Q - Bellydance. That's from India, right?
A - Nope. The dances of India are totally different. Bellydance is from middle eastern countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Q - Do you have to be in good shape to bellydance?
A - Well, like with anything physical, it helps to be reasonably fit. One of the good things about bellydance, however, is that the basic movements are very natural to the body. You do not have to be young, thin, or particularly strong or flexible to learn to bellydance. In a typical class, you will find women (and possibly men) of all shapes, sizes, and ages.
Q - Do you teach classes?
A - At the moment I don't teach regular classes, since my schedule doesn't really allow it, and because there are enough local teachers already. Some of my performance packages include a short lesson for guests if they would like to learn some bellydance moves and/or a short routine.
Q - Ohhhh, sexy! That's really sexy, right?
A - *insert eye roll here* Actually, no, not really. Bellydance is not about being seductive, it's about interpreting the mood and feeling of the music with your movements, which is the basic idea of any dance, really. Bellydance is more often joyful, playful, proud, cute, passionate, dramatic, funny, sweet, or sad, etc.
Despite some people's misconceptions, bellydancing was not invented as a seduction technique and was seldom done in front of the opposite sex until relatively recently. Women danced for each other as a way to socialize, and men danced seperately. The moves for both sexes come from the same folk dances, and are very similar. If you ask someone who's been to a Middle Eastern night club they will tell you that the men do the same moves as the women!
Q - Is bellydancing appropriate for my party/festival/fundraiser/etc?
A - Bellydancing is appropriate for any happy occasion, as a way to bring some lively and exotic fun to the party. Many dancers will interact with the audience if requested, such as wrapping her veil around someone's head like a turban, or getting people up to dance. Sometimes the dancer can be a surprise for the guest of honor - sweeping in, dancing to upbeat music, embarrassing the guest just a little (all in good fun), ending with a flourish, then sweeping out again.
Bellydancing is very appropriate for family occasions (kids love it).
The majority of dancers take great pains to ensure that their music, costuming, and dancing are beautiful, entertaining, and in good taste. Music and dance can be chosen to suit the mood of the occasion. Costuming can be as glitzy and glamorous, or as low-key and modest as the venue requires.
I have personally performed at women's centres, baby showers, bridal showers, weddings, retirement parties, and fundraisers for girl's groups, political parties, and a woman with cancer, among others. Contact a local dancer in your area, and discuss your event. You will likely find her willing to work with you to provide entertainment suitable to the occasion, and make your event fun and memorable.
Q - Do you have to show your belly?
A - No, and many dancers choose not to. There is a huge range of costume choices, allowing each dancer to wear what she feels best in and what is most flattering to her body type. Just a few of the most common include two-piece bra and belt sets with a skirt or loose pants, form fitting decorated dresses that range from quite revealing to totally covered, and loose fitting dresses or robes, usually with a sash of some kind tied at the hip.
Costumes are chosen according to the type of music and dance performed, where the dancer will be performing, and what the dancer feels comfortable wearing.
Q - How come you don't dance at male-only gatherings?
A - Sometimes bellydancing is portrayed in movies and TV as being very seductive or somehow sleazy. This is too bad, since it's a false perception, and gives some people the wrong idea.
Like most bellydancers, I don't dance at male-only gatherings like bachelor parties because they are probably expecting a stripper or "seductive dancing girl" and that's not what bellydancing is at all.
Real bellydancing is family friendly entertainment and often the folks in the audience that enjoy it the most are young kids and older ladies!
Q - Does it take long to learn?
A - It takes a lifetime to learn! There are so many dance forms, moves, teachers, rhythms etc, you could never learn it all, and the more I learn about this dance, the less I feel I know. The good thing is, you don't have to know everything. Depending on the student and how much you practise, you could learn enough to do a simple but pretty dance in one beginner class, maybe 8 to 10 weeks. You wouldn't be ready to dance in public as a performer, but you could certainly dance for your friends and family, or at a student show if you wanted.
Many dancers start performing after a year or two of classes. Some wait longer, and some never do, which is fine. Not everyone who takes classes is interested in performing in public. Many take classes for exercise, for fun, or as a reason to dress up in costumes and dance with a bunch of friends. Student recitals are a good place for beginning dancers to get a taste of performing without the pressure to dance perfectly.
Q - Are there male bellydancers?
A - Yes there are, both in the folk styles and increasingly in the glitzier cabaret style, although female dancers are still far more common.
Q - Where's your belly jewel?
A - I don't have one. Belly jewels are one of those things, like the "dance of the seven veils", that everyone associates with bellydance but were completely invented by Hollywood. In the case of the belly jewels, decades ago Hollywood was making Arabian themed movies. They wanted to show costumes with bare midriffs, but movie censors felt that belly buttons were too risque for American audiences and ruled that all belly buttons in movies had to be covered for the sake of decency. Thus, the belly jewel was born. Although you might see navel piercings, real bellydancers don't wear jewels in their navels.
