How were your holidays? by wendy page | photos by colleen ingerto
“B
elly dancing” is a misnomer. Sure, the dance includes belly rolls and rib undulations and is wonderful for your abs, but it also consists of hip drops, shoulder rolls, chest and hip shimmies, and step-walking — sometimes all at the same time. While you’ll likely feel a bit uncoordinated at first, you’ll also soon find yourself laughing and forgetting your worries. As an art form, belly dance delivers health benefits to your body, mind and spirit. You may be shaking what your mama gave you in the hips and chest department, but you’ll also be shaking up your inner self in a positive way.
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BODY Belly dancing aficionados say this exercise is for any shape, size, background, or level of fitness, and there isn’t a body part that’s not used. It’s a low-impact workout that isolates individual muscle groups and body parts that you rarely think about (think hips and rib cage). For many, the appeal of belly dancing is that as an art form; it celebrates the natural curves of a woman. Certainly thin women can belly dance, but honestly, curves give more to jiggle. Are you going to lose a ton of weight? Probably not. But you are going to tone up your body. Tammy Stanzione, a.k.a. Ayperi-Alizarin, a belly dance performer in the Capital Region as well as a belly dance teacher at Hudson Valley Community College, ticks off a few of the physical benefits: “It’s especially good for those who can’t take impact on knees and lower back,” she says. “It’s great for people with chronic joint disease. It helps burn fat. If you do this for an hour, you’re burning 250-400 calories. You’re getting a total package.” No matter what form you learn — Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish, African — belly dancing “strengthens your core, which improves balance and helps alleviate lower back pain,” says Jessica Lennon, a belly dancer and teacher at Stars of Dance in Clifton Park. It enhances cardiovascu-
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