Your life experiences are your story. Belly Dance is the book that you write them in. Here are 4 pieces of advice I can offer you…

Stay Unique

Be true to who you are. In the art of belly dancing, explore your feelings, motivations, and dreams. Dance your stress away. Breath in positive thoughts. Embrace your dancing with love, forgiveness, and acceptance. Belly dancing will give your soul a big hug, thanking you for uplifting it. It doesn’t matter what your background is. Embrace the intricate undulations, shimmies, and textures with your own style.

Tell a story

Wherever your audience may be, tell them a story with your dance. Pick a scenario. Ask yourself what mood is best expressed in this dance. Can you relate to the song choice? What is the meaning of the song? How does the song make you feel? Will you use props? Plan out your beginning, middle and end.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like the saying goes, “practice, practice, practice.” Maybe you are new to belly dance and the movements feel uncomfortable. Two situations may be happening. 1. You’re thinking too much and/or 2. Limited Flexibility. Your head can get the best of you in many situations. As long as you continue to practice,  you can overcome negative thoughts. If you have not danced before or experienced the intricate moves in belly dance, your body has not stretched or built the muscles needed for sharp and slow undulations, shimmies, circles, and rolls. It takes a long time (years) to form a belly dancers body – and that can be any shape or size!

Study other dancers movements and try to make them your own. Watch live performances and understand the culture behind the dance. Educate yourself but keep practicing and moving forward as a unique belly dancer.

Never Give Up

I hope you are reading this if you have taken a class, loved it, but felt discouraged to continue. I hope you’re reading this if you were a belly dancer but experienced pain in your life and needed to stop. If you have been through it all, I hope you’re reading this. That spark that made you interested in belly dance, still lives on. It is still there, deep inside you. Belly dancing is a reflective art form built on the foundation of love, admiration, and mother nature’s beauty. Maybe you’re not ready to jump into it. Maybe it really isn’t for you. If you did have that spark once, miss it, and want it back. Take that first hip drop back into the dance. Slide your head over, roll your shoulders, and pop that chest. Take it one day at a time. Do not be jealous of others or scornful to yourself. Let the healing power begin and never give up.