In class tonight as we were working on choreography to Dance of Eternity and as I was teaching chest circles with snake arms one of my students asked me “where do you come up with this stuff?”  It made me laugh because sometimes I do sit and just think about what kind of moves that I can teach and how I can do a move in a different way my students may not be accustomed to.  As a teacher it is important to challenge my students because I want each one of them to progress as well as be very well rounded dancers.  Sometimes I come up with stuff at the strangest times while at work or even I have been known to have ideas when I am cooking or even driving which can sometimes be dangerous! My family and I went to a Christian Rock concert this past summer and my daughter turns to me and says “Mom your belly dancing!”  The music moved me and I just started moving and I was trying out different moves. Sometimes ideas will also stem from other dancers and I will change it completly around or seeing a dancer do something different will stir my own creativity inside.  We never know when the urge and creativity hits us and I have realized that when it does hit I just have to run with it!

 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.