The art form of belly dance can be traced back to over 6000 years, where it began as a celebration of women who possessed the ability to create new life. Today’s belly dance still celebrates women by promoting the glorification of all body types, creating confidence and a sense of empowerment once women realize their bodies’ capabilities.

“Historically women have not been happy with their bodies; belly dancing lets them be happy. It takes a lot of strength and to know that your body can do this – that’s empowering,” Samira, belly dance instructor at Ramsey and Athens Healing Centre, said in an interview.

Samira has been dancing in Athens for nine years. She, like many other dancers, was drawn to belly dancing “because it is a good workout, but also is more

fun than aerobics or lifting weights.” Belly dancing offers a cardio workout and most importantly strengthens your core muscles. The name is somewhat misleading since all body parts are involved. It builds your abdomen, back and oblique muscles while also enhancing posture and preventing back injury, according to Samira.

Many aspects of belly dancing constitute it as not just a form of entertainment but as an art.

“Belly dancing is based on movements women have been doing for centuries. It’s a form of special dance that is being placed on the stage. It’s not just about the moves but the culture behind the moves. Belly dancing keeps the music and culture alive by opening people’s eyes to a different world,” Samira said.

Spirituality and meditation also play a potential role in belly dancing.

According to Samira, “it depends on the dancer, but some can dance themselves into a trance and use it as a way to connect and center themselves.”

Others dance simply for the physical aspects to see how far they can push their bodies.

After years of dancing, Samira is now a belly dance instructor at the Healing Arts Centre on Prince Avenue and UGA’s Ramsey Student Center. Both facilities offer beginner and intermediate classes. The belly dance basics class will teach core movements from all styles of belly dance including choreography and traveling steps. Students in the intermediate class learn how to layer core movements and dance to the music using combinations and class choreography. Dance style, stage presence and the incorporation of music are focused on more thoroughly in the advanced level session.

Kayla Hinson, one of Samira’s students and fourth year senior at UGA, started taking the belly dance class offered at Ramsey her freshman year. Interested in the class as an alternative, fun way to workout, Hinson was immediately hooked and now even makes a lot of her own belly dancing apparel like bras and jewelry. Her attire mimics a lot of clothing pieces from Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.

Relishing in the danger, Hinson loves dancing with sharp swords and balancing candles on the palms of her hands and head. Her preferred style of belly dance is called tribal fusion.

Whereas “traditional Egyptian belly dance is more sparkly and bubby, tribal fusion is earthier, offers more creative freedom and is snakier,” Hinson said.

You can find Hinson shimmying to just about anything from Middle Eastern style music to modern electronic sounds.

Both Hinson and Samira agree that one of the greatest aspects of belly dance is that it offers women the rare benefit of embracing their bodies. Women are fed media images that promise happiness if they appear a certain way or if their pants size is a specific number. Women often lose their sense of self-worth after hearing this message over and over again, which is why an important part of belly dancing is that “it makes you ferociously confident. Especially to be able to stand on stage in front of a lot of people in a bra. It’s not like ballet where you have to have a certain body. It celebrates all body types where each individual body differs from person to person,” Hinson said.

Belly dance reveals to women the strength and beauty of their bodies, no matter shape or size. As Samira tells her students, “you have to dance with the body you got.”

If you’re curious about the fascinating belly dance phenomena, drop in at the Healing Arts Centre’s Belly Dance Basics class for $14 on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Once completing the Basics class, dancers can attend the Intermediate/Advanced Belly Dance class on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. The classes start over every six weeks and cost $60 for the entire session. The beginner and intermediate classes at Ramsey cost $65 for an entire semester. You can also drop in at a beginner’s Ramsey class on Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. To find out more information call (706) 352-9408 or visit http://dancersamira.blogspot.com/p/samiras-classes.html.

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