Is Belly Dancing bad?

[Tangnefedd]

My daughter (31) has just taken it up. She is hoping to get into shape after having her second son. She thinks its great, I think she is crazy, and I am waiting for her to do herself an injury!!! But if it makes her feel good, as it does, then that is enough for me!

 

[KarateCowboy]

Hekc yeah. There's a belly dancing club at my university and all the chicks have way too much belly to dance with. It's really gross. In fact I think that's why belly dancing doesn't have partners: the women who do it usually have enough belly that they don't need a partner cuase they have enough for two.

 

[sarahbug]

What a nice thing for a Christian to say KarateCowboy. You're doing a fabulous job of modeling yourself in the image of Christ.

 

[Nazneen]

Hey, Sarahbug.
I like your avator. I have that picture as a screensaver.

 

[lacychenault]

it isn't a bad thing

i've been dancing for 2 years - I dance with christians, jews, pagans, and I am an athiest. In a nation so devided, it is where everyone can actually get along, and no one preaches to anyone else, we all just dance!

And not all dancers are big - I am quite small as are many in my troupe.

 

[1cutemonki]

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.

I think this is really true!!! Don't do it for men and I guess there is no prob!!

 

[1cutemonki]

Hekc yeah. There's a belly dancing club at my university and all the chicks have way too much belly to dance with. It's really gross. In fact I think that's why belly dancing doesn't have partners: the women who do it usually have enough belly that they don't need a partner cuase they have enough for two.

LOL True true!!

 

[lacychenault]

wow...."belly dancers are so fat yadda yadda yadda"

damn I can tell you two are christians and republicans - your very mean. I bed you are ugly as hell with those attitudes.

 

[Dee235]

I used to have a strong interest in bellydancing but I don't. Do you sincerely think you can praise God that way. Do you see the outfit's women use to bellydance? They are all to provoke men to sin. That's not right. There's no way of justificating sin. I say that to myself and I hate hearing it but the truth does not always make our flesh feel better but it nourishes the spirit.

What if you learn for exercise and then only to use for your husband, is it still sinful?
I have always been interested to learn, but not so that I can 'flirt' with men.

 

[KarateCowboy]

wow...."belly dancers are so fat yadda yadda yadda"

damn I can tell you two are christians and republicans - your very mean. I bed you are ugly as hell with those attitudes.

Ouch. Looks like I hit a sore spot. Actually if you look my political standing is "Burnination". Lighten up, eh?

 

[BoxBunny]

What if you learn for exercise and then only to use for your husband, is it still sinful?
I have always been interested to learn, but not so that I can 'flirt' with men.

Doing it for excersise is a fine reason to start learning. I began dancing two years ago on the recomendation of my doctor. Its a wonderful art form which really works a lot of muscle groups. I was sick for a long time. Bellydance gave me a way to get back in shape, get out of the dorms, and reconnect with a body I hadn't been able to trust in a year.

And I'm sure your husband would enjoy it, but realize you don't even have to dance for him. You can shut the door and just dance for yourself in a quiet room.

Eastern dance is not about flirting with men. Culturally it was never about seduction. What Bellydance is about is celebration. It is about being a woman or a mother. The moves are made to celebrate the woman's form and body, and is considered excellent activity for a woman during her pregnancy.

 

[inzone]

only if yu have a beer belly!

 

[wildflowr]

Bellydancing did not originate as a flirtatious dance. I have studied the history of this dance and basically it is the oldest danceform known to mankind. Every culture has aspects of it deep within it's roots... the thing is that, like most good things, it has misused in the past and the present. It has the potential to be a very worshippful dance. It is healing for the body and the emotional aspects of a woman. I personally believe that it was probably first used in praise to God.

Now in the middle east this dance has been used to pass on knowledge, woman to daughter, on the cycles of life (menstrual, pregnancy, childbirth, changes, even sexuality, spirituality, pain, loss, joy). So there are movements that mimic the processes of birth- things that can be provocative. But woman to woman this dance is a wealth of education. There is humor and instruction and security to be found, comradity... a useful tool for preserving history and finding self-expression. I would encourage any woman to participate in a group where they could be mentored to and find an outlet for discovery & expression.
Now that being said, it IS difficult to find a group of christian women to dance with. You will find that many of the girls you meet are into "pre-christian" (they will call it) religions that worship the "goddess". because historically the priestesses of Goddess temples used bellydancing as a means of temple rites. Some of these cults involved ritual sex and dancing with snakes, that sort of thing. It is an unerasable part of the dance's history. But intention is everything. Anything good can be used for evil, but that doesn't strip it of it's potential for good.
There is no better excercise that can be beneficial to a woman well into old age- it is so very healthful to the soul & it works every muscle in the body including the neck and pelvic floor, thus preventing bladder disfunction. And any woman who wants a safe and comfortable pregnancy most undoubtedly SHOULD practice it, as it strengthens all the muscles used for carrying and giving birth. You will have such an easy delivery- no joke!

 

[wildflowr]

I was on the Christian Artists Seminar in the Netherlands this summer and did a belly dancing course there. It was amazing - from all the dancing courses I took it was the one that had most to do with God. Theteacher had a special way of having a verse from the Bible for each movement and when she was doing the moves it was like praying for her. She thaught us in the same way and I really loved that course.


Could you tell me the name of this woman who taught you? I am very interested in her teaching style- it sounds beautiful! A great moving meditation.

 

[deornie]

I think belly dance is cool! I have been to championships and competitions in belly dance (as a spectator LOL)... Amazing to see those miracles of grace and balance the contestants display! The utter expression of feminity! I love it!

 

[deornie]

Ouch. Looks like I hit a sore spot. Actually if you look my political standing is "Burnination". Lighten up, eh?

Well most professional dancer are very musular and quite trim..lol

 

[Macrina]

I just started belly dancing, and I love it!

I don't think it's bad. I do it for exercise in my own home and the moves make me feel beautiful, but it's not a "sexy" thing. It's a challenge and a great workout and a lot of fun.

I'm actually going to start another thread, since some of my questions are really outside the topic of this one, but I just wanted to chime in and say that I'm loving bellydance!

 

[Bryan9999]

I think its up to you. If you're doing it for exercise, fun and a something to do, then there's nothing wrong with that. If you're learning it for reasons that are not so noble, then don't learn it. In the end, if you're still not sure, pray about it.

 

[MoriahDancer]

"Hi I'm new to this website. I hope you don't mind me jumping into this discussion. I am a 44 year old mother of 6 who has been bellydancing for 7 years. I am in the prossess of finding a place to teach. And YES. I am a Christian. I praise God in everything I do including my dancing. I was very blessed that my first teacher, who was Jewish, strongly stressed how important it was to dance like a lady. In no way is bellydancing stripping. Unfortunately, we have Hollywood to thank for the numerous misunderstandings, myths, etc.
The more correct term for this dance is Raqs Sharki, Oriental Dance, or Middle Eastern Dance. It is not a dance of seduction but a dance of celebration. Like Deornie said, men danced with the men and the women danced with the women.
And most of the lyrics aren't chanting to gods but are love songs. If you listen to middle eastern music, you will often hear the word "Habibi" which means "my love". I am very care to find out what the lyrics mean before I use the music. In 7 years I have only run across one artist who's songs were chanting to gods. She had taken some Indian chants/prayers and put them to music.
If anyone is more interested in the history of this dance, I have ALOT of helpful links. I am also the owner/moderator of a Yahoo Christian group that discusses this dance form. I don't know if posting links to other sites is allowed here. If not, just email me if you're interested. If it is ok just let me know and I'll post them here.
I hope this has been helpful.
God bless!
Nazneen"

Argh...I can't get this post out of Italics...
Nanzeen - I thank you much for your post - if you have those links still [who knows if you check this thread still or receive notifications...], I would love to have them!!
To the OP: I am also a Christian dancer. I think, like most things, whether or not something is good or bad is not in the thing itself, but how it is used. I have found dance to be a very helpful tool in my own personal recovery - physical and mental. It's great for my body as exercise, and great for my mind as well.

 

[Macrina]

The fact that what we have named "belly dance" isolated muscles in the torso and pelvis that are not normally used in traditional western dancing causes some people to misinterpret the moves as provocative, when in fact they are more evocative. Those who equate middle eastern dance with so-called "exotic dancing" do so out of ignorance of the true nature of this art form.