From ballet to belly dance

Rosie

New member
Hello everyone!

I am a 20 year old ballet dancer gone rogue. I started dancing late (16) and have had a love-hate relationship with it ever since. For me there is nothing like putting on a pair of pointe shoes and feeling myself get lost in the music, but sometimes it seems like ballet is taking over my life, and not in a good way. I have an hour glass figure and it frustrates me to spend so much time and energy on an art form where normal female anatomy is considered "bad" and something to starve away. :rolleyes: I also get fed up with the tendency for the ballet world to live in the past and constantly dance the same pieces in the same costumes instead of creating something new that resonates with a modern audience.

I've always been interested in belly dancing as cross-training and a more positive outlet but could never find classes in my area. However, I just transferred from community college to a 4-year university for the film program and was thrilled to find that we have a belly dance club! I will be joining and taking class with them in January, and I may even be able to bus myself to the city for a workshop or two. Right now I'm an absolute beginner trying to learn the basics from DVD's, but I think I would like to focus on cabaret style. I'm also a fashion junkie and I'm interested in learning to make my own embellished bras and other costume pieces.
 

Mosaic

Super Moderator
Good for you following your dreams ( all of them:) ) I am sure you are going to fall head over heels in love with bellydance. Your hour glass figure will fit right in - no starving necessary;)
~Mosaic
 

Rosie

New member
Thank you for making me feel welcome everyone, and thanks for the link to your article Shira. Just from practicing posture and isolations, belly dance feels like the opposite of ballet(My legs keep wanting to turn out and my feet want to rise to demi pointe). However I hadn't even considered differences like audience interaction or traveling vs non-traveling choreography. I'm fine with dancing but when it comes to meeting new people and interacting, I'm a bit shy. Losing the fourth wall will be a challenge for me.
 

shiradotnet

Well-known member
Rosie, I look forward to chatting with you further as you explore your journey with belly dance! One of the biggest challenges for ballet-trained dancers, I think, is to put aside everything you "think" you know about what "dance" should be since the aesthetics of belly dance are so very different from ballet. Stuff like instead of extension, bringing the energy inside. Instead of choreographed precision, responding spontaneously to the music with improvisational dancing. And so on.
 

Yame

New member
Welcome!

You're going to love this dance :)

Your ballet training is going to help with a lot of aspects of it, but you'll be surrounded by people with a much healthier outlook about their bodies (and yours).

I started belly dance at 20 years old also (which gives you/us plenty of time to get pretty damn good, especially in your case with prior dance experience starting during your teens), and have been cross-training in ballet since I was 23 (I am now 26).

I love the way ballet has helped me become a better dancer... I don't really enjoy ballet class, but I love the way my body feels after and the effects it has had on my dancing. I do some pretty basic pointe work now, and I love to see my body accomplish things I'd never thought I'd be able to do :)

But I could never be a ballet dancer, even if I had started early enough. Not enough turnout... foot problems... hips too wide, etc. And it would crush my soul. Belly dance is much more forgiving. There is more variety of technique, the technique is more natural and doable for most people (if they work at it). There is a huge variety of body types and styles... so much to choose from!

Enjoy the journey!
 
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