Dance That Makes You Feel Alive And Lifts Others Too - Advice Needed

[Silverbirch]

Hi All,

Over the years, I've tried a few different types of dance. Maybe ten or so years ago, through uni, I ended up in a women's belly-dance group. I loved it - the fun and friendship with other women who also wanted to have fun. I was only able to do it for a few months due to conflicting work times, etc and always meant to get back to it. Well, this week I did. I found a group local to where I live. They are just ordinary women, different ages, shapes and sizes, but they all love belly dance and the instructor is just one of those people who has this lovely energy about her that I could see even in that short space of time draws other people to her.

 

Anyway, at the class, she and the students were telling me how they perform for various community groups and events (including old folks homes) although that isn't compulsory. What really struck me, was that unlike some belly-dancers I have seen, the purpose of the dance isn't just about oneself. Despite the fact that the clothes - even the ones they were practising in - were exotic and sensual - it's not simply a narcissistic and exhibitionist experience. They were showing me how they get the audience involved, getting them to join in the dance and have fun. They said that especially they have found that little girls love to join them and usually pick up the movements very quickly.

 

I was pleased to find that although I'm a bit stiffer and my balance definitely needs some work, I've remembered a fair bit. The instructor said to me she thinks I'm one of those people who was a belly-dancer in a previous life. They do all different types of belly and from time to time, and Eastern spin on other types of dance, eg yesterday they did a belly burlesque to Christina Aguellera's "So You Think You Can Burlesque".

 

Anyway, I'm going to get myself a costume for performance. I've got plenty of things to wear for practice, but wanted to ask people what they think about the pics at various links. I'm not going to get anything too brief or revealing - something more classy. I've seen something along the lines of what I'd like,but not quite. I'll post a link to pic shortly.

 

The other thing I wanted to ask was if anyone knows what type of dance you call this. This link is to a video of Kylie Minogue "Celebration". I don't know if it's just my computer, but the film doesn't do justice to the dvd of it I have seen at work. One of our clients (young woman with an intellectual disability gets very happy and laughs when she sees it). I especially like the footage of the little girls dancing in the video. I've never seen this type of dancing in Australia - only on television and it looks to me like something from South America. Can anyone tell me what the dance is called which you see in the Rio Carnivals and that type of thing. BTW,my choice of costume for myself will be somewhat more modest than some of these. LOL

 

 

[Silverbirch]

I'd like to get something red like this,not TOO revealing, maybe a little more close-fitting on the top part, and without the fringeing below the bodice as I'd rather just accessorise with jewelry. I don't want any of those types that are just like a bra with beads because I'd feel too uncomfortable and where I learnt before, the instructor was always accentuating the difference between sensuously sexy and * * * * ty.

 

link removed

[BellaDonna]

Can anyone tell me what the dance is called which you see in the Rio Carnivals and that type of thing.

 

 

The Samba?

 

Though she looks like she is freestyling a little bit too.

[Silverbirch]

Hey Thanks Bella Donna. Do you dance too? What type?

[BellaDonna]

I used to do bellydance for fun and fitness. I am trying to convince my husband to take a couples dance class with me in preparation for a wedding. I think it would be fun.

 

I don't get the chance to dance as much as I would like to. I used to love to go out dancing but that all changed once we had a kid lol. So if you have the chance, dance your heart out.

[Silverbirch]

Hi Bella, that sounds fun. How old is your child?

 

My son is grown-up now, but when he was around 4, I started to take him with me when I went to a women's figure-skating class and group. Funny that he had a go on skates at that time and children are amazing with their natural ability, but he wasn't that interested. That was okay with me. He spent most of the time playing with other kids there (not on skates). A couple of years later, he got a pair of rollerblades. The first day he had them, he kept them on all day and he had so many falls, but he didn't take them off. He practically lived with them on for a few years - used to take the dog for a walk while wearing his blades. Then when he was 14, he played roller hockey at state level.

 

I really missed the figure-skating for a long time and always meant to go back. I doubt I would go back now though because of the risk of injury and the fact I have to keep down a paid job. I'll stick with safer past times.

 

I'm definitely NOT a front row dancer. I'm too ditzy to remember the steps, especially in front of an audience, but I'm generally very good at following. Tried ballroom for a short time,but I felt like I had 2 left feet.

 

I love the belly-dancing which is popular in the region I live in - lots of groups and also there are people,mostly guys who practice drumming who like to come and drum for the dancers.

[Thorshammer]

I dance salsa and merengue because of my parents. I felt pretty foolish as a little kid shaking my hips and having to see them on vhs as i got older. Its not until i danced outside my family get-togethers that it felt good, like reliving my past, but with people my age, and it helped attract the ladies. Now, as an older man, when there is a family-party, i have to dance, i have to relive the past, the frequency of get-togethers are drastically dipping.

[JonasWaingaro]

I got into Capoeira in college. It's super fun. It's really cool to watch. Also got into various Latin dances back then, my school is in Florida so a big influence there. Anyhoo, maybe a combo of samba/salsa with that dance in the video.

[BellaDonna]

Hi Bella, that sounds fun. How old is your child?

 

My son is grown-up now, but when he was around 4, I started to take him with me when I went to a women's figure-skating class and group. Funny that he had a go on skates at that time and children are amazing with their natural ability, but he wasn't that interested.

 

He's 4 right now. He loves music and I bet he would love dance. Right now he dances like a frog in a blender (just like his dad) lol.I'm really trying to convince my husband to take the ballroom dancing class with me. We almost took one before our own wedding. I'm working on it. lol

 

After seeing this thread I want to take a trip to Rio and let loose in the Samba parade!

[quirky]

I dance in my room when I can, there's not much space sadly so I have to really be inspired! I don't dance anything specific but I love dancing. A combo of theatrical, R & B, belly dancing thing going with the odd random exuberant moves..lol

Once I was with someone I liked and we started dancing and he said 'Do you dance ON the beat?' haha..I said there's too many beats, beats in between etc.

I can dance well, I was cool at school like that but I don't care to impress so I just do whatever comes to mind. I have to say, I find it a bit difficult to follow specific steps.

[Snny]

Belly dancing is cool. I have a good friend who does performances in a couple Renaissance festivals and a few local parades. She LOVES it and has the body for it. It is really amazing to watch and do.

 

I have taken Zumba (mixture of African and Brazilian) and pole dancing (I did it clothed and with a female instructor for a month). My fiance and I are going to do Salsa together this upcoming Fall. We both want to do Salsa dancing for our wedding

 

The dances I would really like to do someday is Bollywood or Irish Step Dancing. I found the Irish step dance instructors, but I can't seem to find Bollywood instructors yet. Bollywood looks like a LOT of fun. I love Indian culture and the colorful, sexy outfits the women wear there.

 

Some Bollywood: link removed

 

In fact the outfit that was posted reminds me something a Bollywood dancer would wear

[Silverbirch]

It's really uplifting to read about other people's experience and love of this too! I can hardly wait until Friday to go back again. I'm really impressed by the men's experience of it here too. Haven't really been a lot of men at the different groups I've been to over the years apart from the ballroom classes. As I've said,I have 2 left feet when it comes to ballroom, but I remember that there were some men there who were such good dancers they were easy to follow. A couple of times, I got to do the "Tangette" with this particular man. The people who were good at the ballroom and could lead had to practically fight off other people who wanted to dance with them. Mostly though, I would rather participate in dance where you don't require a partner.

 

With the bellydance, some of the music they played - the Turkish music - not something I would normally think to listen to - but it had a mystically eerie quality to it. Some day I will get around to trying out salsa/samba/zumba.

 

Quirky, I think I'm a bit like you too - I like dancing when I'm alone as well.

[Silverbirch]

I was driving to work yesterday with the radio up pretty loud when "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez came on. That's always made me feel like getting up and dancing. I thought about this thread and especially Thorshammer and Jonas. I like her dancing on it too. I think she has a very powerful presence on this clip where she performed at the Women's World Cup (Tennis)

 

 

[Silverbirch]

Snny, lovely costumes too. Thanks. I'm off to my class now.

[Thorshammer]

I was driving to work yesterday with the radio up pretty loud when "Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez came on. That's always made me feel like getting up and dancing. I thought about this thread and especially Thorshammer and Jonas. I like her dancing on it too. I think she has a very powerful presence on this clip where she performed at the Women's World Cup (Tennis)

 

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J-lo makes me run into walls, shes so sexy. My dad used to point to women at our get-togethers and he used to say, "you want a woman like that, learn to catch up to her on the dance floor". My heart would cry in my chest when i had to gather up the courage to approach and ask if she wants to dance (in an otherwise very intimate form of dancing) while shes alone breaking it down like that. When i was a kid it was so simple, just grab their hands and step on their toes and tell the girl she had cooties.

[Silverbirch]

LOL Thorshammer. Yes, that must be a bit tough. It's easier in cultures where people just get up - often on their own.

 

I think J-Lo is like a Goddess and she just has her own special formula. If I was a man, she'd make me run into walls too.

 

Hey what about Ricki what's his name? He had some dance inspiring numbers and a real presence too.

[Thorshammer]

Ricky martin? Yeah, hes got moves i guess. I dont really look at the dudes when they dance though, lol. I remember my family was crossing their fingers that ricky would date j-lo, not happening now, lol, since hes gay.

 

I like me some shakira, and she moves on some craziness. I dont mind me some colombian.

[Silverbirch]

Hi,

I hope you all had a good weekend. It's Monday mid-morning here, and I went to my dance class Friday before going to work and did paid work most of the weekend so I'm dead tired right now. I've decided to make Friday MY DAY. The class Friday morning was even better than last week. It turns out that right after the dance class, some of the women go straight over to a women's drumming class and sometimes the classes are merged. At the moment, most of the dance routines they are learning are "tribal belly-dance" (costumes are very gypsy-like) and one Burlesque number which is a lot of fun. I've cancelled my work for this coming Friday night so I can check out the drumming group too. They were so friendly, they invited me out also with them one Friday evening a month to a music venue, they are having a movie night (dance movies) and we are hoping to get some of us together to travel a couple of hours to a large multi-cultural community in Melbourne which has a large Indian community - a lot of Indian clothing shops which I used to go to years ago. My favourite bakery is there also.

 

Most of the women there are married/partnered and give private performances for their husbands/lovers. LOL! I've decided I'm going to make up my own private choreography for "Lady Marmalade" (Patti La Belle version). That song has been around for about 40 years that I know of and every time I've been out and it comes on, more people will flock to the dance floor. I tried to trawl through Youtube this morning looking at various clips for it. My connection is running slow so I couldn't get a good look, but what I did see was disappointing. I recall the original Patti La Belle clip was the most interesting. I don't like the dance routine of it from Moulin Rouge and I saw others too. I thought they were way too overtly sexual with both costumes and dance movements. I know the song is about a Parisian prostitute luring a customer, but I can't see a version which I think is just right.

 

At the last class, we got to do some improvisation which I think is the most fun and people dance more together and interract the most.

 

Hey Thorshammer, I haven't looked at Shakira for a couple of years, but when my connection is running faster I'll take a look. The women at the dance group were talking about a movie with Christina Aguelera in it - not Moulin Rouge. Some of them were saying that her dancing in it was spectacular and that some of her moves were "like a tropical fish".

 

Any particular pieces of music come to mind for any of you which are especially fun to dance to?

[Snny]

Shakira is amazing with her dance moves. I did dances to her songs in Zumba class... was a lot of fun. I recommend watching "Hips Don't Lie" since she does a lot of hip work. We do it in Zumba... lots of fun. Most of the women who sign up for the exotic dance classes do it for their husbands/boyfriends. That's the reason I signed up for pole dancing a couple years ago during college (and it was fun).

 

Indian clothing styles are amazing too. I would live in that culture just to wear the garments I have a cultural festival every summer from the Peace Corps and last year I bought an Indian summer dress that is similar to this style: link removed Best part about the dress is that it is very adjustable and don't have to worry about gaining/losing weight to not fit in the dress.

[Silverbirch]

That is soo pretty Snny. I'll check out "My Hips Don't Lie". I know it, but don't remember her dancing much. Thanks.

[PaintWithLight]

I agree with Thorshammer, Shakira is an amazing dancer... In fact, I think her dancing is better than her singing.

 

She is colombian-lebanese so that is a rich musical heritage along with some great genetics. "Hips" is a great example but you can check out songs like "Loba" which has some amazing moves or the concert version of "Whenever, Wherever." Or better yet, just search "shakira belly dancing" on YouTube. Prepare to be very very inspired. LOL.

[Silverbirch]

Thanks PWL. I saw what I could but my connection is still extremely slow. Looking forward to that.

[Silverbirch]

I think this woman - Aishwarya Rai - is absolutely captivating and so does most of India. A lot of women have described her as the most beautiful woman in the world, and I can see why. Her dance style is different to Shakira's - not to detract from Shakira, but I think Rai's is something altogether different - more cultured or something, not sure quite how to describe it. She is said to be deeply religious (Hindu) and is one of the most socially honored people in India. A bit of trivia - we both share our birthdays on the same day. . . Oh, and she is also highly intelligent . . . almost studied medicine.

 

[video=youtube;29lmwA5mAnk] ]

[Silverbirch]

I just wanted to post to my friends I hadnt shared this with yet that last Friday I managed to get along to the drumming class - African and Arabic - and it was fantastic. It was at the sane venue not long after the bellydance class. That class is going very well with requests from local government and community organisations for the dance group (and the drumming group) to perform at local festivals and street parades so maybe it will be a bit like being at a type of mini Rio festival. LOL

 

Sun, I visited Little India the other day and one of the storekeepers brought out a blouse which she was urging me to try on almost identical to the one Aishwarya is wearing in the Youtube clip above. I'll probably go back and buy it. I was surprised at how inexpensive things were there.

[Silverbirch]

I just wanted to post to my friends I hadnt shared this with yet that last Friday I managed to get along to the drumming class - African and Arabic - and it was fantastic. It was at the sane venue not long after the bellydance class. That class is going very well with requests from local government and community organisations for the dance group (and the drumming group) to perform at local festivals and street parades so maybe it will be a bit like being at a type of mini Rio festival. LOL

 

Sun, I visited Little India the other day and one of the storekeepers brought out a blouse which she was urging me to try on almost identical to the one Aishwarya is wearing in the Youtube clip above. I'll probably go back and buy it. I was surprised at how inexpensive things were there.