Hey there all. I am 41 3/4 years old and I decided not to wait until I lost a great amount of weight to get the kind of exercise I want. So, I signed up for a belly dancing class once a week that a friend belongs to. The practice during the week will be fun. The class is a bunch of women of all sizes. I learned briefly when I attended a few weddings in Tunisia, but that was back in 1989 and I was young and thin. However, big as I am I must say that I can sway these hips nicely.
Also, my husband and I are going to NYC in a month to spend a couple of days. We plan to go Salsa dancing and neither of us, even though he is from the Caribbean, know how. Well, after a few Long Island Ice Teas we THINK we know and hit the floor, but ...lol So, I ordered a couple of Salsa DVDs from the library for us to practice.
Between belly dancing and Salsa, I am going to (literally) whittle my waist thin! lol
Sounds like a great plan, Archy! I confess that I didn't do much in the way of "exercise" until this fall - I just made deals with myself that I was going to keep the flowerbeds clean, help in the garden more, and plain ol' DO stuff.
I've been doing Walk Away the Pounds (along with my Wii stuff) and it's definitely a great exercise, but she always emphasizes that it's NOT dancing, which at least for me, means it's not as much fun. I think I need to see if I can find any of my dancercise type tapes from back in the day.
A coworker was telling me about a belly dancing class she had been going to and she was having a blast so I found a belly dancing DVD and have been doing it I never seem to have my hips going in the same way as they are on the DVD but I am having fun so who cares.
Exercise comes in many forms. The important thing is to be moving! One of my friends wrote something really cute on her FB page. "I love salsa, but I ran out of chips so instead I had to dip my hips" lol
Hi archy - I saw your post in another thread as well! I'm so glad you've taken the plunge! I wanted to learn for ages, but I was so afraid to try. It took hitting 40 for me to realize that the only thing holding me back was, well... me!!!
I've been doing it for nearly two years now and it is so much fun. One thing I found (especially at first, when I was heavier and not used to moving those muscles), was that it was a HUGE help to put my hands on the bit I was trying to move. The extra fat and smaller muscles made it hard to tell if I was doing what I was supposed to. When you see thinner, more advanced people moving something, it's easier to see what they're doing. With the extra fat in the way, I wasn't getting the same visual feedback - by placing my hands on my belly, chest or hips, I got to feel what was going on and I was able to more easily concentrate on moving that muscle.
Oh my! You just inspired me to look into a belly dancing introductory class that just happens to be nearby where I live. I might just look into this! I need to step out of my comfort zone and do something fun and get my body moving. Thanks!
I'm salsa dancing too, archy. We're snowed it, and salsa is a lot more interesting than walking around the apartment. What salsa dvd's did you order? youTube has some good beginner video clips. So far I can do a basic back step, front step, side steps, and a wobbly but thrilling side turn. One turn only, or I dance right into the walls. My BFF and I are heading to Miami for 48 warm 'n wile hours in March. Lord help my partner if someone asks me to dance!
Annie - go for it! If you decide belly dancing isn't your thing, then try salsa or flamenco, or anything! It is such a wonderful feeling to learn to use your body gracefully. It's your body, you own it and you should know how to move it and be comfortable in it.
I always used to look at dancers and sigh wistfully... sigh... I wish I could do that... sigh... I wish I was graceful... lumpy old me... sigh.
Kick that attitude to the curb! Boot! (watch it go...) Crash! There you go. Now you're ready to have some fun! Take your hips out for a spin and see what they can do!
Remember not to get discouraged early on though. If you're like me, you've been holding yourself so tightly for years that it takes a while to learn how to move.
keep it fun, and you'll keep doing it! Sounds like a great way to get going
I was taught to do the hip roll about 15 years ago...I love knowing how to do that...but that's all i've got. Otherwise, I dance like Elaine on Seinfeld...LOL, not a pretty site
Last edited by lambchop; 02-03-2010 at 01:25 PM.
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I heard about Zumba recently - it's about time someone came up with that!
Bopeep: I don't know who is where on this board and wanted to share with both boards I subscribe to. Thank you so much for the info. Feeling my body will probably help.
Annie: Yeah! You know now that I am almost 42, I don't have the inhibitions that I did when I was younger. Go for it and have a blast
Losing80: The Quick and Dirty Guide to Salsa - beginner, intermediate -I couldn't resist the name. lol
My school offers gypsy as well as the traditional style. I am really looking forward to meeting the women there this Saturday as my friend said that they are very welcoming. We should keep each other informed as to how we're doing with our dancing!
GO US!!!
Last edited by archychick; 02-04-2010 at 12:32 AM.
Not waiting - shakin' stuff NOW!
I might just look into this! I need to step out of my comfort zone and do something fun and get my body moving. Thanks!
