Great site to learn how to do moves!
"The Ancient Goddess Bastet
I have named what I do after the Egyptian cat goddess Bast, or Bastet. Although I have always been interested in Ancient Egypt, I felt particularly drawn to this goddess, as I have always loved and owned cats, and liked the fact that they were revered and honoured with this religion.
I was also delighted to find that Bastet is also a goddess that protects women and children and among other things, stands for dance, festivities and celebrations - purrfect!
I have found a picture of a delightful Bastet statuette, which has a human body and cat head, and she carries a basket full of kittens - could this be the forgotten goddess of shopping?!
About Middle Eastern Dance
Middle Eastern Dance is a wonderful way to get in touch with your femininity! I believe that women in the west have embraced this kind of dance so enthusiastically because it offers a unique opportunity to express oneself. The Victorians left us with a legacy of repression and shame about our sexuality, which has inhibited the way we move, dance and use our bodies. As women in todays society, we are still discouraged from being visible, because we are too old, too fat etc., and this dance, which is so beautifully designed around the natural movements of the female body, nourishes and encourages our sense of self worth, and celebrates our womanliness.
This dance has been wrongly accused of being salacious or overtly sexual, and while of course it has sometimes been used for the purposes of seduction, its true nature is in the strength and power of women. It is the essence of feminine sensuality, and beauty. It can encompass the ideas and aspirations of women as it allows the creative expression of hidden dreams and emotions, and encourages feelings of confidence and self worth. It can also begin to develop an awareness of womens' innate healing ability and how dance can be used as a medium for helping others.
Every woman can do this dance!
Whatever size shape or age you are, you can learn to shimmy, camel and snake your arms! The beauty of Egyptian Dance is that it allows you to develop your own technique and way of interpreting the moves.
There are many different teachers of Belly Dance, all with their own different style. Within the sphere of this genre there is also a wide variety of styles, such as Ghawazee (Gypsy), Turkish, Armenian, Hilal Style, American Tribal, Algerian and traditional Persian. Each teacher will have different influences and slant on this art form, as well as their own unique way of dancing. Each dancer will be influenced by other dancers, teachers, choreographers, and famous dance stars of yesterday, as well as inspired by the history and traditions of the Middle East.
As each individual is unique, so are their bodies and way of moving, so no two dancers will ever be alike. Each dancer will develop their own style, based on or influenced by their teacher's, combined with their own interpretation of what they have learnt.
Belly Dancing is a wonderful style of dance as it offers the opportunity for each individual to express herself through a whole range of emotions and corresponding moves. The dance can be choreographed or improvised, and performed either to live or pre-recorded music. (See creating your own choreography). Traditionally, and still even today, it is improvised by female family members within the confines of their own home, separately from the male members of the household, often during celebrations, and each generation learns by watching and copying the others.
Belly Dance is often called 'Beledi' which means 'dance of my country', so women of the Middle East grow up dancing this style as their traditional dance, rather than attending classes to learn as we do in the West. Respectable women would not dance publicly outside their home, but professional dancers are regarded as a kind of 'artiste', still believed to have some of the magical or psychic powers of the original gypsy dancers.
Although many ladies who attend classes do not intend to take up this form of dance professionally, much enjoyment and pleasure can be gained from learning and performing this beautiful dance at amateur level, whether it's at the local village fete, or on stage at a performance platform. It can also be a great way to make new friends, improve your social life, and meet like minded people with whom you can share a very special passion!"
Check out Bastet Belly Dance