bellydancing

Bellydance Career? I Think Not.

No, I am not ready for professional bellydance, I think.

I’ve had three performances already. The 1st one on my mother’s birthday, the 2nd one on my gym’s Christmas Party, and the third one on my office’s Christmas Party.

And after all that, I have come to the conclusion that I am not ready for professional bellydance. XD

Don’t get me wrong, I love dancing. There is something about hearing the music out of the home theater speakers that make me just want to move, even though I might not move very well. It’s actually a great feeling. It’s like everything blacks out and all that’s with you is the music.

But still, I am not in par of other bellydancers. I have way, WAAAAAY lot more stuff to learn. I still haven’t mastered my zills, I haven’t done veils and veil pois and sword balancing… I can’t even do Rachel’s backbend. ~_~

I still have a lot of training and practice to do. I just hope my teacher at the gym would be more than happy to teach me. I think I’m really passionate about bellydance. ^_^

By the way, just in case you guys didn’t know, I’ve had 2 bellydance videos in YouTube. Click here to view my YouTube profile and see what other stuff I have in there. XD

ZenkX’s 1st Public Bellydance… Sort Of

Remind me never to do this again.

Oh wait, I’d have to… on Friday. >_<

Yeah, I “belly danced” during my mother’s birthday program. They loved it. Hahaha!

It’s not really my thing to dance in public, especially belly dancing in front of people, even though they’re my relatives. But unfortunately, I’d have to belly dance for a lot of people on Friday. So I thought, “If I can’t dance like this in front of my relatives, how in the heck can I belly dance in front of total strangers?”

So yeah, this is me… belly dancing… even though my blouse looked like an electric blanket rather than a costume.

I don’t have an actual belly dance costume yet, mainly because it’s really hard to find a top for me. Go figure. I’d have to sew my own, which is what I’m doing right now. I just hope it’ll be done by Thursday and Friday >_<

Can You Move Like Jagger?

Because I sure as heck can’t XD.

Anyway, I’ve been so obsessed with this song lately, mainly because it’s one of the songs my bellydance instructor makes us dance to. But I get the feeling that I might need to consult some people with Radiologic Technician Jobs… because my back is killing me. >_<

I don’t know… it just seemed rather… catchy. My bellydance teacher showed me this choreography and I just PANTED so much because it involved a lot of jumping around. And before that I had to do tons of shimmy drills, etc. My instructor is running me ragged during bellydance class, but I like it.

Anyway, I posted this because my brain just keeps playing this OVER and OVER and OVER in my head that I’m afraid this is going to play in my “blood whale” dreams. XD

Tribal Fusion Bellydance: Is It Weird…?

So after an awesome bellydance session at the gym, my instructor and I had a really interesting discussion about Tribal Fusion Bellydancing in the Philippines.

Apparently, TFB (the acronym I’m going to use from now on XD) isn’t very well-received in the Phil. because a lot of people think that it’s “weird” and “not really considered as bellydance”.

Hmm? Really? O_o

Personally, I think TFB is still considered bellydance, and it’s not weird at all. I mean, yeah, TFB costuming sort of makes you wear a lot of tassles, coins, scarves and other jewelry aside from your triton wedding bands, but it’s not so bad. I find it even more challenging, since your feet are pretty much rooted to the ground, so you’d have to really use your muscles to control your movement… kind of like Rachel Brice… *points to video*

In fact, my “blood whale” dreams are weirder than TFB… which will be discussed in another time. XD

Anyway…. my instructor said there are actually very few people who do TFB, particularly in her circle of bellydance friends. I hope someone would expose the beauty of TFB to the Philippines.

Or better yet, maybe I should do it… hahahaha! Just kidding! XD

Dancing Envy And Double Standards

Someday, I want to be this brilliant in Tribal Fusion bellydancing.

If only I had some box converter so I can convert some of her YouTube videos into my television. ~_~

Unfortunately, as much as I love her dancing, society’s penchant for perfection continues to piss me off. Apparently, I’d be considered a freak if I tried to dance this kind of choreography when I am 80 pounds overweight.

Well, that sucks. I didn’t know you were supposed to have a specific bodily figure to bellydance. ~_~

I’ve been reading around the InterNet lately. Apparently, most “fluffy” bellydancers focus more on Egyptian-style bellydancing rather than Tribal Fusion style bellydancing. Which is fine for me. It’s just that there are way too many people who bring these bellydancers down by calling them “fat” or “disgusting”.

Seriously? Since when has dancing for pure enjoyment become disgusting?

Anyway, I really hate these kind of double standards. It’s annoying. It’s like saying you can go and do bellydance when you’ve shed some pounds and become skinny. Which is a total opposite of what belly dancing is all about. Bellydance is all about acceptance, and liking your body no matter what the shape.

Argh. Society sucks sometimes. Honestly. Remind me to find my old bellydance belt and dance my heart out while rising my middle finger to the people who give me disgusted looks. >:(

Whisper Hungarian in My Ear

I don’t mean literally. XD

It’s just a new song I heard from Rachel Brice’s Serpentine DVD called “Whisper Hungarian in my Ear” by a band called The Toids. I really like it… its something that I’d want to hear everyday using home audio speakers.

In the DVD, this song has a choreography, which, unfortunately for a chubby bellydance newbie such as myself, is pretty hard. But I’m hoping I can learn it pretty soon. XD

I find the song really mysterious, and somewhat calming. I think it’s the violins.

Anyway, aside from the choreography, Rachel Brice and her friends actually created a “mash-up” short film with the song. It featured horror actor Bela Lugosi, and they merged the film with the dancing of Rachel Brice’s group, the Indigo Bellydance (which includes members Mardi Love and Zoe Jakes). It looks really awesome, actually. It’s like the three dancers are Bela Lugosi’s graceful ghosts seductresses.

Huwaaa… Rachel Brice Love! <3

It'll be a while before I can actually dance to Rachel Brice's choreography of this song, but I guess for the meantime, I'll dance it with my own choreo. XD

Zenkx’s Exercise Option 3: Yoga and Bellydance

I was looking through YouTube again recently, and I saw a promotion video of Ariellah Aflalo, who is a famous Gothic Fusion Bellydancer in America. As it turns out, she released a DVD called Contemporary Bellydance and Yoga Conditioning. And being a (literally and figuratively XD) fan of Gothic and Tribal Fusion bellydance, I immediately considered doing this as my form of exercise.

I’ve taken beginner-level Yoga and Bellydance lessons before, and I agree with Ariellah when she said that the two work hand in hand. Both helps to tone and increase muscle control, works out your cardio-vascular system, and improves your self-esteem and sensuality, making your male audience wish they can take enzyte medications or something. XD

The cool thing about yoga is you don’t need much for it. The exercise requires you to be barefoot (eliminating the need for pricey running shoes) and uses your own body as weights (no dumbbells needed!). All you need is a mat (a yoga mat costs just around P500 here in the Phil.) and maybe a blanket to modify the poses. That’s it!

However, since yoga is a bit complex, it is again recommended that you check with your doctor first to find out if it’s the right exercise for you, and taking some classes for it, so that a yoga instructor can help you correct your poses.

Bellydance and Pregnancy

Hold the baby shower invitations! It’s time to bring out your coin belts.

Yep, there have been studies about how belly dance can actually help pregnant women. In fact, belly dance was used as a prenatal conditioning for women, specially when the big day comes along, since the dance uses your core (abdominal) muscles that are vital to childbirth. Belly dancing while pregnant has a lot of advantages such as:

Promotes good posture
Helps maintain general fitness
Improves abdominal control and awareness
Many movements useful for relieving back ache during pregnancy and labour
Helps maintain pelvic floor tone through connection with deep abdominals
Promotes balance and co-ordination
Non jarring/non contact activity
Fun and social
Body shape no boundary
May help with constipation

However, also remember to consult your doctor before doing belly dance (or any other exercise, regardless of whether you’re pregnant or not). Sharp movements like hips twists (soften them up if you could), jumps, hip drops and lifts as well as back bends could affect your baby’s health.

And don’t forget that belly dance is a sensual dance, made to make you feel beautiful and fabulous and sexy regardless of your body size and shape. Don’t listen to those uneducated people who say that belly dance is for skinny beeyotches only. XD

References: http://www.angelfire.com/retro/perfumedpalace/pregnancy.htm
http://www.pregnancytoday.com/articles/exercise-in-pregnancy/move-that-belly-1293/

The Bellydance Obsession Returns

From Cellphone Photos

Yep, my obsession with belly dance returns.

It returned after I went to a local mall and saw a couple of Neena and Veena Instructional VCDs on sale (will take a picture of it once I get my Camera Phone fixed XD). I bought a couple of them (P100 a CD… whatta bargain!), and I’m hoping to be able to use it instead of letting it rot in my cabinet. Hahaha! It’s one of the hardest things about sharing your room with someone.

Anyway, after buying the VCDs, my obsession once again fixated on the Snakecharmer Lady, Rachel Brice. Sheesh, what I wouldn’t give to be able to move like her… what I wouldn’t give to have a body like hers, too. >_<

Darn our vanity obsessed society.

I really have no issues with bellydancing in public. The only issue I have when I dance are the silly, narrow-minded people who think that fluffy girls like me are not supposed to bellydance because it’ll cause our wobbly bits to jiggle. Just how silly and stupid is that? Quite frankly, if I were to choose between a thin bellydancer like Sonia or a fluffy girl like Hiba , I think I’d rather go for Hiba. No offense to Sonia fans, but sometimes, I feel like she’s dancing for the sake of the choreography rather than the music.

Even the Bellydance Superstars have an issue like this. I love them to bits, but still, one fluffy person can’t help but feel insecurity after watching them because all of them are so thin. They should have fluffy girls like Hiba dance with them once in a while. Also, it doesn’t help that previous “meaty” members of theirs are not on tour with them, like Bozenka and Dondi.

Anyway, I’ll be spending some time with these VCDs, plus I was able to buy this awesome MP3 player that straps to my arm. Heehee… time to take out my old bellydance coin belt!

The Bellydance Obsession Returns

From Cellphone Photos

Yep, my obsession with belly dance returns.

It returned after I went to a local mall and saw a couple of Neena and Veena Instructional VCDs on sale (will take a picture of it once I get my Camera Phone fixed XD). I bought a couple of them (P100 a CD… whatta bargain!), and I’m hoping to be able to use it instead of letting it rot in my cabinet. Hahaha! It’s one of the hardest things about sharing your room with someone.

Anyway, after buying the VCDs, my obsession once again fixated on the Snakecharmer Lady, Rachel Brice. Sheesh, what I wouldn’t give to be able to move like her… what I wouldn’t give to have a body like hers, too. >_<

Darn our vanity obsessed society.

I really have no issues with bellydancing in public. The only issue I have when I dance are the silly, narrow-minded people who think that fluffy girls like me are not supposed to bellydance because it’ll cause our wobbly bits to jiggle. Just how silly and stupid is that? Quite frankly, if I were to choose between a thin bellydancer like Sonia or a fluffy girl like Hiba , I think I’d rather go for Hiba. No offense to Sonia fans, but sometimes, I feel like she’s dancing for the sake of the choreography rather than the music.

Even the Bellydance Superstars have an issue like this. I love them to bits, but still, one fluffy person can’t help but feel insecurity after watching them because all of them are so thin. They should have fluffy girls like Hiba dance with them once in a while. Also, it doesn’t help that previous “meaty” members of theirs are not on tour with them, like Bozenka and Dondi.

Anyway, I’ll be spending some time with these VCDs, plus I was able to buy this awesome MP3 player that straps to my arm. Heehee… time to take out my old bellydance coin belt!