Bellydancers

[LyolaGrace93]

Oh wow! It's so nice to see that I'm not alone in the love of this art, and a few guys love it too, which is very hard to find, lol.

Ummm... Well I have been a dancer for the past 8 years. It all started when I was over at a friend's house when I was 12 and I saw a pink dvd case for a belly dance dvd. It caught my attentions right away and I asked if I could borrow it. Within that week I had learned the figure eights, double moons, and even a few belly waves. It seemed to come very naturally to me. So I kept on it even after I gave the dvd back.

I was doing more dancing for the next few years before I got the courage to dance for my slumber party guests, all girls from my church. And oh my gosh! They all looked at me with disgust in their eyes for even a few months after that. It was for my sweet 16th birthday party and I was very excited to show them all a bit of my passions.

After that I stopped dancing for anyone, even my parents, thinking that the style of dance was only for harlots or girls wanting to get with a man for a one night stand or whatever. So I only danced in my room and when my family was out of the house.

My mom and I did a bit of research, however and we both discovered that Belly Dance was actually okay to do. We found several online sites where it referenced passages in the Bible that talked about how dancing was used in worship.

After moving back to where I now reside I picked up a book from the library called "Grandmother's Secrets". And oh my gosh!! That changed my life forever!!

In that book there is this activity to do where you sot on the floor and have your legs spread out before you. When I did this I was very upset with how my legs looked, I'm not a skinny girl, I have curves, lol. But as I read over what I was supposed to do then I began to see just how beautiful they were. The book instructed that I tell my life's story from my legs. So as I did just that I began to see that every stretch mark, every scar, every bruise and every bit of "fat" had a place in my life's story. For example: I have a scar on my left knee from when I had to let go of my beloved cat when my first brother was born and give him to a friend that lived on a farm. The cat was scared of a huge dog that began barking and he clawed his way out of my arms to safety. Another example is my stretch marks that are behind my knees. I remembered how fast I hit puberty and how quickly I grew in height. My body couldn't keep up with the fast changes, so somethings had to go. Going through this activity really helped me see that I am a wonderfully made woman of God, extra belly fat and all.

I can feel myself when I dance. God created me to dance, and every time I dance I feel safe and confident in who God made me to be. I also use it to praise Him for who God is making me to be.

 

[HonestTruth]

Great post.

Yes indeed, belly dance is mentioned in the Bible and was performed by women to entertain men who had just returned from war. The narrative indicates that this was done to revitalize society. The reason being that belly dance is the greatest affirmation of matrimony and maternity in the art world. Therefore, keep on dancing!

 

[LyolaGrace93]

Belly dance was also a way for a woman to celebrate her femininity with other women. Together they would all dance, educating the rising girls on the different symbols and techniques used in this wonderful dance that would later help them to be the best that they could be.

For example, one of the key things with the dance is finding your center. This helps with balance, better posture and even being able to walk with confidence.

I am very passionate about the dance, as you might already see, lol.

 

[HonestTruth]

Great! But while some variants of belly dancing are performed in mosques and in synagogues, they are not performed in churches. For some reason Christianity has not included a dance which appears in the Bible. Perhaps if they were aware of its biblical presence and its aesthetic aims it would be used in services such as marriages and become more popular.

 

[LyolaGrace93]

Oh I totally agree with this. If worshipping God with your mouth, and speaking in tongues is very much welcomed in churches, then it should only stand to reason that dancing for special celebrations and as another form of praise would be regarded in the same light.

Not everyone can praise God with their voice so some write testimonies and stories to reach out to others, some are in teaching ministries while others do the more backstage forms of praise(sound/lighting/projection teams). I see dancing in the same way, and I think that it is wrong that a person can't dance to praise God without being told to "mind" themselves (personal experience in these matters).

 

[HonestTruth]

I see dancing in the same way, and I think that it is wrong that a person can't dance to praise God without being told to "mind" themselves (personal experience in these matters).

They criticize you because it is only too obvious that they have never read the Bible:


What Does the Bible Say About Praise Dancing?




Habiba - Belly Dance @ First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia. - YouTube

 

[LyolaGrace93]

Haha! Ain't that the truth. It was approved of on the Bible times, so why not for these times?

 

[Gxg (G²)]

My aunt is a Belly Dancer....and I was amazed to hear of it at first when I met her but then she showed me some videos and how much it was more of an intense exercise than something done to seduce - as it really is a type of aerobic endeavor. The history of the dance form is intriguing - and some excellent reviews on the issue can be found in Belly Dancer Weighs In | Women of Grace and Belly dance and religion
https://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/h...lse&aff_id=0&locale=en_us&ui=1&os_ver=6.1.1.0</DIV> As another said best:

I dont think there should be a problem with Belly-Dancing if its not for the amusment of men.

If your doing it on your own or with a group of 'girls', i wouldnt worry too much. I agree with Ainuhina that its not "bad" but it depends on the way it is thaught.

 

[LyolaGrace93]

Oh for sure!

 

[HonestTruth]

Gxg,


I dont think there should be a problem with Belly-Dancing if its not for the amusment of men.

If your doing it on your own or with a group of 'girls', i wouldnt worry too much. I agree with Ainuhina that its not "bad" but it depends on the way it is thaught.






Lyola,


Oh for sure!

While belly dance is an art which affirms matrimony and maternity, there are some who say it should only be viewed by women as a form of female bonding. Evidently, Tsarina is one of them. I have no problem with that viewpoint as most men do not watch it. Still no one should be barred from viewing as we live in an open society and are not subject to cultural restrictions as are other societies overseas.


Some cultures use different forms of costuming when the audience is mixed by gender. One variation is the use of face veils when men attend the dances such as this Macedonian dance troup:

The face veil prevents a dancer from doing shimmies, flips, and other exotic moves that are done among exclusively female audiences. But it does enhance the mystery, artistry, and pageantry of the dance.

One final note, over the years I have noticed that when belly dance is performed among exclusively female audiences the fans cheer and clap much louder. Clearly they enjoy it more as the costuming and dance is more exotic. Therefore, I can see why Tsarina prefers an all female audience.