figure eights and undulations—may “I don’t know if I’m good at
be a little challenging at first, but it—I just know I love to talk,” she
Sarah says that by the second class says.
or so, it becomes easier. In the meantime, she will
“It’s about dropping energy continue to perform and teach,
from the heart into the body which sharing this sensuously feminine art
is why it is uncomfortable in the with as anyone who wants to learn.
beginning,” she adds. “I always tell “Belly dancing is about women
my students to do what [they] can coming together to share their lives
and fake it ‘til [they] make it. It’s through dance. We dance and we
not about being perfect, it’s about share,” she adds. “That’s what it’s all
being you.” about.”
Belly dancing offers more than For more information about
just a good physical workout, Sarah’s area classes, log onto www.
though. Sarah says there are spiritual dancingwithsarah.com.
elements of self-acceptance and self-
confidence built in. Some women Felicia Hodges is the editor of Tri-County
find their center, causing them to Woman magazine.
start or end relationships or change
careers as a result.
(sINGle aGaIN, continued from page 13)
“Women walk a little different
insight into themselves, marriage
after taking a class. That’s how
and life in general.
powerful this is,” she says. “Every
“You need to just be strong and
single lady will have a different
know yourself as a person as well
story about how belly dancing has
as what you really want, especially
changed them.”
if you have kids,” says Andrea. “It’s
show “I Dream of Jeanie” and And it’s never too late to start.
never easy, no matter what, but some
soon discovered belly dancing as Because there are so many moves in
situations are easier than others.”
a result. Although she didn’t start the repertoire that can literally be
And when they aren’t so easy
taking professional middle-eastern done by almost anyone regardless
there are plenty of places to go and
dance classes until she was 30, belly of age of physical restrictions, her
things to do.
dancing became a constant through students range in age from nine to
“Cry. Laugh. Scream. Say things
some serious crises, including two 85 years.
you will need to apologize for and
divorces. “It really does keep you young,”
then apologize,” Dennehy says. “Let
“I danced my prayers and it kept she says. “It does something that
the feelings come up and out and
me going,” she says. “Classes were rejuvenates your soul as well as your
do not judge them. You want to
the things to look forward to and body.”
heal and deal with free expression,
my teachers were role models.” In the 20 years she’s been
whether it be alone, with supportive
Dance remained a passion until teaching, Sarah says she’s noticed
friends or in therapy or counseling.”
1989 when it became her profession that the need for the women to
Once that cathartic phase is
after she was fired from a position in connect is strong—so much so that
completed, forgiving and moving
a transmission shop—one she’d held sometimes getting back to dancing
forward is possible.
for 14 years. “I didn’t think I could is challenging because conversations
“Most importantly, you have
teach, but what I realized was that about menopause, step-parenting,
your life back,” Joyce says. “You
people were coming to me for my life after 50 and other topics always
now have that freedom to go after
dance and my life experiences,” she come up whenever she pauses to
what you want.”
says. “My class is really about loving change the music or shift to another
*Some names and characteristics have
the body within and loving ourselves dance. The sharing of experiences
been changed.
as we are.” has made her consider starting a
The moves that are par for the women’s support group in the near
Jennifer L. Warren is a freelance writer who
course in belly dancing—including future.
lives in Beacon.
www.tricountywoman.com I 19
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