Before Your First Belly Dance Class: What You Need to Know, Wear, and Bring

Belly dancing is a fun and challenging workout and a great way to express your feminine power. Once you’ve decided to try a belly dancing class, there are a few things you should know before you dive in.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN CLASS

At your very first class, you’ll learn the basics of proper belly dance posture and practice isolating movements in different parts of your body. In your first hour of class, you’ll probably learn to slide your hips and ribcage, to draw circles with your pelvis, and to lift your hips up and down in time with music. You may also learn a few traveling steps and some hand and arm motions. There are literally hundreds of different belly dance moves and combinations, but as with any art form, you’ll start with the most basic of those and should leave your first class with a handful of movement techniques. Prepare to spend some time after class practicing what you’ve learned until the new posture and ways of moving your body become comfortable.

WHAT TO WEAR AND BRING

Belly dance is a low-impact aerobic workout, which means that though you won’t be jumping up and down, you will sweat. Bring water and wear clothing that you would work out in (sweats, yoga clothing, sports bras, and leotards are all appropriate). Some teachers prefer close-fitting tops so they can see the movements of your torso, but you do not need to show your belly (unless you want to watch it dance!). And you don’t need any special footwear; you’ll dance barefoot in a beginning belly dance class.

Some teachers will ask you to wear a hip scarf—any piece of rectangular or triangular fabric that you can tie low around your waist—but it’s not essential for your first class. Some students like to wear coin scarves that jingle when they move, but be sure to ask your teacher if she minds them. They often drop coins and beads and can make a mess of the studio floor and could injure bare feet, and in a large class, too many coin scarves can make so much noise that it’s hard to hear your teacher.

The most important thing to pack to your first class is an attitude of curiosity and self-acceptance. You can’t learn anything without many mistakes along the way, and everyone looks silly and awkward when they first start dancing. Be patient with yourself and try to enjoy the learning process rather than focusing on how weird you look trying to wiggle your hips. Like all things worth knowing, the art of belly dance is difficult. Mastering it takes time, practice, and dedication.

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR TEACHER IS GOOD

No matter her age, background, or level of professional expertise, your teacher should make you feel comfortable in the dance studio. She should give you a brief history of belly dance and the cultures from which it originated. She should offer verbal explanations of the movements along with physical demonstrations. She should encourage questions and show patience if you don’t understand or can’t duplicate something. It’s your class, so don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or extra help when you are having trouble. The whole class will benefit from your inquiry and the information that follows. Your teacher should also teach you to dance in a healthy posture, and she should check your alignment from time to time.

Above all, a good teacher will be endlessly encouraging and help you to believe that you are on your way to becoming a belly dancer. If you ever take a dance class with a teacher who makes you feel dumb, klutzy, or embarrassed, do yourself a favor and find a new class. There are plenty of good teachers whose classes will leave you feeling confident, energized, and beautiful. Belly dance is about unleashing your inner radiance, and a good teacher will see your potential to express yourself through dance even before you do.

MORE TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

1.      Try to eat a light snack one hour before class (fruit and nuts or a snack bar with protein are good options). This will give you energy to dance without making you uncomfortably full. It’s a bad idea to eat a full meal before dancing. You’re going to be dancing with your belly, so you don’t want it occupied with digestion.

2.      Take a notebook and pen along and spend a few minutes at the end of class recording the movements and combinations you learned. You need not always use words; drawings and doodles can describe dance moves, too. You’ll create a dictionary of belly dance for yourself and have a handy practice tool for when you’re not in class. Some teachers hand out class notes or a list of dance movements; if you get one of these, save it! By next month you may have forgotten some of the first things you learned and you’ll have an easy way to review.

3.      Also, start collecting music that makes you want to dance. It doesn’t have to be traditional Arabic music; anything that makes your hips move can be useful for practicing. Ask your teacher to recommend artists or CDs for belly dance.

4.      Turn off your cell phone, leave the stress of your day at the door, and practice patience with yourself, and you’ll have a wonderful time in your first belly dance class.