Yoga / Belly Dancing : o )

ScentofCedar

New Member
If you have cable or satellite TV, there is a station called "Fit TV". I am not an exercise person, but I was looking for a Yoga class I could take from home, so I checked into that station. What I found is that there is a beautiful, calming, wonderful 30 minute Yoga offering at 8:30 am, at 12:30pm, and at 6 pm. Interestingly enough, I spotted an incredible belly dancing class called "Shimmy" as well. Now, that looks like fun!

I will be doing the Yoga at 8:30 am for sure. (Eastern Time) I joined in for the first time this morning. I am nowhere near as flexible, young, or gorgeous as the women demonstrating the positions...but I will be getting more flexible, and FEELING more gorgeous (maybe!) as time goes on.

Anybody care to join me? A wonderfully calming experience. I just can't recommend it highly enough. The belly dancing looked good too, but I think that might be more fun to take in person.

If anyone here does it too, we can sort of keep one another tuning in.

:)

Barbara
 

recovering doormat

Lapsed CDer
I don't know if my cable provider gives me that channel but I'm going to check it out! I did tai ch'i at one time and I never felt calmer and more flexible, unfortunately, the place where I was taught was a Zen Buddhist monastery and the time commitment they demanded was more than I could stick to as a mom of three kids.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
They offer belly dancing at our gym - love hearing those bells as the ladies are getting ready!

We have some good fitness programs available on our cable provider for free as well. Glad you posted this because it's worth checking out if a member hasn't done so already.

Enjoy the yoga

Sharon
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
I took a belly dancing class years ago, and I had SO MUCH fun. It's a dance form that really celebrates women's bodies--women with curves are better able to perform the dance steps.

The class lasted 12 weeks, and by the end I had the tightest, most toned abs I've ever had in my life (and this after a lifetime of dance training in other forms). It was wonderful and I highly recommend it to anyone. I have a belly dance DVD, and I'm thinking of starting up again, now that I'm ready to tackle the post-baby belly flab.

Trinity
 

ScentofCedar

New Member
A Zen Buddhist monastery! That must have been incredible, Recovering.

I always wondered about taking a belly dancing class. It must be so much fun to do something like that with other women. And would I love to wear one of those slinky costumes with the little bells!?! Halleluiah!

I took karate classes for a few years, and am taking a Tai Chi class twice weekly, now. I am really enjoying the calmness, the music, and the beautiful visuals in this class on television, though. The program is called "Namaste Yoga". I feel stronger already, and am definitely more flexible than I was before I began, already. I love it that if I miss the morning class, I can pick it up at night. But if I do the morning class? I feel so guilt-free all day because I already DID the good thing.

It's amazing how frequently I think about having done that class already, and take pleasure in that thought.

Thanks for responding, guys ~ it's fun to talk and think about.

:)

Barbara
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
I always wondered about taking a belly dancing class. It must be so much fun to do something like that with other women. And would I love to wear one of those slinky costumes with the little bells!?! Halleluiah!

You're right Barbara. The costumes were one of the best things about the class. Our instructor used to be a performer, and she used to bring her performance costumes to class with her.

One day I got to wear a heavy beaded belt with a matching harem top. All of a sudden the dance movements just made sense.

You're right...this is a fun topic.

Trinity
 

ScentofCedar

New Member
Well, if I ever do the belly dancing class on Fit TV? What they have you do is tie a scarf around your hips~fringed, if you have one. (And I do!) It looks like fun, but I can't imagine how much fun it would be to do that class with other women!

One of our patient's daughters taught belly dancing. At the time, I was still into ballet, and never found the time to take the belly dancing classes. Boy, I wish now that I had! I did learn that there is a class about an hour from me.... I think that between the Tai Chi and the Yoga though, I will wait on the belly dancing for a little while.

Are you going to go back, Trinity?

Barbara
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
Are you going to go back, Trinity?

Y'know Barbara, I hadn't even thought about taking a belly dance class. My real love is Latin dance, and I've been waiting for the twins to get a bit older to start taking classes again. However, I suspect that a belly dance class would blast away the flabby post-twin tummy faster than just about any other exercise form out there.

Maybe I can take one Latin class and one Belly Dance class per week, instead of 2 latin classes, as I used to. Definitely something to think about.


One other thought...if you're going to follow along with belly dance classes on television, rather than tying a fringed scarf around your hips, I'd suggest getting a proper belt. Belly dance gear is available at very reasonable prices on ebay. Belts, finger cymbals, veils, coin ankle bracelets...the works. Makes it a lot more fun when you can hear that chika-chika-ching noise as you do the steps.
 

ScentofCedar

New Member
Ha! Would husband love that or what!?!

If its what I've seen in movies, Latin dance sounds like it would be fun, too. Such fire! You must come away from those classes feeling fiery and strong and on top of the world.

Maybe I should check into this, Trinity....

:)

Barbara
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
If its what I've seen in movies, Latin dance sounds like it would be fun, too. Such fire! You must come away from those classes feeling fiery and strong and on top of the world.

Latin dance is a blast! My favourite form is Salsa, because it's so fast, the steps are intricate, and the girl gets to spin around a lot. I've been taking ballroom lessons as well, but the Latin stance is a bit more natural, and the movements are more free-wheeling, less formal. It is definitely a fiery dance, and a fabulous workout.

I think you might like it. With your background in ballet you should have no trouble at all picking up the steps, but it's a different mindset entirely. A bit like the difference between ballet and jazz.
 

tictoc

New Member
I would LOVE to take belly dancing! Can I still claim that I have "post-baby flab" since my youngest is already 4??? I fear it might be permanent belly flab now.

I just started taking yoga and wish I had done it long ago. It is free with my gym membership and I am trying to go 3x/week. It is so relaxing and I'm liking the social aspect of it. I have a tendency to isolate myself when stressed out (which is always, these days), which is very bad for me. Anyway, so the yoga is helping in a variety of ways.

But, belly dancing...that would beat the pants off yoga.
 

ScentofCedar

New Member
I say we get to claim it's post-baby flab as long as we like.

:)

Yep. That belly dancing does look like it would be fun to do with a group of women, doesn't it?!?

I actually came on today to post that I saw Trinity this morning. There was a commercial for something ~ can't remember what, now. Anyway, they had Spanish dancers in the commercial! It was great. Whatever the product was, the male dancer becomes so engrossed in it that he forgets to catch the female. She falls to the floor but leaps up again in time to pose before the camera as the shot closes.

Too funny.

I said, "So THAT'S what Trinity looks like."

Nice, Trinity.

Very nice!

Barbara
 

trinityroyal

Well-Known Member
I said, "So THAT'S what Trinity looks like."

Nice, Trinity.

Very nice!

Just like Buzz Lightyear, I fall with style.
I'm quite serious. I'm an utter klutz because of hypermobility, but all the years of dance training have given me poise and balance. So I fall. A lot. But I do an awfully pretty landing. (If it's been a spectacular one, and people are staring at me, sometimes I even do a gymnast's dismount pose ;-)
 
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