Imagine how
your life would feel if you lived each moment with pure, unfettered
self-expression. Imagine how your life would feel if you were free of
judgment from others—and from yourself. Imagine how your life would
feel if you were life itself!
The ancient art of Middle Eastern dance, commonly referred to as
bellydance, is one of the oldest known forms of dance. It has been
used as a method of healing, spirituality, and communication with the
divine. With its powerful energy, sensual movements, and fluid
transitions, bellydance is the epitome of both male and female energy.
This is expressed in the versatility of the dance: it can be powerful,
strong and energetic, or it can be soft, supple, and liquid.
Bellydance
consists of moving all the joints in the body in every possible range
of motion. This is initially done in isolation—as in moving the hips
while the rest of body works hard to stay still. Once the isolations
of body parts are learned, they may be combined together. For example,
your hips can keep the rhythm of the music while your arms and upper
body focus on the melody. This makes bellydance a beautiful and
natural form of self-expression that is fun, empowering, and nurturing
for one’s body, mind, and soul.
Bellydance is
a close cousin to the Eastern arts of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga, and
Oriental Healing bellydance is actually a combination of these arts.
When the principles of Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga are applied to
bellydance, one may experience increased energy flow, a stronger yet
more open body, and a calmer mind.
According to
Oriental Medicine, the powers of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity comprise
the total of natural and energetic forces that can affect the body in
its existence—and this includes the physical, emotional, mental,
energetic, and spiritual levels. Dance itself takes up both time and
space, and must be executed by a man or woman. Time is a form of
Heavenly Qi (or life energy) and space is a form of Earthly Qi. Therefore,
the dance is a balanced combination of the powers of Heaven (time),
Earth (space) and Humanity. In this sense, bellydance is an ideal
platform for any type of healing to occur.
Traditionally,
bellydance invokes spontaneous, expressive movements. Choreography is
a no-no, as is pre-recorded music. Every aspect of the bellydance
experience is filled with living, breathing, moment-to-moment energy.
In Western society today, this idea is a rare one and may even be
frightening to some. However, unleashing the soul in a safe
environment is an invaluable part of well-being.
Can you trust
yourself enough to put your ego in the back seat and let your soul
guide your body, if only for a moment? Getting the ego out of
the way and expressing the soul through uninhibited dance allows for
the powers of Heaven and Earth to be manifested through our Human
body. Here again we find a creative platform for healing. Reaching
this level of trust, surety, and self-love is no small task; however,
it greatly increases our quality of life and empowers us to achieve
what we desire.
The basic
movements that are taught in Oriental Healing bellydance class open
the body and lead to a level of self-trust and love that allow for
uninhibited expressive dance and well-being to occur. Beginning
students usually learn a series of Qigong movements to open, stretch,
and strengthen the lower back. This is essential for the dance, as
bellydance movements originate in the core of the body (that is, the
lower back and the abdomen—which may also be thought of as the navel
of the universe).
Basics in the
Chinese Five Elements may also be taught in order to add meaning and
understanding to what we do. Students learn basic isolations and dance
combinations. Once this becomes comfortable, we move into exercises
designed to enhance self-trust and power. Intermediate students can
learn or develop dances that include some Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga
postures.
Oriental
Healing Bellydance classes are for men and women alike. The movements
are the same for both, though with a different emphasis. After
learning the dance, women and men both gain a healthy and loving body
image. This in turn inspires confidence, power, grace, poise,
creativity, a sense of the body as a temple, freedom from social
confines, and so much more.
Oriental
Healing Bellydance allows for a time and space of pure, unfettered
self-expression; a time and space free of judgments; and the time and
space to learn that you are life. Most beneficial of all, Oriental
Healing Bellydance gives your soul the space and freedom to be. It is
the time for the soul to be—to laugh and play and be full of
contentment.
Shauna
Taylor
teaches Oriental Healing Bellydance and is a Licensed Oriental Healing
Massage Therapist. She is available for massage appointments, dance
performances, events and parties. Call the Oriental Healing Arts
Center, 279-0135.
