, it still depends on the belly dance instructor whether or not they want to dive into the history of belly dancing.
During the first few days, we took the liberty of knowing more about belly dancing. We studied its history, grooves, moves, and everything else in between. Of course, we didn’t waste an entire day just for a quick history lesson. But we did manage to insert a few dancing lessons here and there.
So yes, at first you’ll find it enjoyable and relaxing. If it’s your first time, you’ll have a fun ride. But you have to stay committed because the next part isn’t going to be easy.
2. IT GETS HARDER
Once you’re done with the beginner's phase of belly dancing classes, you’ll face the more difficult parts of training. The lessons will focus on hip movement, the foundation of belly dancing. It might seem easy to do when you’re watching belly dancers perform. But once you try it out yourself, you’ll discover that belly dancing is hard.
The more you progress, the harder it gets for your body to train itself. Your flexibility will take some time adjusting to the demanding movements of belly dancing. Which is why you need to maintain a healthy diet and exercise a lot.
3. EXERCISING HELPS
It was during the latter parts of training when I realised that a healthy body is a key to successful belly dancing. While anyone can belly dance, having a lean and toned body will make it easier to move your hips and shake your butt.
So I maintained a healthy diet throughout my duration of learning how to belly dance. I noticed a positive change in my movements, and I felt like I could move more smoothly without breaking my hips. If I were you, I’d cut a bit of weight until you can feel comfortable when moving your hips.
These are just some of the things you might experience when you’re learning how to belly dance. The experience will be different for everyone, so keep that in mind. If you’re interested in enrolling in belly dancing classes, you can visit Bellydance Haven.
