Dancin’ Fool
I love to dance. I have danced most of my life, all different styles, either in classes or out with friends and I have performed as a dancer many times as well. I stopped taking classes about a year before I got pregnant bec. of commuting, classes were at night, etc. I couldn’t deal. When we moved out of the mountains and back to suburbia, I wanted to sign up for classes to eventually dance and perform with a troupe. I have been doing belly dancing for several years and this is something I really love. It’s such a feminine dance, very flowy and graceful and different than any kind of dance I’ve done before. I think it’s special and something good for all women to do. In fact, it was started as a dance for women by women not what the common general consensus about this dance form is out there.
Well, I had a whole host of back problems from pregnancy and especially after so I have not danced at all in the past almost 5 years! I think this is the longest I’ve ever gone without a dance class of some sort. My massage therapist even said to me the last time I went for a massage when my back went out, ” your hips don’t move when you walk.” I almost died when she said that. I said, “but I used to be a belly dancer – I’ve even performed!” and she told me to get back to it asap bec. the problem in my hip area could be helped by it. Wow, I totally was stunned over that statement. How far away from my true self I’ve drifted so much so that my hips don’t move when I walk! I do have lots of pain deep in my hip and low back so I think I’ve over – protected myself in this area.
I’ve been looking into classes and can’t find one that I either like (I’m not a beginner but haven’t danced in a while) or a time to take it. So, while out shopping lately, I decided to check out dvd’s for sale, something I actually never do but felt compelled to just take a look for some reason. I got 2 belly dancing dvd’s to try that I thought looked good and both instructors on 2 diff. dvd’s are named Melissa. How weird! My name. I thought that was a good sign. One of them lives and dances in NYC, my home town and she is also a pilates instructor, something I’ve been doing alot of to help my back get better. This was it. Now I can do it at home on my time until I get back to the level I was at to attempt dancing with others again.
I started dancing last week, and it feels so good. Like riding a bike, really. I think my body is happy to being doing it again, too. I keep thinking about it every day and hope my son will take a nap so I can dance! It even felt good on my hips and low back. I should have started this sooner. It feeds my soul to dance and I’m happy after a workout of dancing unlike after a pilates or yoga class or using the elliptical trainer or walking. I may feel good that I worked out but not joyful inside like I do with dancing.
It’s nice to feel like I’m back to being me. I didn’t realize how much I missed being a dancer.
November 12 2007 07:05 pm | Mel and exercise and feminism
