Benefits of Belly Dancing

Why belly dance?

Out of all the exercise forms available, why belly dance?

The answer is multi-faceted, as it may surprise you to know that this ancient Eastern art form has numerous benefits – physical, mental, emotional, sensual and even spiritual.

PHYSICAL

Belly dance tones, stretches and strengthens:

1) the abdominals

2) the arms and wrists

3) the thighs, calves and ankles

4) the hips and buttocks

5) the back and neck

The great thing is that is does all the above without physical wear and stress on the body, so it is good for all ages and fitness levels. It also:

v burns calories and keeps with weight control

v promotes good posture

v Increases blood flow and circulation

v improves cardiovascular functioning and endurance

v lubricates and loosens the joints and the spine, making you more flexible – extremely effective with longevity

v releases stress and tension from the body

v massages and stimulates the internal organs

v improves the digestive system

v promotes vitality and energy

v teaches you how to isolate and control various muscles.

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL

v facilitates mental connection with every part of your body

v increase mind-body coordination

v teaches and promotes body sensitivity and physical awareness

v develops the right side function of the brain

v relaxes the mind and relieves mental stress

v encourages mental and emotional release.

SENSUAL

v teaches you to be more rhythmic

v develops grace and confidence

v promotes appreciation of different aspects of music

v teaches how to physically interpret music

v facilitates a natural sense of rhythm

v can energetically and spiritually put your essence in rhythm.

v encourages you to express your beauty

v allows you to naturally express your sexuality

v promotes happiness and joy!

What to expect

Once you embark on your belly dance odyssey with La Bella Rosa School of Dance Arts, I am confident you will enjoy the experience immensely.

Belly dance works on several levels and has multiple benefits. By choosing this unique dance and exercise form, you should see welcome improvements in areas such as posture, your digestion and circulatory system, the elimination of toxins, your ability to relax, your confidence level and an opportunity to affirm you femininity, while experiencing sheer joy and exhilaration!

As part of your support service, this site will provide intermittent diet and health tips, as well as other interesting tidbits, and generally keeps you abreast of all the developments relevant to your class. In addition, If you are interested in performing, I would be happy to work with you.

Once you are registered, you will receive various documents outlining the basic movements of belly dance by e-mail. We may not cover all of them in the initial course, but, nonetheless, you can get a feel of the movements. They may seem like quite a bit but, don’t worry, gradually you'll get comfortable with them, especially if you have the accompanying music.

MUSIC CDs/ BELLY DANCE DVDs

If you are interested, I have compilation CDs with different styles belly dance music for sale. I am also pleased to offer you my short début performance DVD with featuring Veil dance, Taxsim/ Cheftetelli, Drum Solo and Cane Dance at $10.

Finally, to add some excitement and create an exotic aura, there are bindi face and body stickers. (See list of belly dance apparel and jewellery being offered by an associate.)

Thank you for your interest and look forward to seeing you.

Rosemarie Layne

Principal/Instructor

La Bella Rosa School of Dance Arts

Tel: 435-7201

labellarosa@sunbeach.net

Bringing out your feminine allure!

What to wear to class

For this class you can dress in regular exercise or dance gear (tights/yoga pants and leotards/tank tops.) Alternatively, you can wear a long full skirt or a loose-fitting pants and a comfortable top. Coin scarves in chiffon/ georgette or velvet, worn around the hips and a signature feature of this dance genre, can be ordered via the internet, with moondancebellydance.com and missbellydance.com being but two options. La Bella Rosa School of Dance Arts also offers for sale various styles from time to time.

For those of you who may be tentative, please rest assured that you do NOT need to have your stomach exposed for this dance style. It should, however, please you to know that the exercises involved in this dance form are such that they will significantly tone your core (waistline, abdominals, back, buttocks), as well as the arms and legs. Belly dancing is an excellent fitness régime and therefore not only for dancers/performers, with women of all ages greatly benefitting from it.

I look forward to guiding you on an exciting journey of mystique into the exotic realm of belly dancing.

Get ready to shake those hips, ladies!