On dance

[ennia]

I am hardly an expert, so this is going to be an extremely odd post

Comments

[endofhistory]

I have always wanted to do that.

[ennia]

You should. Why not?

[endofhistory]

I have just been too lazy to see where they are and I have super terrible stage fright :X

[ennia]

Eh, I'm not even thinking about performing because it is scary. But classes are fine. I mean, I would guess that I was the youngest by at least 10 years. And everyone was super nice.

[prosewitch]

This was really neat to read--I think it's cool when people find that they're kinesthetically enabled. Do you have any music or theatre background? I've seen people pick up belly dance faster in those instances.

And go you for taking the step of enrolling in a class and starting to practice with a DVD! Often simply beginning to learn something new is the hardest part.

Also, I was totally graceless when younger. I'd taken one dance class in my whole life, when I was 8 or so (it was a summer ballet-jazz-tap class) and I fucking HATED it because the teacher was mean. Once I got hooked on belly dance in my teens, it took a while for me to get good at it, but I enjoyed the hell out of it, so that was my incentive to practice. :)

[ennia]

I played clarinet for several years until I went to college.

I did enjoy class on wednesday, and I plan on going again tonight, although, due to the distance, it'll have to be an every other week thing if the weather isn't miserably dangerous.

I broke my toe walking when I was 22. It was pure talent. I don't think I'll be very good at dancing anytime soon, but that's ok, as I'm having fun, even if the footwork appears to be my downfall at the moment.

[prosewitch]

Don't worry too much about the footwork. Footwork is something you can count out and practice and practice and practice til you're comfortable with it.

I remain terrified of footwork, even though I have been dancing for 10+ years and am by many accounts more than competent at this point. I think it's mostly psychological because I'm terribly slow at learning certain kinds of steps that seem too complicated or like something that comes from another dance style, a more traditional or classical one like ballet or even jazz (cue inferiority complex here). It makes no sense whatsoever but I've acknowledged it and I do what I can to work around it.

And aw, your poor toe!

[ennia]

I've been trying to practice it in my apartment, but I simply don't have the space to work on it. I'm sure it will come with time, but right now I get told to move my right foot, and I move my left. Coordination is not something I'm great at, obviously.

[leggsie_83]

Hooray for dancing! And belly dancing is sort of the ultimate in feminine movement. I think you'll gain a lot of body confidence by dancing. You become a lot more aware of what your body does, and it helps you feel more comfortable in your own skin. Plus, think of the endorphins and the workout you're getting!

[ennia]

It is indeed fun. I'm hoping I learn all that. And since I've been dancing around the apartment, it certainly appears that the work out bit is probably the case.