The Complete Retreat - Belly Dance for Beginners
Belly Dance is the oldest and most fascinating of dance forms, it is fantastic for fitness & fun.
Belly Dance has a Proud Background that goes back to pre Biblical times.
Belly Dance - the Mother of All Dances!
| Complete Retreat Residential | Learn the basic movements and fundamental principles of this ancient art form. It is a fun and relaxing way to relieve tension and lift the spirit, you'll be positively energised by the end of the session. Please wear loose comfortable clothing, bring a scarf to tie round your hips, work barefoot or in socks and have water to drink. | ||
| Private lesson | 1 to 1 | £20 per person p/h | |
| 3 –10 | £10 per person p/h | ||
| Complete Retreat Community | |||
| Beginners workshop | 12 max | £6 per person 1.5 hrs | |
Dance historians believe that bellydance began as a childbirth ritual in ancient times. Women would practice movements that strengthened and toned the muscles that would make childbirth easier. Today, women around the world have reclaimed belly dance, some study for exercise, while others love the music or the mystique of Middle Eastern culture.
It has taken the western world by storm as a perfect way to tone up, have fun, and can offer a chance for social involvement. In the west belly dance is accepted as a form of dance without having to suffer any social stigma. Ladies join classes because it gives them a chance to make them feel like a woman. Oriental dance, presented and performed in an appropriate atmosphere, is a positive statement of the femininity, beauty, strength and grace of the female form.
One of the main attractions to the westerner is that this style of dance is accessible to women of all ages, sizes and backgrounds - each woman can explore her own individuality and femininity.
The fact that the dance has survived to this day, and continues to develop, testifies to its enduring appeal.
YOUR TEACHER
Caroline Love Danso
Belly dance performer and teacher for approximately 9 years. Caroline has taught belly dance in a variety of venues locally and nationally, for local authorities and at private events. She has captivated audiences from all walks of life, from school children to senior citizens to Hollywood movie star Hugh Grant and Her Royal Highness The Queen.Belly dance began as a hobby for Caroline; She studied under Lorna Gow (who is now one of the top dance stars in Cairo), she has also trained with some of the world’s top belly dancers and choreographers, from the UK, Europe and in Cairo. Caroline took a break from dancing to have her daughters Lilia & Anya, who she hopes will share her love of dancing as they grow up, but the urge to dance was too much for the passion never dies.
TESTIMONIALS
“A beautiful and elegant dancer who dances from the the heart” Morocco, New York
Caroline! Thank you for making our night out go with a bang! Everyone had a great time.
BACKGROUND
Belly dance (also known as middle eastern dance, raks sharqi, orienta/ arabic dance,Raqs baladi )
The term bellydance comes from the Arabic word Beledi meaning "of the people".
Since its origins bellydance has always been a dance of feminine expression, performed most often among women, out of the sight of men.
This dance is about mystery - the mystery of ancient culture, foreign to most of us, deep and complex. The mystery of muscle control; the mystery of our own bodies. The mystery of music that has different rythms, instruments and tones than Western music. The mysterious movements when you are one with the music. The mystery of your own energy and of how the melding of energies becomes MAGIC!
Belly dancing is one of the oldest forms of exercise. The fast movements, primarily the hip and shoulder shimmies offer cardiovascular benefits and make you break into a sweat. The entire body is strengthened by using movements with one hip, keeping the weight on one leg. Lifting the arms for "Snake Arms" strengthens them and the many torso movements make the stomach strong.
When done correctly, belly dancing stretches and releases tension in the muscles, particular in the abdominal and back, strengthening the lower back and helping to prevent back pain. Students with arthritis find that the gentle circular motions of shoulders and hands provides relief from stiffness and pain. Because belly dancing is low impact, it doesn't jolt or jar the body, thus making it very safe and unlikely to cause any injury or soreness of joints.
The gentle rolling movements and isolations to hypnotic Middle Eastern music is a great stress reliever.
Finally, It is easy to forget that you are actually exercising! The added bonus is that since belly dancing embraces ALL body types, it can significantly improve self image which in turn will improve posture, self confidence and turn you into a beautiful dancer!