Get your groove on - The moves of belly dancing

by Laura Smith | photos by Phylicia Hollis

A sense of warmth radiates from the wooden floors and high ceilings of the Sangha Studio. The atmosphere welcomes the people who come each week to express themselves through the art of belly dancing. The studio, located on Prince Avenue in the Healing Arts Centre, provides a broad menu of meditation and fitness classes, such as karate, yoga and Pilates. However, it is the less-known art of belly dancing that draws many people to the cheerful, organic studio for a mind and body-altering experience.

A cat strolls across the polished floor as women of all ages and body types enter the room and position themselves in front of the mirrors that line the walls. The women wear either bells or fringes to emphasize their movements. The room quickly fills with the bubbly chatter of the students and a sense of familiarity.

When exotic music starts playing and the dancers begin to move, it is an impressive sight to see. The dance can be serpentine or energetic, but either way, it is all about control and body awareness, according to Egyptian belly dance instructor Lorinda "Amani" Crane, who works as an accountant when she's not instructing. "I happened upon it one day at the Healing Arts Centre," Amani says. "Aerobics were boring and didn't engage my mind."

Amani-the name means "wishes" in Arabic-also says belly dancing is something to look forward to throughout the day, which she didn't experience with other fitness classes. She also mentions that it is ideal for someone who can't sit still for long, as in yoga or Pilates.

Belly dancing itself is an extremely old art derived from Middle Eastern countries mainly to represent fertility and conception. The dance was especially practiced in Turkey for entertainment, where it is still very much a part of the culture. Today it is difficult to define belly dancing, as it is mostly an eclectic mix of moves and terms from both Eastern and Western cultures.

Belly dancing can be extremely rewarding, both physically and mentally. Many use it as a means of letting go of the stresses of every day life. One of the aspects of belly dancing that Amani says is truly valuable is that lessons learned in dancing can translate into real life. She explains that in life there are leaders and followers; through belly dancing, she says one can be both and learn to take those characteristics out into the real world. In this way, dancing brings out personality traits and a self-awareness that were hidden before.

The Ramsey Center on campus also offers belly dancing classes each semester. This class includes a more tribal element that gets your blood pumping.

Katie Medina, a second year landscape architecture major from Marietta, says, "Belly dancing definitely makes you feel better about yourself."

In the aerobics studio of the Ramsey Center, where belly dancing classes are taught, there is a sense of belonging among the girls as they laugh and twirl to the beats of the music. No one looks frustrated or even tired in this class.

Along with its growing popularity at the University, belly dancing is becoming more common in American society as a means of building self-respect, better body image and more emotional and physical awareness.

The satisfaction and happiness on the faces of the students seem to make belly dancing one of the more appealing methods of entertainment and exercise available in today's world of solitary workouts.