Dancing Lessons

Much to my disbelief,  I took up bellydancing in June and love it.  It came about kind of haphazardly- I started doing PR and writing work Malik Turley, a casual acquaintance who was opening a  studio, and she suckered me into trying lessons.  Four months later, Hip Circle Studio is thriving with Zumba, bellydancing, parenting, and fitness classes, in addition to a number of special activities, workshops, and charitable events.  It has the perfect community feel for my South Evanston neighborhood- Malik has something for women of any ability level and her mission is to foster confidence, health, and joy through all stages of life.   I've certainly grown in all of those areas since starting, and I know scores of other women are getting similar benefits. 

I knew nothing about bellydancing before starting- I always thought of it as a sort of a mystic ancient form of entertainment and had no idea it was such a big part of Middle Eastern culture and history.  I'm fascinated by the subtle movements and rich traditions, and am starting to appreciate the different styles.  While I don't see myself as a dancer in any sense of the word, for the hour-long class I am carefree and exhilarated and it's a thoroughly restorative experience.  I love sharing the challenge and self-expression with the other women- I think doing a physical activity brings us closer on many levels. 

There were only three students in class last week, which gave us a lot of time to improvise following our warm up drills.  Malik said that after having a chance to get a feel of the music, we would perform a short solo for the rest of the group. We were both excited and trepidacious as we practiced on our own, as we weren't used to doing unchoreographed moves.  When we were ready, we were asked to come in front of the group one at a time and dance for as long as we felt comfortable.  It was an intriguing exercise, as we all had contrasting styles and came up with different moves.  When we were done, Malik highlighted a few strengths in each of our performances- smoothly transitioning between moves, identifying with the music, smiling and having a great time.  She then asked us to dance again on our own and try to integrate some of the other strengths into our moves, while at the same time keeping what we already were doing. 

While this was an effective visual exercise for dancing, I thought it was a great way to approach any situation when you're looking for improvement.  Don't downplay your existing strengths, but identify specific ways you want to grow or change.  Observe what's around you, and when you need help, look to others for guidance and feedback.  And don't be afraid to show off a little!  Leaving class that night, I felt confident and energized, and inspired by finding lessons in fortuitous places.