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Is your weekly trip to the gym getting a little lackluster? You have all the machines in the world, but that doesn’t make them any more fun. If you’re a woman looking for a new workout routine, why not try belly dancing?
According to the National Park Service, belly dancing is considered by some experts to be the oldest known dance in the world. Originating in Egypt, it spread to Middle Eastern and European cultures, where it aided in the birth of flamenco dancing.
An extremely social and fluid dance, it has become a popular means of exercise in the Western world. But its benefits don’t stop there – here are seven reasons you should pick up belly dancing!
1. MADE BY AND FOR WOMEN (JUST LIKE ENTITY!)
Belly dancing was originally practiced as a means to ease the pains of labor. A rite of passage, belly dancing was taught to girls after their first menstruation to prepare them for an eventual pregnancy. It has been a traditionally female dominated practice for many years.
2. FULL BODY WORKOUT
Unlike machines at the gym or alternative exercise routines, belly dancing is a full body workout. During the dance, you are working key muscles in your body, especially your abs and your core. The Wall Street Journal concurs, listing the snake arms, shimmy, figure eight and camel as great moves to try on your own at home!
3. IMPROVED BODY IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM
The textbook “Sex Roles: A Journal of Research” includes an Australian study that shows that belly dancing has proven to improve body image amongst women. According to Counsel&Heal, the study of 112 belly dancers and 101 undergraduates showed that the belly dancers felt “significantly better” about their bodies and “experienced fewer self-objectifying thoughts and were less likely to care about what others might think of their bodies.” Since women in belly dancing are encouraged to embrace their bodies and the movements of the dance, the study suggests that the dance may give females a greater sense of ownership over their bodies.
4. RELIEVE CRAMPS
According to WebMD, aerobic exercise is the best form of exercise to relieve menstrual pain. Since belly dancing is a great source of both cardio and aerobic exercise, it can also be a great way to calm your menstrual cramps. Shaking your hips with a Snickers bar in your hand? Yes, please.
5. NO WORKOUT EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Women of all shapes, sizes and ages practice belly dancing. According to Livestrong, “belly dancing is an ideal form of exercise for nearly every fitness level.” The point of the dance is to emphasize the movements of your body, no matter the size. Compared to other forms of dance, it’s also not as intense on joints. This means that women of all ages can take part in belly dancing.
6. NO UNIFORM REQUIRED
Though you’ve probably seen pictures of amateur belly dancers wearing coin-adorned scarves around their hips, this garb is not necessary. In fact, there is no set uniform required for belly dancing. It’s a shoes on, shoes off, yoga pants or no yoga pants free-rein kind of exercise. However, if you become impassioned about belly dancing, you may want to invest in your very own bedlah. The basic bedlah comes in a set that includes an ornate bra, a hip belt, and a long beaded skirt. Whether you’re fully decked out in a beautiful bedlah or rocking your outfit from Lulu, you’ll be welcomed into any belly dancing class.
7. THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS
Many belly dancers claim that the rhythmic movements of belly dancing can have a calming and therapeutic effect. A study by Western Kentucky University also concluded that belly dancing can be used as a means of dance therapy for survivors of sexual assault. In this way, it seems that belly dancing – with both the power to improve body image and be therapeutic – is a multifaceted and wholly beneficial dance routine.
