Bellydancing!!!
 

Hi,
I am interested in chatting with ladies who take up bellydancing as a form of exercise.
I weight train for 3 days a week, and rather than doing aerobics or jogging for my cardio-I dance. I took many years of ballet and jazz as a child, and have recently fell in love with bellydancing!
In larger cities you can find classes available, but there are also some great beginner instruction videos you can use to do it at home.
Some I recommend to start:
Fat Chance Bellydance Basics Video-this video is more of an Americanized version of bellydance, with a more crazy getup, and it uses tribal drums for music. It is a very hypnotic version. This tape can be purchased at www.fcbd.com or www.renstore.com.
It teaches all of the basic moves of tribal bellydancing, and has a few short routines to follow. Great tape.
Bellydance for Fun and Fitness-Basic Moves-this is actually a workout video that uses some of the basic moves in traditional middle eastern dance with the traditional middleastern music. It is taught by identical twins who are performers. It is a great workout tape, that teaches a few starting moves while you are exercising. It is a good cardio workout that is much mor fun and sensuous
Bellydance Basic Dance-This is done by the twins that are in the preceding tape-it is also a basic tape, but it is an actual dance instruction tape, not an exercise video, so you will be learning more refined moves, but there will be breaks and more instruction than the basic moves tape above. It is also in the more traditional style of dance.
This is a very fun way to workout. It really works your shoulders, abs, calves, and hips/thighs. It is also fun when you progress in the dance, and learn to use veils and finger cymbals (zils).
It is very sexy-and you will feel sexy doing it! My husband and I recently went to a festival where they had some tribal style bellydancers, and instead of the traditional harem style outfit, they were more rough-slave bracelets, animal tails pinned to the back of their skirts (they seductively "bounced" off the dancers rear ends in certain moves :o ) and my husband was VERY enthralled. Needless to say, I came out of their with a tail and a slave bracelet in silver with gorgeous amber colored stones as a gift....I guess he wants me to wear it someday for a performance...:D
I still rate myself a beginner, but I can do the basic moves, and am learning the finger cymbals, and I must say, no matter what your size, you will feel great doing this form of exercise!
Beginner or Advanced dancers-please join in!
Aphil

A long time ago, I think I would have laughed off the idea of belly dancing. However, I've actually considered it lately! I have no ide why... I think it looks like a good way to stretch and limber the body, moving muscles you probably wouldn't move otherwise.

I do have lower back problems though. In your opinion, do you think this would be difficult without a strong lower back?

I have a 4-tape set of belly-dancing routines by the Belly Dancing Twins (www.bellytwins.com) -- they are specifically exercise routines, not instructional, but they obviously give you instruction on moves, plus they do a cool dance at the end of each tape. I agree, it's a fun way to aerobicize! Once I reach my goal, I'm thinking of taking belly dancing classes locally and getting myself a cool costume!

Pen
265/218.5/150ish

I am starting belly dance class next week. I am very excited. It seems like it will be fun, plus It really excites my hubby. I will let you all know how it goes.

morningglory

I am thrilled to finally be getting responses to this thread!
Suzanne-the moves of bellydance will actually STRENGTHEN your lower back! The movements actually strengthen and tone mostly your lower and upper back, shoulders (due to the arm positions) and the sides of you abs-your oblique muscles, and you thighs and calves.
What I would od for your lower back is to make sure you do abdominal exercises a few times a week, because the tronger they are, the more they work to hold your posture, and the less your back is strained. Also, I have a great exercise to strengthen your lower back-lie on your tummy, arms in front of you out straight-(think of your body as one continous line.) Lift up your right arm off the floor, while simultaniously lifting up your left leg and hold for a few seconds. Then repeat with the other side. Do this 5-10 times, every other day.
I had two very large babies (9 & 10 pounds) and they really did a number on my back and abs, and I had lower back pain a lot, until I learned this exercise-it will really help after a couple months along with ab work.
You are also so right about working muscles you don't normally use-I lift weights, and I can still feel a slight soreness after bellydancing the next morning-you work your ribcage area, and your shoulders and back in a totally different way than in everyday motion!
MzPen-the tapes you have-teh Bellydance fitness for beginners-is a great set of exercise videos that combines doing regular exercises with some great bellydance moves mixed in-teh twins are great. They also have a 3 pack set of bellydance videos that are actual dance instruction-the individual tapes are called Basic Dance, Beyond Basic Dance, and Mystic Dance. I also recommend these!
morningglory-how lucky for you to have a class starting near you! I am mostly having to use videos, and I correspond with a few teachers over the computer-Carolena of at Chance Belly Dance, and Shira from Shira.net. I hope to drive once or twice a year to have a private lesson now and then. Please let me know how your class is going-I want to hear all about it!
I have a few sites I recommend-www.shira.net-this dancer has a lot of info about basic costumes, background on the dance, video reviews, etc. She is really great.
For cheap costumes and accessories, I recommend www.aliahscloset.com they have cheap prices on basics, like coin belts, and harem pants, and zils and veils. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone wanting a professional performance costume, but if you want something just to practice in, or to dance for your spouse-this is the place!
If you don't really want a costume, but something to go around your workout lycra pants to emphasis movement-I just found a black fringed hip scarf at Fashion Bug this weekend-it is triangular shaped, black lacy, and has about 3-4 inch long fringe on it. It was $14. You can wrap this around your hips, and knot it on the side or in the front, and when you dance, the fringe really shakes!
The great thing about bellydance is-you can learn it whether you are a size 4 or 24-it is not a high impact dance that puts a lot of stress on your joints-it is a dance of control. You are learning specific movements-controlled movements.
If any of you want a costume and can sew fairly well, let me know, I have some patterns I know of that are great!
Aphil

I am a "baby" beginner but love bellydancing. I don't know if what I do is actually bellydancing....yet!! :lol:

I have "the twins" tapes....I haven't been doing it regularily but if I have someone to share with it would be incentive to get back to it.

Thanks for the thread.

LuckyLB-what you are doing is fine! Which of the twins tapes do you have-the fitness for beginners series (basic moves, fat burning, etc. ) or the actual dance instruction tapes? (basic dance, beyond basic, mystic dance)
I would love to see everyone get better at this dance!
Something that bellydancers all agree with-is that you cannot be too thin or too fat to bellydance. It is a dance that is sensual and agreeable with all body types and weights. All women can look good doing it! To prove that theory-check out this page of PROFESSIONAL bellydancers at this page-they all look beautiful! Some of tehm wear really revealing costumes, and others do not-they wear whatever works for them-what they feel good in.
www.angelfire.com/art/bbwdance/index.html
Something you will notice once you really get into it-is that the traditional middleastern type of dance has distinct movements, and when performed, it is usually one woman-with the traditional style costumes. Tribal style bellydance tends to focus more on groups, women dancing together-and it has a certain style of costume as well. In tribal style, some of the women may have solos, but hte other women are always there in the back doing "chorus" moves. I love both ways, and have tapes of both.
If any of you have the fitness twins videos, once you are comfortabel and have mastered the moves, I totally encourage you to try their dance instruction tapes, or try Fat Chance Bellydance Vol.1 Basics tape-the twins tapes are a good intor to the traditional dance, and FCBD is a great intro into tribal style-it also has a section of them getting ready so you can see tehir costuming, and a great performance footage at the end to really inspire you.
I am really glad I started this thread as well. I am glad I am not the only one who thinks this dance is so beautiful, as well as a great way to get exercise!
Aphil

Hello!
I wanted to bump this thread back up, and let you all know how I am doing!
I am still in love with bellydancing, and have been continuing to do it 2-3 times a week. Some days I practice the more traditional style of bellydance, and others the tribal style.
Another tape I would like to recommend is called "Magical Motion" and the instructor is named Atea. It is not in an exercise format, but a real dance instruction video, and shows all of the basic moves in bellydance.
My favorite moves so far in bellydance are chest drops-where you are isolating your ribcage only in a movement that pretty much makes it look like you are moving your breast area up and down without moving the rest of your body. ;) I also like hip drops really well, and love the way my hip scarf fringe shakes when I do them. It is a really empowering, sexy feeling.
I have strengthened muscles I was unaware I even had with bellydance, and this is from someone who strength trains with weight religiously each week. You really learn such control over your muscles with this dance, moving one muscle or body part alone, and keeping everything else stationary. It truly is a dance of control.
Another positive aspect, is that my weight loss has sped up since I have started dancing-from an average of a pound a week, to 2 and sometimes 3 pounds per week! :o
I would really like to keep this thread up on these boards, and to encourage others to join in learning this wonderful dance. Hopefully soon, after I am a little closer to my fitness goals, I will share a picture of myself in my bellydance garb.
Aphil

Aphil, you're doing great! Thanks for the bellydance reminder ... I haven't been doing it lately myself. I'll have to pull my tapes back out.

Pen

Pen,
Yes! Dig out those tapes!!!!;)
Aphil

Hello All!!!!

I have been bellydancing for several years now.... I used to be real good at it.... took several classes and had a blast... then 3 years ago I had a c-section hysterectomy.... the 3rd c-section cut (2 kids)... since then I have no feeling from my belly button down to my bikini c-section cut.... BUMMER!!!!!

I am no longer able to do the belly rolls which were really hard for me to learn before....

As for videos that I have..... i have the basic moves videos from the twins.... but the one I like the most is "THE GODDESS WORKOUT"... maybe i just like the name :) it is one that i havent heard you mention so I thought I would throw it out there.

I have started back recently on my workout and will probably join the class again. It is a great workout... the only one the I feel sexier after I am done than before.....

It is great that people are getting more interested in it... it is a lot of fun.....

Also, you mentioned costumes.... one place to just get a cheap costume that is really kinda cute is go to the dance schools in your area and ask them if you could look through there costume catologs and purchase one through them.... I got one that is a two piece black velvet with gold sequins and a shear skirt for $40.00.... again not a professional one but it is fun to workout in it....

Happy dancing everyone!!!!

Hello!
Angel-yes, I know the video that you speak of! The video is called "The Goddess Workout" and the instructor's name is Dolphina. It is a nice basic workout of a few bellydancing moves, and the scenery in the background is gorgeous. She also has an advanced video-I think it is called "Warrior Goddess Workout" which has some more difficult, faster moves in it.
There are also cd's of music that can be found online that correlate with "The Goddess Workout" and the videos by the twins Neena and Veena.
Aphil

Hello Ladies. I came across your thread and am now totally enthralled with the idea of taking up bellydancing. I'm going to buy some videos this week. Years ago my sister worked for a company that designed costumes for the theatre and she gave me a harum style suit......I can't wait to put the whole thing together. Thanks for opening my eyes to this!

Hello!
Welcome Jen! I just found a bellydance instructor in a nearby city, and I am going to be taking pro lessons as well as do my videos.
Jen-for starting out, I would recommend:
Bellydance Fitness for Beginners-Basic Moves taught by Neena and Veena, which is in more of an exercise video type of format. You are exercising with a few basic dance moves added in. They also have a set of dance instruction tapes, and you would want to start with their instruction tape called "Basic Dance." It is in more of a dance lesson type format.
I finally checked out the "Goddess Workout by Dolphina-introduction to bellydance", and I really liked it except for two things:
The whole Chakra thing. I am really into dance and yoga, but learning about all my chakra energy centers I could have really cared less about. She is wonderfully nice, but a bit on the flaky side.
Some of the camera work. On a lot of moves that she was teaching, the camera man kept shooting her face, or her from the waist up, instead of showing her whole body, and in a few places it makes it hard to see what you are supposed to be doing with your feet.
Other than these two things, I liked Dolphina, she used workout wear with a hip scarf or skirt, and it was easy to see her body move. The background was beautiful, and she taught all of the basics-such as snake arms, hip circles, and ribcage lifts and drops. I haven't seen her advanced video-I think it is called Warrior Goddess Workout-I hope they used better camera angles that shot her entire body this time.
I also found that Borders bookstore has a great selection of bellydance music, if you just want to practice moves you have learned from class or a video, or want to choreograph your own dance. I bought two last night-"Bellydance Superstars" and "Bellydance Breakbeats." They were mixed in the Hawaiin type of music for some reason. I could have easily bought 10 if money would have permitted. :p
Aphil

Too funny!!
 

I work in the local library and a friend came in the other day and requested books on belly dancing. The first time anyone had made that request, and so I asked if she was going to learn it. She informed me that she had been hearing that it is a great and fun form of excercise and is even going to take lessons. It seemed really interesting so I checked a book out myself am learning about it. Seems funny that I hear about it for the first time in two different places. Must be something to it....
:^:

Hello,
It is a really great form of exercise that gives nice tone to the body. As I said before, I weight train religiously, and bellydancing gives me tone and makes me sore in different areas-so I feel that I am getting a better all around workout including it. In weight training I feel soreness in my torso usually in my upper back and chest-where after bellydancing I feel it in my ribcage area and middle back. After weight training the outer cap of my shoulder feels it most, and with the bellydancing shoulder shimmies, it is more deep within.
I am attending the bellydance hafla (bellydance party) open house next weekend-the 9th-and I will be seeing local performers and they are having a lot of items for sale there. I am really excited about it, and about starting class. I already have almost everything I need for class-zils, a hip scarf, and proper class attire-choli (bellydance half top) and leotard tops, and lycra pants. The only thing I need to get is a veil-and I can buy one at the hafla. I am excited about learning veilwork. :)
For some cheap bellydance supplies, such as zils and cholis-I recommend you all visit www.aliahscloset.com-they don't have the fanciest costumes and accessories in the world, but if you just need a few items to practice with, it is the place. They have nice zils and coin hip scarves there though, and in lots of colors.
I am really psyched about class. My plan is to go up to the performance level and to join her dance troupe so I can perform. My father in law is the head of a clogging/square dancing group, and he performs all over at local street fairs and events, and I love to go watch him dance.
Does anyone here have any zils? If you do not and are thinking about buying them, when they come the elastic will not be finished on them. You have to put them on and fit the elastic to where it is pretty snug on your middle fingers and thumbs, and sew the elastic to that tightness securely. I found the easiest way is to put them on, put a straight pin where it needs sewn, and use a sewing machine going back and forth over it a few times so it will not come loose, and trim the excess. It only takes about 5 minutes to do.
For anyone else that is good at sewing, McCall's has a decent bellydance costume pattern out. It has a head scarf, a bra top, harem pants, and a hip scarf. On the cover it is decorated with fringe, but you could sew on bells or coins, or whatever you wish.
Aphil

My fiance's grandmother took and taught bellydancing after she turned 50! She and many of her friends got together to learn it. She had to quit teaching once her cancer got very advanced, but she didn't quit dancing until the very end. We have some old pictures of her in her costume (she made it herself). I had never seen a sexy 50-something before! she had the most defined abs! i think i may see about taking it up myself!

Ashley

Ashley,
I think it would be absolutely wonderful if you could put one of her best pics up her on this thread-so motivating for everyone! I also think that she would be proud knowing how much you thought of her dancing and looking sexy at 50 something! Bellydance looks beautiful on everyone-delicate or large boned, tall or short, older or young, and heavy or thin! There are many costume ideas that can be utilized to camoflauge figure flaws and still look sexy!
If you get well enought to perform (or even just perform a little dance for that someone special in your life) you have the choice of wearing a floaty skirt, or you can wear harem pants, you can wear a sparkly bra, or a choli (stretchy half-top for bellydance) for more coverage if you want. It is all up to you and what you feel good in. I personally like to wear a choli, because my arms are not in shape well enough to show them off with a bra style top just yet! :)
It really is such a great exercise though! I am really interested in hearing from those who are bellydancing now, or practice with tapes-I am wanting to know, what is your favorite couple of dance moves? I love ribcage lifts and drops and I am getting pretty good at shoulder shimmies. I think hip shimmies are the hardest for me, I cna do them, but I am working on getting them up to Shakira speed...not quite there yet! :lol:
Aphil

I'll see if my fiance minds if i bring a picture in to work to scan. I think it sounds like great fun. I'm going to be investing in some different exercise "stuff" on payday - walking shoes, an 8lb weight, and maybe (if there's enough cash) i can get a video. I'm also wanting to see about getting a yoga video, so maybe there'll be a two-pack ;) Wishful thinking!

Ashley

Wow! I became interested in bellydancing a while bck, but jsut recently purchased a tape. I love it! I feel like it has opened up new opportunities for self-acceptance. :) I'm so glad I heard about it here on 3FC and that there is such a great group of people here that love bellydancing too!

KiraR-
it really is a self-accepting dance. It does a lot for the self esteem, and it celebrates a feminine shape by emphasising the female shape, rather than the recent trend of waif models like Kate Moss, where in jeans and a tank top she looked like a 12 year old boy-denying the feminine shape by ridding herself of all feminine curves. Being thin and fit is one thing, but having absolutely no hips or breasts is another.
I am glad that you are here with us! What tape do you have? I have 4 or 5 different ones, and my classes start soon.
There is a wonderful website I would like you all to look at-it is a website of full figured bellydancers, showing larger dancers in costumes. They all look really nice. It is at www.angelfire.com/art/bbwdance/index.html
I also recommend you check out www.shira.net if you want to see another great bellydancer. She is a tall bigger boned girl-not plus sized, but bigger-a size 12 or 14 I would guess. Shehas a great site that has bellydance video reviews, costume tips, information about the history of bellydance, and anything else you could think of about bellydance. She is a great person, and I have emailed with her on occasion. Check it out!
Amy-Aphil

Amy,
Thanks so much for your reply, I'll check out those sites. And also, thank you so much for starting this thread

Hello everyone:wave:

Nice to see other people who are interested in Bellydancing!

I have been taking classes for about two years now and I love it!
I have even actually performed in public at a show :o I was really nervous but it was great!

I agree with Aphil it is a great work out and you have so much fun it doesn't even feel like exercise. I have managed to lose 2-3 inches off my butt and hips area in the past year.

The music is great too-very uplifting. The veil work is my favorite part. My class also works with Zills. I also find it very empowering.

Thanks Aphil, for sharing your information on tapes and websites.

mauvaisroux-
I have posted with you on numerous other threads-I had no idea you bellydanced! :D
I have been practicing zils with my videos at home, and we will be using them in later dance lessons when class starts-we will be doing veilwork first. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it is beautiful. I will be making my own veils, because buying them are way too expensive since I have a serger that can do the edging on them. If anyone wants to know how to make a standard size rectangular veil-all you need to do is to buy a piece of fabric that is 45" wide on the bolt, and buy 3 yards/9 feet of it. Then you or someone who knows how to do a rolled hem on a serger can just make an edging around it to make it look nice. You can also sew on a trim around the edge if you want to-but be careful-because you should really use a sheer fabric like chiffon or a lace that flows well/not too stiff. Then you have your veil!
I have watched two of my new tapes, and will be trying them out today-Basic Dance and Beyond Basic Dance by Veena and Neena. The Basic Dance one goes through basic moves just like The fitness one-Basic Moves-but it has a few more moves like chest undulations. It is 45 minutes long instead of 30-because the last 15 minutes they actually teach you a little dance using the movements learned. The Beyond Basic Dance is the exact same format, but it incorporates another little dance to learn at the end, and you are learning and using a few more moves that are a bit more difficult, such as hip drop kicks combinations, and new arms. They are both very nice. After these two are mastered, the third in the series, Mystic Dance-teaches some basic veilwork.
I havenot yet watched Warrior Goddess Workout with Dolphina, so I will let you know how it is later on.
I like these Veena and Neena tapes-my new ones are great for dancing and learning new moves, and my Fitness Basic Moves is great for when I want to do "drills" with movements to get them better. I HAVE noticed however, that one of the twins is a better dancer than the other. One seems to have better natural rhythm, and a more advanced form than the other-she will arch her back or shimmie her shoulders a little harder than the other, etc. I am trying to compare their introductions in the tape to them moving around, trying to figure out which one it is! :lol:
My all time favorite is still Fat Chance Bellydance, and I encourage anyone who loves bellydance to get a video of theirs. Their precision and fabulous rough, tribal style just motivates me like no other dancers. My favorite is their performance at the end of their costume and makeup video...they really make Dolphina and the twins look like amateurs-no kidding. (My husband thinks they are the sexiest women on the planet.) If any of you watch them, you will see what I mean.
Aphil

Aphil,

I love dancing with the veils - makes you feel tres sexy!:s:

I have two hip scarves and a top with beading and coins. One scarf is purple with silver coins, the other is tiger print with gold coins-Rowrrrr!:lol:

I am planning on making some veils too and a skirt. I bought some sequins in gold and silver to trim the edges.

Don't you just love the music they use in the tapes? I have several cd's and play them all the time- even just to do the housework. I find the music very uplifting. I am having some trouble with the zills though :rolleyes: I just need to pratice at home more.

Let us know how you get on at your class- when do you start?

Take care,
Mauvaisroux

My classes start in a couple weeks-I am excited.
If you are having trouble with zils, you can usually use the simple "right left right" rhythm in a lot of songs, and you don't have to do it the entire dance, you can use it just for accent if it makes it easier. You can practice it without your zils on to get the rhythm better. I do that a lot.
Ebay is a good place to get hips scarves cheaper than in stores if anyone wants to check it out.
I checked out Dolphina's second video-Warrior Goddess-and it has its good points and bad points. My biggest complaint about her first one was that the camera concentrated on her upper body too much when demonstrating lower body moves-well, the second video has completely rectified that-showing her entire body when she is demonstrating the moves. I also liked what she was teaching, and the music. The only thing I didn't like about it was that I really liked the lush backgrouds from the first video-it was very exotic. The second one is really lacking in background-she is standing on a white platform that has water around it, and instead of wearing the differetn gorgeous bellydance inspired attire like in the first one-she is wearing a goddesslife (her company) top that she sells on her website with yoga pants and a small hip scarf. So-in short, the workout part and camera work is good, but it is not as enchanting with the background and attire and all as the first.
Aphil

Hello everyone:wave:

I forgot to mention that I bought a silver cane from my teacher the other week and we have been learning a few moves with it-it is totally cool! :cool:

Hello!
I went to the hafla this weekend, and my classes start in two weeks. It was much fun! My instructor has has members of her troupe that are all ages, shapes, and sizes! Some of her students danced at the hafla to get their feet wet performing in front of an audience, and I was really impressed with this little girl who has only been taking class for 2 months! Her older sister is a dancer and she wanted to learn-and she danced a simple routne with her older sister. She was only about 9, and a bit on the chubby side-and you could tell at first that she was nervous-but she did a wonderful job, and even did some basic veilwork. I was so happy for her, and the instructor and her sister just hugged all over her when she was done. I am glad that I will be dancing in such a friendly, supportive environment of all types of women. :D
There were some great vendors there, selling some cool stuff. I bought a few bindis-the little jewels you wear on your forehead for only $1.50 each.
If anyone is interested in making their own veil, a good inexpensive combination is to use chiffon in the size mentioned above, and sew a seam 1/4" from the raw edge all the way around. Press it in on that seamline, and fold it in again 1/4" and pin. Sew this hem down all around and you have your raw edges sealed all around. It is really pretty easy. A good weight of trim is the single row of sequin trim that they sell for about $1.50 a roll at Wal-Mart in the fabric section. You will need 2 rolls. You just hand sew it around the edge and it is done. You have a veil for about $15 or less-just like one that is $30 or more in a store-and it takes about 2-4 hours total.
It is my bellydance and abs day today in my exercise program-and I will probably do the Goddess Workout and then 10 minutes of abs. Everyone have a great day!
Aphil

Hey everyone! :wave:

Aphil, you have inspired me to wipe the dust off my Neena and Veena tapes and get my butt moving :D and also to get my sewing machine going again!

Hello!
mauvaisroux-I am glad to be inspiring! :lol:
I am just the type that would rather take the time to make something myself if I can-because if I do, I can usually save money, and do better work. With the veil I am doing now, I am saving about half of the cost for 2-4 hours of work, and since I am picky, my seams tend to be straighter and edges finished nicer than in some store bought items.
I will tell you all though-you can make coined and beaded hip scarves for a fraction of what they cost to buy, because what you are paying for is the time to make them. Most of them have thread crocheted edging which the coins and beads are attached to-and it takes quite a while to do all of that! So-if you have time and the know how-it would save a lot and you could customize them to exactly what you want-and when your fingers are busy, it is much harder to eat! :lol: (This is one of my biggest nightime munchie avoiding tactics)
mauvais-do you have any pictures of you in bellydance attire that you could put up? I need to get my husband to take a few of me and get them up here. I think it would be very inspiring for those wanting to learn to dance to see ladies of all shapes and sizes in bellydance costumes!
Aphil

To be honest with you Aphil, I am a bit shy about putting up my picture :o maybe later on when I have worked up the nerve :lol:

I would love to make my own belt but finding the coins/beads and then actually having the time to do it :shrug: it would probably fall into the box with all my half started-never finished sewing projects :rolleyes:

Hello everyone!
I just put up a pic of myself in tribal styled bellydance gear! It is in the general diet plans part of the forum, under the thread Doin' it the Old Fashioned Way-on page 11. I only wanted to put it up here once, to save space on the site. I hope you all take a look, and ignore the camera "red eye" that I have! I have lost 26 pounds so far, but I am still in the 180's-and I wanted to show you all that you can look great in bellydance wear no matter what your shape or size! :dizzy:
Aphil

Hey Aphil! I just checked out your picture-you look great! :) very sexy and exotic!

I will try to take some pics at class in the next week or two.

I have lost about 25 lbs total too and my weight goal is 145lb which puts us in the same range. I found that bellydancing helped lose some inches off my butt, hips and thighs which are the difficult parts for me to lose on- I usually lose up top and through the waist. I am finding that I am getting more toned in those areas too by dancing.

Last weekend we practiced dancing with canes in more of an egyptian folklore type dance -it was fun! We are hoping to make up a routine using the canes in the next season's class.

I seem to have the same problem as you! I lose easily in my waist, face, and bust-but my hips and thighs are where I really need to work it-luckily, bellydance costumes can very well cover up those parts! :D
I can't wait to see your picture!!! I am sure you are a very sexy redhead! :o
Thanks for the compliment-I will get another one up later with the works on-coin bra and all that-and maybe get a picture up that shows my skirt and pants-I had to shrink it down and cut my lower body out of the picture!
My class starts Tuesday-I am so psyched! I cannot wait to work with canes and swords in the more advanced classes! We will start out with veils and zils this year.
You are right about it being a great lower body toner though-I really feel it in my hips and thighs after practicing shimmies-which I do a lot! I put in a middle eastern cd and try to shake it through a whole song for practice! One of my cds is called Bellydance Superstars-which is bellydance performance music favorites chosen by bellydance stars-and there is a song called "Drum Solo" which is my favorite. Very Tribal and shimmie friendly. :lol:
Amy

Wow - Great thread!
 

My mom used to be a professional belly dancer when I was a kid.

Back then I was just sooooo embarassed that my mom was dancing that I never even thought of learning.

Well - now I'm interested in learning. I'm a HUGE broad though. 300 lbs so I'll be starting slow and secret and maybe when I've lost some weight I'll try taking classes.

But looking like I do now... well let's just say I don't even want to see how I look trying to learn this stuff!

I also want to build up some stamina before I try a class.

But I want to thank you all for encouraging me to take another look at this beautiful art form. And the cool thing is if I have trouble with a move I can ask my mom for help!

Now I just have to figure out which tape to start with!

P.S. - I found the Bellydance Fitness for Beginners DVD's at Amazon.com for 16.99 each (each DVD contains two of the videos). I think I'm going to order them!

Thanks again!

Welcome!
The best one of the two Veena and Neena dvd's is the one with the Basic Moves on it-it has more bellydance basic moves-the rest has a lot of exercises incorporated into it. To better learn the dance moves-try their Discover Bellydance series-more like a dance class with actual dance moves-start with the Basic Dance and Beyond Basic Dance dvds-althought Amazon did have a special on the 3 dvd set the last time I looked. Very good for learning the basics, and it teaches a choreographed dance in each one. :)
Aphil-Amy

Thanks!
 

I ordered the "Bellydance Fitness for Beginners - Basic Moves & Fat Burning" and "Discover Bellydance" DVD's.

I really appreciate the input! I wouldn't have known where to begin otherwise!

Carole- that is so cool that your mom was a belly dancer!

Good luck with your tapes, I think you will have fun doing this :)

Thanks for the encouragement Aphil- have fun at your class!

Hey-
want to know a little surprise I have up my sleeve that sort of incorporates bellydancing? Some of you on these boards know that my husband and I are Star Wars geeks-and I do movie replica costumes for sci-fi/fantasy type movies such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings...well they have huge costume contests at a lot of these sci-fi conventions that I always enter-and for a very special one in two years-I have a great costume idea that I am going to do. Do any of you remember the green colored slave dancer that Jabba the Hutt had? With the two tentacle looking tails coming off of her head, and the scant bellydancerish attire that she wore? I am going to do one of these for a con in 2005-it will probably take me about that long to make this one! :lol: Some of my costuming friends are really excited about this one! I figure I can shed a few more pounds and be in good enough shape by then to perform a dance at the contest as part of my act.
So-this will be like my biggest upcoming bellydance performance in front of an audience. The last contest of this type that I entered had some great SW celebrities and behind the scenes people there watching. What an incentive to tone up my butt!!!!
:lol:
clkchef-mauvaisroux is right. I think whether or not you end up getting serious and taking a class later on and performing someday, or just tie on a hip scarf and shimmy around your living room with your videos-you will have a great time doing this. It is really a fun and sensual dance-and looks good on all shapes and sizes of girls. Did you check out the website I mentioned above nearer to the beginning of this thread? The one of full figured bellydancers? If not, check it out. These girls look great. My mom-who would never dance in front of anyone even has fun coming over now and then just to do one of the tapes with me-I lend her one of my fringe or coin scarves, and we have a blast together!
Amy

Hey Aphil, speaking of cons...are you and your hubby going to Gencon in July?

That last Star Wars Celebration was a blast- I am hoping to be at the next one too.

I am actually working at a con in London England in April -should be fun!

I have always wanted to wear my belly dance outfit to one on the cons as I have seen a few others there in costumes they made. Your idea for the green dancer sounds amazing!