Belly dance is a way to connect with your inner self and exploring your personal beauty.  It is not intended to seduce or entice.  Unfortunately, there are still a lot of misconceptions in our culture today that belly dancing is done to seduce and is used to tease.  Some also feel that that it is just like stripping or other exotic dance forms.  They have  been misinformed. Many times I have people come to me and say oh so you are an exotic dancer?  My answer is no, I am a performer and an artist and I express myself and celebrate being a women through my dance.  I do not seduce or entice anyone but I dance for myself!  It is an outwardly expression.  I am just like a singer but instead I dance to tell my story.   This is the biggest misconception and as my duty to my students it is important that I not only educate my students but the community as well. The origins of belly dance are women dancing for women.  It is a dance where we can celebrate our individuality and find what touches us the most finding our passion that lies deep inside within each of us.