How I started Belly Dancing
Many
of my friends asked me this question. Some even asked me, "What is
belly dance? Can you show me?". I'm surprised that they have not heard
of belly dance, maybe, it is still new in our community? When I started
showing them some basic movements. They will go "Wow! How to do that?"
Some will ask. "You need to show your tummy?". This is because I had to
roll up my shirt to show them the movement. Hahaha.. I know a lot of
people is afraid to show their tummy. I was one of them too! Back then, I
needed a lot of encouragements & courage to roll up my shirt,
exposing the midriff. Now, I can do it easily. But of course in an
appropriate place and manner. 
How I started Belly Dancing?
Well, it is all due to fate, I guess. That time, I had just finished my Zero Fat session at one of the beauty parlour in Gembira Parade, Penang. It was an expensive exercise fat-burning treatment. Actually, not so expensive if you compare to other slimming treatments though. I was gaining weight at that time & needed to burn it away. Exercising on my own did not work. Coz, I was lazy most of the time. No motivation, although, I kept telling myself, I have to workout!!
Oh!
And I need to stress that the Zero Fat is not a slimming treatment. It
is fat burning treatment. You need to exercise to burn fat. The only
different is, the threadmill they have, has many infra-red lights that
will help you to burn fat faster. I find it is quite effective for me.
But too expensive to continue. Be warned, under this treatment, you
don't get the pampering of massages, lying down on a bed & just
sleep. I like it this way, because, I am exercising still.
I have lost some weight & I want to maintain it in a cheaper & enjoyable manner after the program. Walking on threadmill is boring. Furthermore, you're in a dark room with only a TV. So, I decided to pay a visit to a fitness dance centre on the top floor of the same building.
It was a Saturday. When I walked in, no body was at the counter. So, I just looked around. I walked to the back of the studio & there I saw a petite lady. I greeted her & told her that I would like to know about their workouts programme. She smiled & apologized to me that no one was at the counter & politely, asked me to wait for her there. I thought to myself. Hmm.. she is polite.. & I feel comfortable.. it was a very good first impression.
So, I signed up for my workouts & then, a notice on the wall just managed to capture my attention! It was a new intake for beginner belly dance class which will start on the coming Monday! I don't know why but I just got excited & wanted to enroll. Luckily, I brought enough cash! hahaha. At that time, I do not have any expectations. I am not sure whether I will like belly dancing also. But I know that I love to dance!
Monday
came. I was nervous! I do not know what to expect & being the shy
girl, I am. I do not really know how to mix around with people, so, I
was a bit worried. To my surprise, there were a lot of students in the
class AND the class was so much FUN! And it turned out that the petite
lady that attended to me on Sat was teaching the class! Wow! She was so
good! I really like her. From then on, I go crazy over belly dancing! My
face glowed everytime I returned home from class. & I can't seem to
wait for Monday to come. To many people, Monday could be the blues of
the week (Monday blues?) but to me, Monday was GREAT! I will feel sad
when we had to cancel class. I just love the dance that I practiced
everyday for at least 10-15 minutes on the new techniques that was
taught every week. I was not that good, then (hinting.. I'm better now..
hehehe). But I was very keen on making those new movements as part of
my natural movements. I want to conquer them all! hahaha..I need to add that, I took plenty of hours to practise and be what I am now. There are still movements like shimmies that I can't do very well. I will not tell myself that I can't do it. I will just tell myself that it is just that I haven't master it, yet.
Now, it has been more than 2 years since I started my first lesson in belly dance. I still remember that it was somewhere mid of August, 2005. I remembered clearly because, during that time, I have also resigned from my job & decided to be a freelance software developer. That's why I mentioned earlier that I feel it was fated. Hahaha.. I quit my job, thinking of starting a new life & I bumped into belly dancing. What a life-changing experience I have? & I am truly happy about this change.
Where am I now in belly dancing?
I am helping the petite lady, which turns out to be the principal of the studio and my beloved teacher, mentor & friend, Ms Lim Conny, to teach some of her belly dance classes. I am still learning from Conny in her advance class & occasionally, we will attend workshops to further broaden our knowledge on the dance. I am now the studio's belly dancer and teacher. Something which I have never expected to happen when I walked into the studio 2 years ago. I have Conny to thank for, for this.
If anyone in Penang that would love to learn this beautiful dance art. Please pay a visit to Zero Fitness Dance Studio in Gembira Parade or visit their website at http://zerofitnessdance.com for more information. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. You might also bumped into me.
No comments:
Post a Comment