Belly dancing is an ancient tradition stemming from Turkish and Egyptian origins. This form of dancing has something for every woman, especially those who have ever had to deal with body image issues. Belly dancing celebrates the Goddess, womanhood and femininity in all shapes, sizes and ages – a welcome and empowering energy to embrace.
In recent years, there has been a renaissance of this sensual and beautiful dance. Women from all over are discovering its spiritual, mental, physical health benefits while forming bonds of friendship and community.
Belly Dancing in High River
Just south of Calgary is a talented and welcoming teacher, Erin English. Erin teaches belly dancing in her home studio in High River. She began her belly-dancing career in just 2008 but through the grapevine, the reputation of her fun, freeing and fanciful classes took off.
Gym owners in Claresholm and Nanton got wind of Erin’s talents and asked her to teach belly dancing in their studios. “I took those opportunities and had so many interested women that I had to run two classes in each town,” says Erin.
One of the best things Erin says about her belly dancing groups and classes is the joy in their bodies that women discover. “Learning to move our bodies in ways we don’t do on an everyday basis. In ways we didn’t know we could. Finding muscles we didn’t know we had.” She elaborates further, “And the celebration of being a woman… we have some real flesh to jiggle… I try to impress on the ladies that dance with me that we don’t pretend we are Goddesses, we know we are Goddesses!”
Erin has ongoing evening classes where she charges a mere $10 / hour class. She can be reached at delilahthegoddess@hotmail.com or by phone at 403-649-9205.
Belly Dancing in Lethbridge and Fort Macleod
Further south, Shauna Fournier, owner of Belly River Dancers, teaches in her own private dance studio on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, at the Legion Hall in Fort Macleod on Monday evenings, and at the Lethbridge YMCA on Wednesdays.
Shauna’s passion for belly dance and the amazing celebration of womanhood it brings comes through in what she has to say about it:
“There is a wonderful and incredibly powerful emotion that is evoked when a group of women come together in dance. It brings us closer together; the bonds of womanhood grow stronger because women need other women for support. The problem is that most women don’t know how important it is to explore their femininity, to experience their sensuality, and to feel fit, sexy and alive in their body. To compare yourself to another woman’s body or shape robs you of your own self-esteem.”
The way Shauna brings the element of bonding and women’s spirituality to her classes, coupled with the physical health benefits of belly dancing demonstrate that this kind of activity has something for every woman.
Shauna's classes usually run between 8 and 12 weeks, starting at $80/session. She can be reached at 403-553-4469 or at bellyriverdancers@yahoo.ca.
Trish Hoskin - Trish Hoskin B. Ed, lives in southern Alberta with her husband and two daughters. Trish is a professional card reader and new age workshop ...
