A recent thread on bhuz.com got me thinking. How did you get your start in bellydance? What made you take your first class, what made you decide "I want to do this?"
For me, it was almost an accident. A friend and I were going into major dance withdrawal after graduating from college and being finished with the dance team. We were taking various hip hop classes at Broadway Dance Center in Manhattan. One of our favorites was the class on Monday nights, which we never missed. The beginner bellydance class with Amira Mor was immediately after this hip hop class, and we decided to try it out for fun one day. I had always had "fantasies" about being a bellydancer, and had put learning how to bellydance on my "things to do before I die list," so I figured the opportunity was there, and I should take it.
We HATED it! The group was working on a veil choreography, which we later learned was one of the more "advanced" choreographies in Amira's repertoire. We had neither a veil, nor the ability to move our bodies the way some of the students in the class could (don't get me wrong, we weren't the only clueless people in the bunch, but there were certainly girls in the front who appeared to really know what they were doing).
We decided we were done with bellydance. Been there, done that, hated it! That was in October of 2002. We avoided that class at all costs until January, when a friend of my friend decided she wanted to take bellydance. We reluctantly agreed to go with her, so we ended up once again back in Amira's class.
Well, this time we actually enjoyed it. The choreography was more our speed, and we felt a little more comfortable following along. We learned that the group was preparing for a student showcase, and Amira asked us to join. During rehearsals for the showcase, Amira asked us to be in her company, and the rest is history.
So, that's my story, that's how all this craziness began. What's yours?
(By the way, if you have yet to sign up for bhuz.com and participate in the message boards, I highly suggest that you do so. You will be amazed at the wealth of information available from dancers all over the country. Be sure to say hi when you sign up - my handle is (what else??) danielabellydance.)
3 comments:
I Love DANCING...ever since I was in Elementary school, I use to be in a dance club and I always found myself dancing at home doing nothing or even cleaning...LOL
In high school, I use to take Saturday classes with my friend who was the teacher at LaGuardia in the summer and in 2 months we would put on a show. We included different types of music.
I know a friend who had taken your class but I never asked any questions because she said the class was over. My little sister has dance class at SYS and I saw a flyer for your class and just went for it, I just loved it since the first class and continue to enjoy it, hopefully I can dance like you one of these days!!!
I started to take bellydancing with RaHanna at my gym (the BQE) just to see what it was like. After a few classes I decided that even though she was a great bellydancer, her style of teaching was not for me. A few weeks later I decided to take class with Daniela since I was at the gym anyway and I fell in love with bellydancing. Well here I am 2 1/2 years later taking five classes a week with Daniela and every workshop offered. Bellydancing has become a hobby and an obsession. It helped finding a teacher with a similar personality and compatible teaching style. It also helped that I have made true friends that share the same passion.
hi! i came across your blog looking for bellydance related blogs! i have been taking classes for about a year and a half, and i really love it (but still kinda suck at it!) i thought it was cool that you are in amira's troupe, i have several of her dvd's on bellydance!
i have been sewing bellydance stuff like harem pants and cholis. as my day job is alteration and construction of bridal wear, i find sewing the bellydance stuff is much more fun! i have always worn stuff with lots of sparklies and dangly jewelry so maybe i was already a gypsy or bellydancer 'in another life'! LOL!
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