Belly Dance

In the Arabic language, belly dance is known as raqs sharqi, literally means "oriental dance" or sometimes raqs baladi, which literally means "national" or "folk" dance.

Raqs Sharqi is a form of a dance with the more theatrical version & the one most popular in America today. Raqs Baladi is a form of a social dance performed for fun & celebration, usually during festivities.

Three (3) years ago, I got fascinated on belly dancing and even bought a copy of these Filipino women in showbiz who are teaching the basic steps in belly dancing. Watching them dance, it's really exciting to learn coz' it's so sexy, entertaining, and very healthy.

Thinking on how to make myself healthy... I thought of working out in the gym, playing hoola hoop, and even dancing. With a very busy schedule at work, sitting on my swivel chair and working in front of the computer almost the whole day, I really believe that I should find time to exercise.

So now, I'm back in BELLY DANCING :)

In belly dancing, both mental & physical benefits. Dancing provides a good cardio-vascular workout and helps increase both flexibility and strength. It focuses on the torso or "core muscles" and builds leg strength. Learning the isolation, contraction, I could feel my body moves, and parts of my body feels like being isolated from other parts. This dance also focuses on the pelvic and hips area which reminds me of my posture all the time, coz' in performing the dance emphasizing the pelvic and the hips, I need to stand smart and move gracefully.

I want to learn more of the dance, but I just don't have much time and so I'm contented with browsing the net and executing it through the dances I watch from youtube :) Pretty cool, it's amazing coz' I am too interested with it and I'm loving it ;)

To name a few of the steps, these are:

1. The HEAD SLIDES - it is when you isolate your head when gently contract the muscles on the nape and slides ear towards the elbow (arms over the head, hands cross over the other & pressed)

2. The SHOULDER SHIMMY MOVES - twisting rib cage forward alternately when arms are on the basic position

3. The SHOULDER ACCENTS - bringing shoulder sharply forward alternately when arms are in basic position

4. The SNAKE ARMS - it is when we roll back our shoulders alternately and do the snake move in rolling the shoulder back, move elbow on side, stretch the hand on side, position in a form of wiping the wall, and fingers down

5. The CHEST CIRCLES - it is moving the chest forward, to the right, contract on back, move to the left, and back to position, doing this in a circular movement

6. The UNDULATIONS - facing the left side, step left foot forward, contract to front, then stretch your body up with right toe pointed on right side, right heel step flat back on the ground, contract back bending the knees, and back to position

7. The REVERSE FIGURE EIGHT MOVES - feet slightly apart, arms in basic position, move right hips on the back, then move to side, forward, and center, do the same on your left, gently forming an 8 shape

8. The MAYA or INFINITY MOVES - arms in basic position, step right hips out, then up, contract the muscle to bring it in, then drop. do the same on your left

9. The HIP LIFTS - stand on one leg, the other pointed forward, frame hip on one hand while the other is over the head. lift the hips, and back to position doing it alternately

10. The HIP DROPS - stand on one leg, the other pointed forward, frame hip on one hand while the other is over the head. lift the hip contracting up, and drop the hip. doing this alternately with a variation...

Never start dancing without your arms and legs warm up, and exercising the abovementioned moves or steps.

TRIVIA: Do you know that SHAKIRA was a Colombian belly dancer before she made it to her singing carreer? Well it's very obvious with her "HIPS DON'T LIE" MTV ;)