Back to belly dance…

Last night, I taught my first belly dance class of 2022, and it was awesome! Last Wednesday, I missed the first dance class of the year because I had a terrible headache and a sore throat. I took a negative covid test, but I was too under the weather to dance. 

The last time I danced was in mid-December, so I was looking forward to dancing all week. I found out the night before class that I would have a new beginner student joining us.

Typically, we have new students show up to class as part of their New Years’ resolutions, 98% don’t stay long. Trish, one of our core students, is part of the 2% who stick it out. She came to the first class of the year six years ago. 

I teach a 20-minute warm-up and strength-building class before our level 1 class begins. In this class, I make a different music playlist every week with all sorts of music from swing to Latino and everything in between.

I repetitively use many of our dance moves, along with exercises for our lats, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. We dance group improv style, so this class is as well. There is no routine for our students to learn; they follow along. For me, it’s the most fun 20 minutes I have all week.

I noticed a young man and woman come into the dance studio during the workout class. We weren’t expecting anyone besides a new woman who emailed us the day before, who had already joined us. Kathleen went over to talk to them while I continued.

The good news was, they were there to take belly dance lessons. Wow! Because of the pandemic, we haven’t had new students join us in two years. They saw a flyer in the Cambridge Co-op and decided to come. The couple was looking for something new to do together and decided to go to our class. Yip! 

This was the first male belly dance student I have ever taught. Our dance troupe has always been open to anyone 16+, including men. No dance or musical experience is necessary.  

The couple had some previous dance experience, and the male student brought his own zills (finger cymbals), which was a great surprise. He could play zill correctly after a few minutes while I was teaching the new group zills. 

I love teaching belly dance just as much as I love dancing and performing. I am a good teacher and try always to make new students feel welcome, at ease, and laugh. I have them dancing before the hour class is up and leave them with a preview of what to expect the following week. 

This group of three new students learned quickly, and we covered more ground than usual. I think they had fun and enjoyed themselves. I have felt this many times before; those students never showed up again. I thanked the three of them for joining us and hope to see them next week. Fingers crossed. 🤞🏼 

After the newbies left, I joined the rest of the group for the level three class. We had Maria and Kat, who couldn’t make it in person to class, join us earlier with zoom. They can follow us just like they are in person, which is pretty phenomenal to me. 

During level three, we drilled moves and corrected techniques. Maria, who stayed for the advanced class, followed along with the drills. I was able to watch her and the in-person students and help her with her technique as well. 

When the classes were over, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Dance is my happy place. It’s my joy and the one thing I do just for myself.  Teaching dance not only helps students learn, but more importantly, it makes me continue to learn. 

This quote from Sensi Mochizuki Minoru couldn’t be more accurate, “A teacher is a student who teaches to continue his study.” 

It finally feels like a new year and fantastic to do what I love. 💗