Belly dancing is pretty easy; so change your body and personality

Margaret from Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “I know a couple of friends of mine who have not only lost weight by belly dancing but have also shown tremendous improvement in how they walk.  Their style is now more sensuous and they have whispered to me that their romantic life has improved significantly.  I am intrigued.  Now I want to learn belly dance.  Is it easy?”

Yes, it is.  And it is also fun and has other added benefits, as your friends have found out.  I think women who practice belly dancing learn to connect with the "feminine power" inside them.  Belly dancing focuses, as its name indicates, on the belly.  It is a dance of fecundity.  This makes it a very sensual dance, but not too obvious.  It is indeed very subtle.   

You may want to take a belly dancing class either as exercise in a gym or as a dance form at a local dance school.  I think the dance lessons are much better.  Belly dancing is growing in popularity in the US so there are many classes being offered.  You may search for local listings to find one closer to you.  

Some people are shy of dancing in front of others when they are not too good; so if you are shy, you may want to practice some steps right in the privacy of your home.  There are a few very good instruction videos.  I personally love the The Goddess Workout with Dolphina - Bellydance Fitness 4 DVD Box Set.  These are workout tapes but they are very tasteful and the instructor is very good.  If you do not have any experience with belly dancing, you may want to start with the first one in the series: Goddess Workout: Introduction to Bellydance.

There are many other belly dance instruction videos and one of my other favorites is by Meena and Veena called Discover Bellydance - Basic Dance.  These twins have several other videos for advanced users.

If you want to belly dance I recommend you also buy a bellydance scarf to get the look and feel of a belly dancer. 

Belly dance requires movement, and therefore, it is exercise.  You do not have to be slim to practice belly dance; it looks good on women of all sizes.  It does not require any special abilities, so people can practice it at any age.  It can be hard on the knees first, so if you have problems in the knees, this may not be your best option.  Please consult a doctor first.