Starting bellydance after 40?
- Thread starter Angie
- Start date
Caroline_afifi
New member
Of course you can!
I know people who have started at this age and older and it changed their lives! go for it.
Age is not the barrier but other things may be, like certain health conditions and natural ability etc.
I know people who have started at this age and older and it changed their lives! go for it.
Age is not the barrier but other things may be, like certain health conditions and natural ability etc.
AngelaJP
New member
I'm 40 now and I started belly dancing last year, on and off, because of work and my other sports. I don't have natural grace, never studied dancing in my life (except 2 sessions of Hawaiian when I was 5) and had, well still have, absolutely poor sense of rhythm and direction. Everything in my dance is acquired and I am soooo fortunate and happy to reach this stage in my dancing! Have muuuuch more to learn and experience but it's all worth it! 
If you have the passion, you will be awesome and you will love it!
If you have the passion, you will be awesome and you will love it!
Aniseteph
New member
Whaat!? I just had to go back and check your new costume thread. Wow. I thought you were twentysomething. :shok: :clap:
I started at 41, don't know if I'll ever be "good" but I'm having a lot of fun trying, and there are plenty of role models.
Sita
New member
Many seem to start dancing when they're over 40 so you're hardly alone as people's other posts have already suggested. As to becoming good there are people who could have started in their teens and will never reach a great level of ability for whatever reason. It's about love of the art, enjoyment, emotion, practice, commitment and determination not age.
Angela: you are not 40!!!!:shok::naghty: my word... were you dipped in the fountain of Eternal Youth as a baby ???
Sita
Angela: you are not 40!!!!:shok::naghty: my word... were you dipped in the fountain of Eternal Youth as a baby ???
Sita
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Aisha Azar
New member
Age and dance
Dear Angie,
I have had several students who started at around age 40 who have turned out to be wonderful dancers. Namva Chan who recently joined my dance company is an example. She started at age 39 and is so good that we invited her to join last year!! She is now 42.
Do be real with your expectations as to where you will perform, what your body is capable of, etc. Namva is a very young 42 with a lithe body and can probably dance in any venue. ( Can't say the same for me any more!!)The nice thing about belly dance is that there is a large range of possible movement choices so that no matter what age, body type etc, there is something there that is very real to make a dance out of for all people who have the skill to do the dance. Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards,
A'isha
Dear Angie,
I have had several students who started at around age 40 who have turned out to be wonderful dancers. Namva Chan who recently joined my dance company is an example. She started at age 39 and is so good that we invited her to join last year!! She is now 42.
Do be real with your expectations as to where you will perform, what your body is capable of, etc. Namva is a very young 42 with a lithe body and can probably dance in any venue. ( Can't say the same for me any more!!)The nice thing about belly dance is that there is a large range of possible movement choices so that no matter what age, body type etc, there is something there that is very real to make a dance out of for all people who have the skill to do the dance. Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards,
A'isha
Mosaic
Super Moderator
I agree with everyone here, go for it! Have fun. I started at 56, ( turned 60 at the end of Sept - now THAT was scary:lol. I will never be a professional, but enjoy dancing at Haflas, and other events.
I think many of us come to BD later due to various other life commitments, (family/work etc) and when the pressures of those ease we find we need something special just for ourselves. I needed more activity, and absolutely didn't need to go to a gym with all the 'beautiful' people. I wanted something real and wholesome and fun. I was totally hooked from my first lesson ... Yes I do wish I had found BD earlier, (in my 40s would have been nice) but that wasn't to be, so I am just truly happy I did find BD and start to dance in my 'youthful' mid 50s.
~Mosaic
. I will never be a professional, but enjoy dancing at Haflas, and other events.I think many of us come to BD later due to various other life commitments, (family/work etc) and when the pressures of those ease we find we need something special just for ourselves. I needed more activity, and absolutely didn't need to go to a gym with all the 'beautiful' people. I wanted something real and wholesome and fun. I was totally hooked from my first lesson
... Yes I do wish I had found BD earlier, (in my 40s would have been nice) but that wasn't to be, so I am just truly happy I did find BD and start to dance in my 'youthful' mid 50s.~Mosaic
AngelaJP
New member
Whaat!? I just had to go back and check your new costume thread. Wow. I thought you were twentysomething. :shok: :clap:
:clap::dance: Yipeeee! Thank you for your sweet words, Aniseteph! I have the mind mostly of a 20 year old, heehee. I think it will be my eye wrinkles that will give away my age but my disposition that makes people think I'm younger. I also look better in pictures because I have practiced my smile and pose which my family thinks is so over sometimes
Yes, you said it, Aniseteph! Really loads of fun trying to improve. There are moves that are easy for me and some just so difficult! Now I have more determination than ever to improve more after investing in a costume, hahahaha! :lol:
Farasha Hanem
New member
Even though I'd previously been using instructional DVD's for seven years, I only started taking bellydance class since last year, and I have absolutely no previous background at all. I couldn't even do the "Hokey Pokey" on rollerblades without falling on my patoose. :lol: And by the way, I'll be 48 in February. So with a resounding "yes," I will tell you that you can start bellydancing at 40. :dance: How good you will become will depend on factors that have previously been mentioned, but hey, I dance like a hiccupping caterpillar wearing all-left army boots, and I still have fun. :dance:
Bellydance has not only been physically beneficial to me, it has changed me on the inside, too. I'll probably never be a professional, but if I become good enough to do the dance justice, I will be just fine with that.
So with a resounding "yes," I will tell you that you can start bellydancing at 40. :dance: How good you will become will depend on factors that have previously been mentioned, but hey, I dance like a hiccupping caterpillar wearing all-left army boots, and I still have fun. :dance: Bellydance has not only been physically beneficial to me, it has changed me on the inside, too. I'll probably never be a professional, but if I become good enough to do the dance justice, I will be just fine with that.
Maryam
New member
I agree 100 %! I started BD at the age of 40 and I have never thought that I would be too old to bellydance... IMO Bellydancing is suitable for all women and girls of all age groups and sizes.
Marya
Member
Let me join the chorus here. I started when i was 40 also, ( in 1993) and while I had studied a little bit of dance before (old time country /western, contra, jazz and modern) I did not consider myself talented in dance.
I started Belly dance as a way to recover from a car accident. The massage therapist I was seeing suggested it. I had a friend who had been taking lessons for years just for fun and i joined her class and the rest is as they say history.
In my not so humble opinion, I am an above average dancer, if average is defined as the majority of dancers that I see at the local events I attend. I will never make a living as a belly dancer, but I do get paid sometimes for teaching or dancing.
Much of what I do now for fun or for health is to support my dance. I have always loved fiber arts and love designing and making my costumes. I walk to stay fit and constantly try to learn more about nutrition so that I can stay healthy. I do all this so that I can keep dancing.
I love learning about other cultures and countries and spend a great deal of time reading books about the Middle East.
I started Balkan Folk dancing to support my Belly dancing and have become an aficionado of this genre as well. BTW Balkan Folk dancing is an excellent way to gain understanding of rhythm and movement.
So overall studying Belly dance has had an enormous positive benefit in my life.
Marya
I started Belly dance as a way to recover from a car accident. The massage therapist I was seeing suggested it. I had a friend who had been taking lessons for years just for fun and i joined her class and the rest is as they say history.
In my not so humble opinion, I am an above average dancer, if average is defined as the majority of dancers that I see at the local events I attend. I will never make a living as a belly dancer, but I do get paid sometimes for teaching or dancing.
Much of what I do now for fun or for health is to support my dance. I have always loved fiber arts and love designing and making my costumes. I walk to stay fit and constantly try to learn more about nutrition so that I can stay healthy. I do all this so that I can keep dancing.
I love learning about other cultures and countries and spend a great deal of time reading books about the Middle East.
I started Balkan Folk dancing to support my Belly dancing and have become an aficionado of this genre as well. BTW Balkan Folk dancing is an excellent way to gain understanding of rhythm and movement.
So overall studying Belly dance has had an enormous positive benefit in my life.
Marya
Aisha Azar
New member
Dance, etc
Dear Gang,
I would like to add that Marya is one of the most dedicated students I have ever met. It is truly important to her to get it right and she is a pleasure to work with because of her caring attitude about what she is doing. She takes her studies very seriously and she is continuously learning and improving!
Regards,
A'isha
Dear Gang,
I would like to add that Marya is one of the most dedicated students I have ever met. It is truly important to her to get it right and she is a pleasure to work with because of her caring attitude about what she is doing. She takes her studies very seriously and she is continuously learning and improving!
Regards,
A'isha
Marya
Member
Pirika Repun
New member
Dance is for having FUN. This is my philosophy for dance. Any kind of dance. If you have fun, that is the most important thing, not age, body shape, weight, hights, gender, race or anything els. If you try Oriental dance, and like it, that is the most important thing. If you like it, you'll try to be "good". So, don't worry about age and other stuff, just do it and enjoy dancing. :dance:
Kashmir
New member
Depends. Depends on your innate ability and body awareness. Depends on your goals. If you mean will you be able you make a living as a pro dancer - probably not. If you mean can you learn to execute the movements and dance in style - probably. If you mean enjoy yourself and have fun - no reason why not.