belly dancing

belly dancing

all the expats here are learning to belly dance. now, i've joined the club. i thought it would be great fun; don't get me wrong, it is. it's more than just shaking what the good lord gave you, that's for sure. i had no idea how much of a workout it would be. my abs and my back remember the years of gymnastics. of course, gymnastics was far worse than this pain, but it's similar. it now hurts to eat, laugh, speak, move.

the feminine movements of belly dancing are unlike any i've ever seen. the contortions are amazing. i don't have the most feminine figure, and therefore it is not ideal for belly dancing. my instructor, however, thinks i have potential because of my flexibility and the curvature of the arch in my back. i have hips, and i have an ass, so at least i'm halfway there. i have to use what i have and make the most of it, i suppose.

our instructor, lana, is amazing. she's georgian, speaks russian, georgian, english, and god knows what else. her belly moves in ways you cannot imagine. she can make her body move in one smooth movement, as a wave in the sea. her bright red lips are the perfect match for her bold charisma. she teaches in a way that anyone can understand exactly how to move each part of her body.

the most awkward part of me is fingertip to fingertip. looking in the mirror, my shoulders look far too broad for my small build, and my arms look like long, skinny snakes. i feel somewhat like a hindu goddess. but if i focus on my stomach and my lower half, i'm going to be fine. i just need to figure out how to control these anacondas so that they appear more feminine.

women have belly muscles that men don't, on the inside, so that we can bear children. when you begin to try to move your muscles inside, that is what causes the immense pain the next day. you support yourself on your back, because belly dancing is done leaning backwards a bit.

the classes are two hours. forty five minutes is just stretching, and waiting for the pain to begin. the rest of the time, we learn steps, moves, contortions with our cute little jingly skirts on. the class ends with two dances, stretching, and a 'massage'. the massage is actually the moment where lana gets great pleasure from stretching us in directions we don't normally (and maybe shouldn't) stretch. i stopped when she asked if she could crack my neck from side to side. even i have my limits.