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anouk
01-01-2014, 09:36 AM
I’ve been offline for a long time…. The greatest thing that has happened to me during this time is my belly dance hobby. I’ve started it about two years ago on my own but it was only last February I had courage to join the belly dance group for (real) ladies.


https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nO2kyuMyyHo/UQgVvS7DrII/AAAAAAAAASw/i3UuamuJ3Ps/w663-h928-no/Kuva667.jpg

So on Saturday the 14th December I had a real belly dance day. In the morning we had the great Christmas Show to children at Leppävaara Sport hall in Espoo Finland. It was my first public performance as a belly dancer. Our training group at Luhtavilla dance studio. Our dance number was Makina by a Turkish singer Emir. It tells about a woman without feelings and behaving like a machine. However our message for the children was just a dance of the Northern lights.



We had to be ready quite early in the morning so I decided to be practical and dressed to dancing outfit at home, adding only a cardigan and my winter coat for freezing weather. In this case it was rather easy because we had only black leggings and black shirts with scarves on our hips in various color symbolizing the Northern lights. And consequently it was easy to get ready in dressing room, just brushing my hair and finish the makeup. The latter contained rather strong eye lines and heavy lipstick and blush. Unfortunately I totally forgot the mascara, but it didn’t seem to make any harm.

There were five brave dancers in our group who dared to dance publicly. In the other group there were only two who seemed to be quite advanced as basic group members – or at least very fast learners. They also had awesome dance costumes.

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I have planned not to dance in front line so that no one would watch only me and not the whole group. My plan failed because there is a transition in the choreography where the back liners will change to the front line. Fortunately it happens just in the end of the dance so I think I didn’t catch too much attention.

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Our performance was taken very positively though it was not a first class take. I noticed much uncleanness in my dance and in the end we lost the walking lines which lead us too close to each other and made my dance very confused for a while. Anyway it was so fun to be there as one of the belly dancer ladies.

One nice thing was there were so many little children performing their dances and it seemed my appearance didn’t wake any confusion in their minds, at least in their behavior. So it seems the kids have no precautions toward people like me – as far as someone is teaching them the opposite.

I returned home to fix something to eat. Actually I had made a delicious lunch of Baltic herring in a cheese sauce on Friday evening. After that we prepared to go to big belly dance show organized by the Helsinki belly dance studios together. It was the Oriental Bling show in Helsinki East City. The show contained many different styles of the oriental dance and even the cross over styles. I must say I prefer the “clean styles” that have some cultural history behind them. Anyway we saw the nice show and my teacher Marinka dancing among others and my band percussionist Asta playing the dara buk drum.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aB3Bpn_W_hQ/Uq2Svt_s6pI/AAAAAAAABsA/6nygSj_T_G8/s1600/Kuva768.jpg

There were a tiny market place for oriental dance costumes and accessories so I took an advantage and bought a rather heavy black coin belt, shown in the picture two days later. The belt also reminds me how much I still have to learn: When doing shoulder shimmys the belt should be totally silent but it isn't...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7OPxB_D2hE/Uq85psatn_I/AAAAAAAABto/JADZFmGXufQ/s1600/Kuva772.jpg

Tallulah Rose
01-01-2014, 09:40 AM
Oh that's amazing! :battingeyelashes:

Dance is wonderful.

Sophie Yang
01-01-2014, 09:47 AM
Anouk,

Wow. That looks like it is really creative and fun.

Just curious, does your name mean anything?

anouk
01-01-2014, 09:56 AM
Thank you for responding... My Finnish name is actually Anukatariina (Anu + Katariina) but it has turned out to be too complicated for many foreign friends so I abbreviated it to Anouk. It is not a Finnish name any more but it's quite common form of Anna, for example in France. And I do know it's also an inuit name...

Beverley Sims
01-01-2014, 10:01 AM
Anouk,
That is an interesting post, belly dancing uses a lot of stomach muscles and I know it is difficult to learn.
When the TV show I dream of Jeannie was popular I had to wear a harem costume and do a convincing belly dance.
I found it very difficult and never mastered it.

Jaylyn
01-01-2014, 10:05 AM
That is a great interesting story anouk. I think before I could actually belly dance someone would have to dance a while on my belly to shrink it a little. Thanks posting again I love reading the stories of our friends from all over the world.

bridget thronton
01-01-2014, 11:09 AM
Wonderful post - thanks for sharing it

KristyE
01-01-2014, 12:38 PM
Hi Anouk, You look great and like it's so much fun. Congrats on your first performance and keep us up on future shows.
Love KristyE

Sometimes Steffi
01-01-2014, 10:10 PM
I actually took a belly dance class here (in the US). The class was all women, plus me. In fact the instructor said I was the first guy ever in all her teaching classes.

I did discover, as did you, that the reason it is called belly dance is not becuase the belly is exposed, but because all the moves require stron muscles in the belly.

jacky83
01-01-2014, 11:16 PM
I do Zumba and occasionally get a chance to wear a coin skirt. You look great.

LaraPeterson
01-01-2014, 11:22 PM
Girl, you are beautiful and obviously at ease with yourself. I hope one day we can all have that confidence out in the world.

Chickhe
01-02-2014, 12:39 AM
That's a great story! I just want to add, doing many belly dancing moves are a great fun way to loosen up stiff back muscles...

HelenR2
01-06-2014, 12:00 PM
Thank you for that wonderful story and..... you looked terrific.

Katey888
01-06-2014, 12:23 PM
Anouk - that is a great story and super pictures too. Very inspirational for all us stuck-at-homes! Thank you for sharing the experience...
Katey x

S. Lisa Smith
01-06-2014, 02:08 PM
What a wonderful adventure!!! You look wonderful and it sounds like you had a great time!!!