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Throughout my journey as a dancer, the underlying theme that continues to stand out is the value of understanding the culture from which we dance (in the context of Middle Eastern dance such as Belly Dance (Raqs Sharqi) terms). Whether one is teaching or performing, a skill that allows an individual to stand out is understanding the culture they dance from. Speaking from a perspective of a dancer who is of non-Middle Eastern or non-Arab descent, I realize that this dance provides a richness of culture, history, and passion; which can be understood through its verbal and non-verbal language. 

Without a doubt, the quarantine experience has left so many of us feeling uninspired and unmotivated. This is the opportunity to contemplate where we'd like to go from here both as individuals and as a community.

1. You’re easily distracted by anything that sparkles… (especially rhinestones!)

2. You have cats…and they get angry when you practice your finger cymbals.

3. You have a sword in your car’s trunk and you’re not afraid to use it!

#10) For the Sisterhood of it…nothing like a girl’s-night-out to the dance studio to laugh, shimmy and have a drink afterwards with like-minded women!  When women gather outside the circle of men, kids, jobs….they glow.

#9)  Better Health….burn some calories, flatten those abs, stretch out those kinks and stand taller.  Gain cardio stamina, muscle strength PLUS the knowledge that you can hold those arms up longer than any football player. Your doctor will love you for taking bellydance classes...

During my time with the wonderful women of Prem Shakti, I am once again amazed by the power of Belly dance to overcome language, cultural, and personal differences, uniting women on a quest to understand the power of sensuality and its physical and spiritual implications. How many reasons are there to dance?

That's right, no exercise required. We have all been told that we have to work out to tone up. Well, that is true of toning muscle. However, you can achieve toning effects for the skin from the outside. Your skin is the most visible part of your body. It should be pampered and maintained as part of your grooming routine. Try some of these techniques and you will see a great improvement. Some of these tricks yield instant results, and others will show improvement in 2-4 weeks. Your skin will be soft and silky to the touch. It will also appear firmer.

Romantically and spiritually, the belly is the core of a woman's being, her femininity, her center of power. Historically, a soft, round womanly shape was considered beautiful, and a curving belly symbolized both wealth and position. It seems most men still prefer a woman with those curves, but modern society has influenced the opinion of most women. In the Western world, the least favorite part for most women is the lower abdominal, affectionately referred to as the belly.

Shanghai, also known as the Paris of Asia, has an exploding belly dance scene that is only 2 years old. In the eye of this shimmy storm, is the Isis Belly dance club spearheaded by Sissy Wu, Estelle Shao and Sophie.

Before you buy a sword, or scimitar (a larger, sharply curved sword), make sure it is correctly balanced. Swords are easy to test: a sword that isn’t balanced at all will fall flat on your hand (or head) making it completely useless. One that is balanced properly will stand straight on its blade. If a sword isn't balanced it may lean and will be more prone to wobble. Sometimes, you can kind of tweak the handle with your hand or a screwdriver (some are loose) and get it into correct balance; with some swords, you can actually take the entire handle off, turn it upside down, and it will balance better, but it may be awkward to hold.