| I have been a student and performer of the Middle | | | | towards greater self- acceptance and confidence. |
| Eastern belly dance for 12 years. I began this dance | | | | They learn to be empathic in response to the |
| form at age 52 when a friend of mine told me she | | | | energetic music. They learn to lead, to follow and to let |
| was taking an Adult Education class in Middle Eastern | | | | go. |
| belly dancing. Here was an opportunity right in my own | | | | Belly Dance is improvisational. There are basic moves |
| community. I was going to live out my adult fantasy - | | | | to the dance, but once learned the dance becomes a |
| to be a belly dancer! And so I joined the class and | | | | personal expression of the dancer. Characteristic of |
| have been a student ever since. I am now 64 and | | | | today's dance are movements of the pelvis and |
| have no signs of slowing down. | | | | undulations of the body. These movements are not |
| In 1999, I started to teach a belly dance class to | | | | socially taught in our culture. Instead, there are |
| women over the age of 55. New classes begin on | | | | restrictions placed on the movement of certain body |
| Thursday, May 10 from 10:15-11:30am at Oasis | | | | parts and how much they may be moved. Belly dance |
| Continuing Education for Mature Adults at the | | | | breaks through those barriers, freeing up the body so |
| Robinson/May company in Mission Valley. | | | | women can fully express their feminine self. |
| And why do I teach this class? Because I love helping | | | | Dance is a metaphor for life. In dance, we move |
| the women re-discover the magic and mystery of true | | | | through time and space, just as we do while we live |
| feminine energy. Something miraculous happens to | | | | out the passage of our lives. The belly dance is truly a |
| these women when they belly dance; they begin to | | | | unification of body, heart and mind. It's also fun to get |
| emerge like an earth mother, a little girl, a prom queen | | | | dressed up in a "costume", exercise our hips and our |
| and a seductress all in one. I help them to realize what I | | | | belly, and do this in a non-threatening atmosphere of |
| learned 12 years ago - that when we belly dance we | | | | acceptance of our female sensuality. |
| get in touch with the profound wisdom and beauty of | | | | And finally, the belly dance helps women to return to |
| who we really are - no matter what our age or size of | | | | where life begins, our primordial womb. What a |
| our belly. | | | | wonderful way to find the connection between our |
| I always tell them to love their belly...besides it is the | | | | heart and soul and the expression of our body. |
| only one they have! Eventually the women move | | | | |