How to belly dance for kids

Is It Really Something Young Girls Should Do?

PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

Dear Shira

Dear Shira:

The Question

Dear Shira:

I've been involved in a debate over whether belly dancing is a suitable activity for young girls. The proponents say it's good for body image, exercise, etc. Those opposed to it talk about its seductive aspect, the issue of stage mothers, the fear that perverts might stalk the girls if they perform in public, and the negative reactions of the public.

I'm torn. At what age are girls taught how to belly dance in the Middle East? Is belly dancing a good activity for girls here in our U.S. society? What do you think?

--Torn

and

Dear Shira:

I recently attended a local dance recital featuring children from about three years old into the early teens. As I was watching the performances I heard a woman in the audience murmur that she wondered whether any of the parents felt as uncomfortable as she did about the skimpy outfits and suggestive grinding movements. It hit me like a brick. When I looked back to the stage it was like I was seeing a totally different display. Eleven six-year olds in glittery, skimpy one shouldered spandex outfits; faces full of makeup; hands on their hips pumping back and forth furiously. I've never felt more appalled, it was involuntary. A minute before they were a bunch of kids learning muscle control, what happened?

--Conflicted

Shira Responds

Dear Torn and Conflicted,

It's human nature for people to perceive belly dance through their own biases, whatever those may be. Therefore, it's not surprising that people's incorrect pre-existing belief that belly dancing has something to do with seduction will cause them to be uncomfortable seeing children do this dance.

In its countries of origin, belly dancing is a social dance deemed perfectly appropriate for people of all ages, including children, to do at weddings and other family occasions. In these cultures, belly dancing is simply a recreational activity.

However, in North America we've endured a century of the entertainment industry using belly dancing in seduction scenes of movies and television shows, warping the public's understanding of what this dance is about. Even children's cartoons such as the Mighty Mouse episode The Sultan's Birthday depict belly dancers performing for the carnal pleasure of the Sultan. So it's no wonder that people occasionally question whether belly dancing is appropriate for children to learn.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Aziza al-Tawil, from New York, at 1 year old in the Parthenon, in Houston, Texas. Her mother was a professional dancer named Johanna.

Consider the Double Standard

Any dance form can be viewed as a wholesome activity for the participants, or as an activity that encourages adults to get ideas they shouldn't get about the child performer. Dance, by its very nature, invites the audience to gaze at the movement of the performer's body, and the people watching will place their own interpretations upon what they see. In this way, belly dancing really isn't any different from gymnastics, figure skating, baton twirling, ballet, or any other performing art.

For example, one way to describe a ballet performance by children is to comment favorably on the beautiful lines of the body, the cuteness of the children, how well they synchronize their movement, the beauty of the choreography, and so on.

Another way to describe the same ballet performance is to comment on the high développé (leg lift above the head) and how it encourages the audience to gaze at the dancer's crotch, or to point out how the snug-fitting leotards and tights invite the eye to examine the shape of the child's body. In fact, certain fetishists ogle photos of young girls doing ballet stretches.

A child wearing a midriff-baring belly dance costume is often much more covered than the children in dance recitals who wear shorts and crop tops for hiphop or jazz performances. Often, hiphop choreography in particular is much more sexually aggressive than belly dance choreography, just because of the nature of hiphop as a dance form. Yet, many of the people who question the appropriateness of belly dance for children are accepting of hiphop. Why?

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Aziza al-Tawil, at age 5, appears with her mother Johanna on a poster.

Conflicted, I have a question for you. After you became dismayed at the children with "their hips pumping back and forth furiously," how did you then view children's performances of other dance genres? Did you apply your "appalled" filter to the other dance styles as well? If not, why not?

A Look At Dance in The Middle East

In the Middle East, girls are not particularly "taught" how to belly dance. Middle Eastern countries don't have belly dancing classes like those seen in the U. S., Europe, and Australia. In fact, the notion of being "taught" to dance is completely alien to them. Tunisian dancer Leila Haddad commented in a workshop that her family back in Tunisia think it's very strange that she can make a living teaching people to dance. In their culture, girls simply learn to dance while growing up by spending time with their adult relatives at family gatherings and copying what they see the adults do. It's not so different from how most of us learn the social dances of our own cultures — we accompany our parents or older siblings to festive events and copy what we see them doing.

In a charming section of the book Grandmother's Secrets, the author describes the first time that her grandmother invited her to dance for an afternoon gathering of women from the family and neighborhood. Not long before, her first period had arrived and she took on the attire and social status of an adult woman. Her first dance performance was another acknowledgement of this coming of age.

But remember, knowing how to dance socially versus performing in public for an audience of strangers are two very different things. Middle Eastern parents usually do not encourage their daughters to embrace careers in the performing arts unless they themselves are working performers. In a respectable Muslim family, a girl can perform for female family members, friends, and neighbors, but not for strangers, particularly males! In a family where the adults make their living as musicians and dancers, a girl might aspire to become a dancer. But even then parents often hope their children will enjoy a better life than they did, so if the family finances permit they'll probably try to steer their girls into a different direction.

So What About Western Society?

In contrast, in the United States many parents eagerly encourage their young girls to become involved in beauty pageants, cheerleading, tap dancing, ballet, gymnastics, ice skating, modeling, team sports, and acting. Some parents even aggressively push their children into these pursuits despite the children's objections.

It wasn't always this way. At the beginning of the 20th century, respectable women still wore corsets and floor-length skirts. Exposing even a shapely ankle was risqué. "Show business people" were certainly not considered part of respectable society! They were often viewed as being at the bottom of the social ladder.

But American society changed over the next 2-3 decades, and soon movie actresses were viewed as glamorous people despite their often scandalous personal lives of divorce, extramarital affairs, and remarriage. After still more time, under the increasing influence of movies, radio, and television, the performing arts became admired, and young people of both genders aspired to become stars.

Today, a child in North America who is skilled at any of the performing arts or sports is often a source of great pride to his or her parents.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Aziza al-Tawil performs on the television show The Turkish Voice, which aired in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ankara, Turkey. Aziza was on the show from age 6 through 13, filmed in New York.

Is Belly Dancing Good For Girls?

Belly dancing can be a great activity for a girl, for many reasons:

Fun! It's fun to learn how to do things your friends can't do, such as balance a glass of water on your head or roll your abdominal muscles. It's fun to dress up in the wonderful costumes that belly dancers use. And, it's just plain fun to DANCE.
Exercise Benefits. Belly dance is a form of exercise, and exercise is very healthy for the human body. Exercise promotes strong muscles, flexibility, and strong cardio-vascular health. It also releases endorphins into the brain, which generate a feeling of well-being. Done regularly, exercise helps prevent obesity.
Mental Well-Being. Girls in American society, more than boys, are beaten from an early age into being dissatisfied with themselves: their bodies, their faces, etc. Girls, more than boys, are surrounded by magazine articles and advertisements that promote use of make-up, bust enlargement techniques, ever-changing fashions, hair color, and diet plans. The point of the constant barrage of ads is to make girls so dissatisfied with their current appearance that they'll go out and purchase these products to "fix" their problems. Belly dancing provides a girl with an environment that teaches appreciation for her own body, whatever it may look like. It offers her a way to feel beautiful without dieting herself to malnutrition or enriching big corporations with her spending money.
Social Opportunities. Dance offers a girl another group of people to meet, outside the usual settings of school and church. A girl who feels shy and awkward in school may find that dance class provides a more comfortable place to meet people and make friends.
Cultural Awareness. Learning a dance from another country can bring new life to how she thinks about that culture. Instead of thinking about boring history books, terrorists, oil profits, or wars when she hears a country mentioned, she'll think of its music, clothing, and folk traditions.
Public Appearance. In the adult world, people who are skilled at public speaking have many great job opportunities open to them. Learning how to be comfortable in front of an audience as a child will equip a girl with a valuable job skill for her future.

ABOUT THE PHOTO: Aziza al-Tawil at age 12, modeling for Art Students League, New York City.

But What About The Negatives?

It's true that there can be a negative aspect to encouraging a girl to belly dance. Each family must find its own answer to these issues:

Choosing the Right Teacher. A good belly dance teacher will make sure her students realize that the dance did not originate as a dance of seduction. She will encourage them to use the dance to explore moods such as joy, introspection, cuteness, and fun. However, not all belly dance teachers are good teachers. A parent may want to ask the teacher questions, watch her teach, or watch her perform to evaluate what kind of behavior the teacher encourages in her students before enrolling the child in the class.
Stage Mothers And Fathers. Stage parents are often adults who wish they could have been stars as children. Whether the activity is gymnastics, ballet, drill team, piano, cheerleading, team sports, tap dance, ice skating, beauty pageants, baton twirling, or any other pursuit, there will always be some parents who push their children hard to excel. After too much of this, it's not fun any more. A parent needs to avoid putting pressure on the child to be "the best" or "the cutest", and just let her enjoy learning something new. And if the child claims she would rather try a different activity instead of belly dancing, of course the parent should honor that. There's no point in forcing a child to learn something she dislikes — it will only foster resentment.
Perverts. It's true there are sick adults who engage in twisted sexual fantasies. Children engaging in all public activities (even grocery shopping) are at risk of this, not just the ones performing belly dance. Some years ago, parents of cheerleaders brought a lawsuit against a man who had snapped close-up pictures of their daughters' crotches as they did leaps and poses during ball games at their school. He was selling these photos to other perverts. There are also fetishists who fantasize about gymnasts, ballet dancers, ice skaters, and even just plain ordinary young girls walking to school. Belly dancing doesn't pose any more risk than these other activities. It can be challenging for parents to strike a balance between giving children the freedom to pursue activities while keeping them safe.
Negative Reactions of the Public. Many people incorrectly assume belly dancing originated as some sort of sexual titillation for men, and these people may react negatively to the idea of children doing it. One way to prevent this is to refer to the girls' dance as "Oriental" or "Middle Eastern" dance instead of the more provocative term "belly" dance. Another is to select folkloric costumes for the girls with covered midriffs instead of the glitzy bead-and-sequin midriff-baring confections. In a Bible Belt community, perhaps the girls could charm locals through a tasteful dance portraying a Biblical character such as the Virgin Mary, the queen Esther, Miriam the sister of Moses, etc.

Performances

It should be fine for children to perform belly dancing in public. As noted above, instead of sequinned costumes that expose the midriff, it may be better to use more folkloric costume styles such as dresses or tunics worn over pants. If a troupe consists primarily of adults with only a couple of young members, it's wise for the parents to accompany the group to all performances so they can supervise their children's safety. If the parents can't personally go to a given performance, it may be wise to choose another adult to take responsibility for supervising the children's safety.

Parents should not assume that the teacher or troupe director will be able to do an adequate job of watching their children. Troupe directors have many distractions vying for their attention in performance situations, including herding adult troupe members, talking to event organizers, supervising setup of the sound system, etc.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shira wears a folkloric dress from Egypt in a style that could be appropriate for child performers. Photo by Michael Baxter, Santa Clara, California.

Closing Thought

Belly dancing can be a fulfilling activity for a girl if her parents approach it with the right attitude and take sensible precautions to protect her from the bad behavior of adults. A low-cost way to try it is to borrow a beginning-level video from the library or purchase a good-quality low-cost video and see if the girl still wants to pursue dance classes after learning what the video teaches. She may discover that this activity is one she'll enjoy for the rest of her life. Or she may decide she'd rather learn to play the tuba.

— Shira

Other articles on this web site related to children's experience with belly dance include:

Oriental Dance: A Dance for the Whole Family. Understanding the roots of belly dance in the cultures it comes from.
Costume Ideas for Young Dancers. By Dina Lydia, the Costume Goddess.

When Your Child Is Harassed at School Because YOU Are a Belly Dancer. By Maria.

Instructional Videos for Children

Belly Dance Foundations for Children. By Adry Svraka. Video opinion poll. No longer in print, but may be available through used sources.
Belly Dance for Mother & Daughter. By Amira Mor. Video opinion poll.

Pink Lotus Belly Dance for Girls of All Ages. By Anahata. Video opinion poll. No longer in print, but may be available through used sources.

Acknowledgements

This article originally appeared on the Gilded Serpent web site at www. gildedserpent.com under Shira's "Mailbox Missives" column in 2001. The version on this page has been revised and updated.

About this Column

Shira has received many questions from readers over the years related to various aspects of the dance. In this column, she picks some of the more interesting ones to answer publicly. Details contained in the questions are sometimes removed or disguised to protect the anonymity of the person who asked the question.

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Belly Dance for Kids - Cinnamon Twist Belly Dance

The art of belly dance or “raks sharqi” as it is known in the Middle East is one of the oldest surviving dance forms in existence. It has ancient associations with pregnancy and childbirth, with family celebrations such as weddings and engagements and can be earthy, dramatic, joyful, or graceful. It is a dance style that transcends the generational divides and suits the female body at every stage of life. There are no boundaries to who can try belly dance. At Cinnamon Twist School of Belly Dance we attract women, kids and babies of all ages, all body shapes and sizes, and all cultural backgrounds.

Since belly dance was first introduced to the West in the late nineteenth century women and kids of all ages have been drawn to it. It continues to captivate us for a variety of reasons. Some try belly dancing for something new and different to do, others because it is their national dance, many enjoy the health and fitness benefits of the dance, or find belly dance is a great social outlet. Students often tell me they love the glamorous and feminine aspects of the dance; the jingly and noisy costumes, as well as the performance opportunities that arise through Cinnamon Twist School of Belly Dance. All of our students tell me that despite the various reasons they decided to take up belly dance in the first place, the reason they continue to come is for one simple reason – as Olivia, a 10 year old student at Cinnamon Twist puts it, “belly dancing is fun, fun, and more fun!”

In the last 10-15 years belly dance has seen a boom in popularity in the West and is now enjoyed by women and girls all over the globe. In particular, the younger generations are taking up belly dance by the droves. While the notion of pint size belly dancers floating and wiggling around dance studios all over the country may seem to be a new phenomenon, in fact belly dance has always been a family affair in the countries of its origin, with the youngest members of the family learning as soon as they can walk. In many of the countries where belly dance is part of the culture, the social aspect of learning to dance is an important part of growing up, especially of bonding with female members of the family.

Indeed my own daughter Pippa (now 19 months old) began belly dancing before she was even born. When I fell pregnant I continued to teach all my belly dance classes throughout my pregnancy right up until the week before I gave birth. Pippa’s transition from the womb to the studio dance floor has been an easy and enjoyable one for us both. Now she joins me in our Mummy and Me belly dance class and bops and sways to the same music she’d heard before she was born.

About Virginia.
I was first introduced to belly dance in 1997 when I saw an amateur troupe of women belly dancing at a festival – their ages ranged from young girls to women in their 50s and 60s. I was absolutely mesmerised and fell in love with this dance immediately. I was fascinated by the fluidity and grace of the movements -- in one moment the dance had such an earthiness, was so grounded and strong and then it melted into a softness that seemed so light and feminine. To me their belly dance wasn’t flirty or frivolous; it was a demonstration of strength, of muscular control, of skill. It was a contradiction in motion: simple and complicated, heavy and light, understated yet so glamorous. My thought at the time was “my body could do that”. I was smitten. I went out and found myself a teacher the very next week and I have not looked back since. Almost 13 years on from that day I have made belly dancing my career, I opened Cinnamon Twist School of Belly Dance in 2005 which has grown to be the largest belly dance school in the Illawarra, I gained a PhD on the subject of belly dance and best of all I have the wonderful experience of coming to work every day to teach and share this dance that is so much a part of me. Cinnamon Twist started with just three belly dance classes for adults each week and now we cater to all ages including belly dance for kids in two age categories 4-8years and 9-14years, Prenatal belly dance, Arabic drumming, Indian Bollywood, and a Mummy and Me class that caters to mums with newborn to preschoolers.

Belly Dance for Kids
Dance is a natural means of expression for children; they move their bodies with a sense of freedom that is often somehow lost along the way to adulthood. Ask any child if they can sing or dance and you will probably hear a resounding ‘Yes, of course!’ My philosophy about teaching belly dance to kids is that it need not be difficult for them. Each child is different and progresses at a different rate and this is ok. When it comes to children’s classes at Cinnamon Twist the team of teacher’s encourage a supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere with a focus on fun rather than on formal technique training. For most children, the experience of attending a dance class with a gentle and encouraging teacher can have a lasting positive impact that can take them well into their adult years and even stay with them for life. On the other hand, a negative experience in a dance class can have an equally lasting effect. Up until recently the first (and sometimes only option) for many mums was to enrol their children in ballet, jazz, or tap dance classes. However, if truth be told - these styles of dance are not always suitable for all girls. A mum once told me how she felt absolutely heartbroken when her shy 6 six year old daughter attended a ballet class and left sobbing when the teacher had told her she would never be a ballerina because she had ‘flat feet’ and ‘bad hips’. After enrolling her daughter in belly dancing classes she was thrilled when in the very first class her daughter beamed when she learned that “in belly dancing your feet stay flat on the floor” and your “hips have a life of their own!” It is this grounded nature of belly dance that makes it particularly accessible to kids and adults alike.

Benefits of Belly Dance

Fitness benefits – cardiovascular, muscular, energising
Learn teamwork, focus, and improvisational skills
Promotes good self-esteem
Low-impact, develops flexibility
Improved posture and muscle tone
Helps to strengthen pelvic floor muscles (a bonus for new mums!)
Improvement in gross/fine motor skills, improves co-ordination
Development of spatial awareness
Music appreciation and learning about other cultures

Today, kids and their mums have a rich variety of dance styles to choose from and belly dancing offers girls a wonderful opportunity to explore movement vocabularies totally different from Western styles they may have tried already.

When I was invited to write this article for CoastKids I decided to have a chat with our Little Genies, the girls in our 9-14 years age group. I asked them a number of questions about why they liked belly dancing and they gave a variety of reasons I was expecting to hear such as the opportunity to make friends, they liked the colourful and noisy dance costumes, and the interesting music. However, the girls also told me some things I was not expecting to hear about the way it makes them feel to dance creatively, to feel like part of a team, to enjoy the positive reactions of audiences when they performed. The responses of the girls showed a maturity and awareness about what it means to belly dance that took me by surprise.

What the kids have to say:
Rachael(10yrs) – “I love cultural aspect of belly dance, it’s adventurous”
Trina(9yrs) – “Belly dance gives me energy and its good exercise. I love my teacher; Kim is kind and tolerant and patient”
Barbara(10yrs) – “I love meeting new people and learning new things,” “I like our Cinnamon Twist tops and what they represent”
Claudia(12ys) – “meeting new people, learning new things, making friends”. “When everyone claps at the end of our performances it makes me feel really happy”.
Georgia(9yrs) – “my mum is a belly dancer and I think it’s really cool. I feel proud to perform in my Cinnamon Twist shirt”.
Lianna(10yrs) – “I like that belly dance is not competitive” and “I like it when people smile when I dance”.
Madison(10yrs) – “I like to perform and the jingly costumes”
Olivia(10yrs) – “I like it because I’m good at it. I’m destined for belly dancing!”

What the mums have to say:
Julia- Since my daughter started belly dance lessons her self confidence has grown, along with her balance and coordination.
Kim- I have noticed how [my daughter’s] confidence has grown, she is not as shy now and looks forward to Cinnamon Twist performances to show of all the fantastic things she has learned.
Lisa- My daughter has a great time in class and looks forward to her lesson each week. When she gets home she dances around the house and shows her dad what she learned.
Mary- Overall belly dance has been a fun, positive experience for my daughter. I would definitely recommend this to other parents.

Being part of a dance class is much more than just learning how to dance it also helps to instil valuable life lessons like working with others, moving in rhythm (physically and socially) with a group of their peers, and understanding and accepting the differences between each other. Belly dance introduces kids to music they may not hear anywhere else, a movement vocabulary that helps develop their fine and gross motor skill, and enables them to explore new forms of creative movement in a safe and warm environment. As one student commented, “in belly dancing class I can be myself”.

Cinnamon Twist School of Belly Dance
Ph: (02) 42261861 E: [email protected] Web: www.cinnamon-twist.com.au
Address: Shop 3/ 6 Kenny St, Wollongong 2500

Published in CoastKids Illawarra July/August 2009 - all material and images copyright Virginia Keft-Kennedy

Go back to Class Descriptions

Belly dance for children.

Belly dance lessons for kids. Eastern direction

Ballet for children

Jazz modern for children

Belly dance for children

Cha-cha-cha for children

Go-go for children

Break-dance for children

in childhood. Therefore, it is important to choose the right hobby for a child at the very beginning of his self-determination. In this light, you can pay attention to dances for children, especially for the smallest, 3-5 years old.

Benefits of dancing for children

Any kind of dancing in childhood is very beneficial for the physiological, psychological and social aspects of a child's development. Musical accompaniment, even during normal walking, helps children perceive the surrounding reality through creativity. Classes in a group teach the child to think collectively and develop communication and interaction skills. Dancing is a great way to work on coordination, plasticity, flexibility, ease of movement. Little dancers have better developed muscles and skeleton, which helps them grow up healthy and strong with good posture.

Play dances for children

The childhood of many began with play dances to live piano accompaniment, and this makes sense. Game dances for children contribute to rapid learning and the assimilation of large amounts of information. In addition, during the dance, the child's metabolic processes are accelerated throughout the body, including the brain. You can also practice dancing with your child at home. It is enough to turn on moving music and keep your child company. But you should definitely take into account that the child will not only try to repeat the words from the song, but also copy the movements of the parent. For little kids, side-to-side rocking and springy-legged squats are the best dances. Play along with the child at first, and he will be happy.

Ballroom dancing for children

Children at the age of 5-6 may well start dancing with serious intentions. Most professional figure skaters and dancers in interviews admit that the ballroom dancing section was the beginning of their career, where they got into at a very young age. Do not forget that not all children are interested in such activity and ballroom dancing "under the stick" can be not only stressful, but also the cause of many complexes that will appear later in adult life.

Ballet for children

Ballet gives children many perspectives. After all, it is in childhood that the foundations of classical dance, which is ballet, are laid. The main issue is the feasibility of the classes. After all, the ballet school is known for its strictness and discipline, and only a very strong and strong-willed child can endure training and reach the very end. Ballet is not worth learning for fun, only with serious intentions. For fun and general development, there are many other areas of dance for children.

Hip-hop for kids

Children aged 8+ are very keenly interested in hip-hop culture as it reflects street fashion for freedom and rebellion. Hip-hop classes are suitable for both boys and girls and help a child in transition to channel the destructive energy of change into a peaceful direction.

Oriental dances for children

Oriental dances are very interesting for children, especially girls. Fringed shawls and belts with coins that make a ringing keep a small child interested in dancing as an element of some kind of game. Older girls perceive classes in a different way. Oriental movements help a girl to develop flexibility, plasticity and grace, as well as to realize her feminine nature and beauty.

Dance schools for children by city

PHYSICAL HEALTH. Excellent posture and soft plasticity are extremely important for a girl. And not only for external data. The correct position of the spine and the correct functioning of the organs of the digestive system, as well as women's health - an improvement in the listed characteristics will be noticeable almost immediately.

COMMUNICATIONS . Communication in a circle of peers with the same interests reveals the potential of the child, activates the skills of interaction with the outside world. Healthy competition teaches you to set the right goals and accept failure adequately.

PSYCHE, MOOD. Dancing and other moderate physical activity is a restructuring of hormonal levels. Endorphin, as a cause of good mood, rises to normal during the lessons, and a positive attitude already affects your child's quality of life in general.

BEAUTY. Don't forget about her either. Belly dance and growing children's or rapidly changing teenage organisms are an excellent basis for a proportional figure and graceful plasticity.

At what age can children start?

The youngest famous dancer in the history of the competitions was 5 years old. In the KrisStyle studio, the set is made from the age of 8. What is it connected with?

Parents are often apprehensively interested in the question of morality – dance movements are specific and may well confuse. But for young ladies, a training program that is fundamentally different from adults has been developed, more aimed at developing children's motor skills. A teacher teaching belly dance must take into account all age and ethics restrictions. The experience of the founder of the school, Christina, in the issue of children's education is almost priceless - dozens of children's groups have been successfully released after training, parents' reviews of the entire process of teaching oriental dances in Moscow can be read

We are all touched when we see our daughter trying on our beads and earrings, showing off in front of the mirror, hiding her mother's lipstick behind her back!

Children's oriental dance develops femininity through gentle graceful movements , movements without vulgarity. Who does not want for his girl refined plasticity, flexibility, harmonious figure and feminine gait ?!

Oriental dance demonstrates coordination, plasticity, smoothness and clarity of movements to the music - all the grace of a girl, girl, woman. Since ancient times, the art of oriental dance has been instilled in girls from early childhood.

"Divadance" reporting concerts are held in the best halls of our city: the Gorky Palace of Culture, the Music Hall, the Baltic House, the Youth House, the St. Petersburg Hotel Concert Hall, the Coliseum Concert Hall... Your children will be able to perform at the best concert venues St. Petersburg.

Many doctors believe that belly dancing improves health. In this attractive dance, almost all muscle groups work and develop , and physical activity also fall on those muscle groups that are not involved in our daily life.

Being engaged in oriental dances from early childhood, the child will develop a correct, excellent posture , because all parts of the spine are involved in the movements.

Oriental dance classes for children:

What do you need for the lesson: record, form?

Pre-registration not required . You can call and sign up, or you can just come to class.

To quickly master the art of oriental dance, you will need the most0043 ordinary sportswear or any comfortable at all . Its upper part is desirable - more or less fitting.

All styles of children's dances in Divadance

Child belly dance different from adult . The exercises are not complicated in their structure, specially selected for the child's growing body, so children like to perform them to incendiary music.

Children's belly dance is associated with a more romantic image - these are little sorceresses and little oriental beauties who charm parents, friends and relatives, all kind, caring people with their childlike tenderness and sweet smile.

Wonderful oriental music lifts the girls' spirits , they feel like real oriental beauties!

The classes, of course, use a variety of oriental music, but the selection takes into account the age of the children.

large shawl is perfect for this charming look (the same as in the adult belly dance), so be sure to learn the dance with a headscarf, which emphasizes the natural beauty and charm of girls. In addition, dancing with objects is interesting and exciting for the child.

At the lessons the girls learn small thematic combinations. All movements are given to cheerful incendiary oriental music, so that it would be interesting for novice stars to practice. Like any dance lesson, oriental dance for children is built on the principle "from simple to complex", at the beginning of the lesson there is a warm-up, at the end - stretching.

All parents, mothers and fathers, grandparents want to see their stars on the stage e, their radiant smiles, their dances. If desired, girls can participate in the reporting concert, which takes place every six months on the prestigious stages of St. Petersburg . On stage, our young oriental beauties show us their achievements, delighting moms, dads, grandparents with their amazing results.

There are only 5% of women whose figures can match the magazine samples without compromising health.

Often the fear of looking ridiculous stops people from attending classes. There is an exit. Belly dance for beginners can also be mastered from video lessons. And when you learn how to dance well, you can safely sign up for a group and attend oriental dance lessons in person.

The main thing is to start practicing, because belly dancing is not only a beautiful sight.

Oriental dance lessons are a great workout for joints and spine, almost all muscles. Women of any age and complexion, with any level of training can do it.

Dancing, a person becomes liberated and overcomes stress. Thanks to this dance, your body will acquire attractive forms, posture and body flexibility will improve.

Valeria Putitskaya's cycle is a belly dance cycle for beginners. At the end of the class, you will master such basic bellydance movements as hip kicks, barrel rolls, or a big circle with the hips, waves, figure eight, shakes, turns.

Movements in belly dancing are divided into two categories - movements for the upper body (head, neck, arms, chest and upper abdomen) and lower, which includes the lower abdomen, hips and legs.

Warm-up

Today we will analyze in detail the warm-up exercises that we will perform in each of our lessons. For a beautiful and graceful belly dance, we need to develop the muscles of the hips, chest and neck.

Hip movements

Make sure that the chest does not move from side to side and that the hips work separately from the upper body.

Right-left movements

PI: feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other, chest forward, chin looking up, arms to the sides.

One: move the right thigh to the right.

Two: move the left thigh to the left.

Forward-backward movements

PI: bring your legs closer to each other.

One: move the hips forward.

Two: pull the hips back.

Connect these two movements

We make circular movements with the hips in the direction to the right - forward - left - back. Then to the other side.

Chest movements

Make sure that the hips do not work with the chest, but stand still.

Up and down movements

One: pull the chest up.

Two: drop down.

Side to side movement

One: pull the chest to the right.

Two: pull the chest to the left.

Connect these two movements

We make circular movements with the chest in the direction to the right - up - left - down. Then to the other side.

Neck movements

They are also important and should be performed carefully.

Left-right movements

PI: close hands with palms at chest level.

One time: move the head to the left.

Two: move the head to the right.

Head tilts

In the direction of the right - back - left - forward twice in each direction.

Head rotation

Right - back - left - forward, and in the opposite direction.

Stretching

PI: put the left foot forward, pull the toe. Keep the knee straight, do not bend. We stretch our hands to the toe of the left leg.

We lower the body down, bend in the lower back, raise the head up. We do four tilts forward and down.

Changing the leg. We repeat the same thing.

In the next lesson we will learn the movements for our dance.

Reference: Valeria Putitskaya, has been dancing since the age of 9. World champion in belly dance in 2005 (Moscow), European champion in 2004 and 2011; Champion of Russia in 2003, 2004 and more (the list of titles is very long). Professional bellydance performer. Head of the dance school Valery lab. Conducts distance learning belly dance.

Every mother, before sending her child to dance, dreams that her daughter will grow up to be a beautiful, educated and elegant lady. Little girls, in turn, are future women and mothers. It is very important to start taking care of women's health from an early age. After all, growing up, women sometimes do not have enough time for themselves, devoting most of it to their husband, children and work. Regularly practicing belly dancing in a children's dance school, the female half of humanity is working to maintain the desired level of energy, health and blood supply to the internal female organs. Such dance lessons for children affect the beauty and inner harmony of a woman.
Dances for preschoolers are held in a playful way, so children do not get tired at all and dance oriental dances with pleasure. The atmosphere of creativity fills the entire hall while studying oriental rhythms and elementary dance movements. In the process of learning dance game for children, the students try to love themselves and their bodies. These skills come with time, when girls learn to control their movements. At the lessons, they will learn how to dance children's dances in a group, and also learn to hear and respect the teacher of a children's dance studio. Such lessons of oriental and modern dances for children are an excellent way to deal with daily chronic fatigue, the scourge of modern society.

Where can I send my child to dance? Benefits of belly dancing

If you sign it up for a belly dance, you will eventually get the following benefits:

1. By regularly attending a dance studio for children, there is a constant development of plasticity and flexibility in girls.
2. Oriental dances for schoolchildren help in the formation of the necessary posture. This is an important factor. After all, frequent sitting at a desk and a desk negatively affects the development of back muscles.

The program of oriental classes in the children's dance studio is designed for children. It contains only beautiful and affordable dance elements. Physical activity, as in modern dances for children, is carried out strictly in ascending order, so it will not be difficult for a girl to learn how to dance. Also, the teacher can offer dances for children individually for those who want to dance solo or participate in competitions.
Basic elements in children's bailey dance considered to be:

● all kinds of waves and exercises aimed at the development of plasticity;
● Older girls can do some strokes and eights.

It is important for parents to know that all kinds of shaking are contraindicated for children under 10 years old. They can adversely affect the growing body of the girl. Oriental classes as well as modern dance lessons for children are not expensive. The price of learning to dance for children in our school will pleasantly surprise you. Dancing for children individually costs a little more. However, here the teacher will work with your child one on one. Such classes significantly raise the technical level of the student.

Also at the lessons of oriental dance in the dance studio for children they:

● comprehend the basics of oriental choreography;
● train the vestibular apparatus;
● develop flexibility;
● work on the correct placement of arms, back, feet and head;

Children involved in this type of dance become more resilient, physically strong and emotionally active. Therefore, we invite children to belly dancing in our modern dance studio for children.
Belly dance classes in a children's dance center strengthen the muscular corset as much as possible. It includes the muscles of the back, the press, the oblique muscles of the abdomen and many other small muscles. Such a load is especially beneficial for the girl's health. It is very difficult to replace it with any other type of load. And also this discipline of the modern dance studio for children perfectly strengthens the cardiovascular system of a rapidly growing organism.

Older girls experiment with sensuality at oriental dance lessons for schoolchildren. But parents should know that belly dancing is not only fashionable children's dancing, but also, first of all, playing and learning choreography to beautiful music, working out team synchronism, participating in the filming of dance videos.
They also learn the culture of oriental dance during classes in the dance studio for children, which includes a large number of styles and directions:

● Saidi ;
● baladi ;
● hiligees ;
● bandari and others.

It is precisely because of this that each lesson in the children's dance studio is different from the other and the children attend them with interest. Oriental culture itself, elevating the feminine, helps the little girl feel like a princess.

Belly dance. Dancing for children

Children's belly dancing - one of the popular hobbies children. Parents with great pleasure help their children discover talents through dance. belly dancing for children are taught from an early age concentration, movement of individual parts of the body, proper stretching muscles using a special technique.

Age belly dance groups for children

belly dance lessons for children a great opportunity to engage useful and interesting. It's a hobby the child will be extraordinary, just like time spent with peers. Groups are selected according to age. sign, because in childhood get the most out of dancing achieved in its category.

Belly dance for children aged 5-7.

At this age in children unable to work hard long time. Included in the program includes gentle exercises, movements shoulders, arms, hips. Stretching on heating, strengthening and elasticity muscles. Focus on beautiful dance moves, staging body and hands. Children are already learning improvise and on your own combine shapes.

Belly dance children 8-10 years old

Early school age mental load at school exceeds physical. So this age is perfect suitable for dance lessons for children. Everyone dances in class in the atmosphere fun and music, move under strict the control of a coach who has unquestioning authority. At present period the program includes more than serious elements of children's dance belly, such as figure eights and punches hips. In the group, the child gives way emotions, communicates and develops successfully.

Belly dance 11-15 years old

In adolescence every child dreams of moving beautifully, look attractive and baby belly dancing will help him realize dream. Liberation through dance the ability to move and present oneself solve age problems. Indeed, in this belly dance group for kids learning in full, teach all dance elements of this extraordinary hobbies.

Benefits belly dancing for children

Training belly dance performance for kids various benefits. Such as:

Leisure. Children enjoy spending free time learning dance pa in the company of like-minded people.
Communication. In groups, children dance for about one age, so they like to communicate with peers in a beautiful musical atmosphere.
Musicality. Children learn to understand the rhythm and character music, embody their mood in dance.
Physical development. Belly dance lessons for children develop plasticity, flexibility, promote formation of a graceful gait.
Love to art. Youth generation is rapidly developing aesthetic perception of art, learning it understand.
Training memory. The order of movements in belly dance for children improves memory and trains her.
Overcoming fears. Children getting used to public speaking liberation and opening takes place their talents.
Creativity. Expression of feelings and emotions of the child expressed in children's belly dance, develop the skill of improvisation.
Discipline. The child feels responsible and is accustomed to order

Belly dance for children - having fun together with a great workout. beautiful posture, gait, freedom of movement and confidence, such a gift will remain after class belly dancing.

There are only 5% of women whose figures can match the magazine samples without compromising health.

The main thing is to start practicing, because belly dancing is not only a beautiful sight.

Oriental dance lessons are a great workout for joints and spine, almost all muscles. Women of any age and complexion, with any level of training can do it.

Dancing, a person becomes liberated and overcomes stress. Thanks to this dance, your body will acquire attractive forms, posture and body flexibility will improve.

Movements in belly dancing are divided into two categories - movements for the upper body (head, neck, arms, chest and upper abdomen) and lower, which includes the lower abdomen, hips and legs.

Warm-up

Hip movements

Make sure that the chest does not move from side to side and that the hips work separately from the upper body.

Right-left movements

PI: feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other, chest forward, chin looking up, arms to the sides.

One: move the right thigh to the right.

Two: move the left thigh to the left.

Forward-backward movements

PI: bring your legs closer to each other.

One: move the hips forward.

Two: pull the hips back.

Connect these two movements

We make circular movements with the hips in the direction to the right - forward - left - back. Then to the other side.

Chest movements

Make sure that the hips do not work with the chest, but stand still.

Up and down movements

One: pull the chest up.

Two: drop down.

Side to side movement

One: pull the chest to the right.

Two: pull the chest to the left.

Connect these two movements

We make circular movements with the chest in the direction to the right - up - left - down. Then to the other side.

Neck movements

They are also important and should be performed carefully.

Left-right movements

PI: close hands with palms at chest level.

One time: move the head to the left.

Two: move the head to the right.

Head tilts

In the direction of the right - back - left - forward twice in each direction.

Head rotation

Right - back - left - forward, and in the opposite direction.

Stretching

PI: put the left foot forward, pull the toe. Keep the knee straight, do not bend. We stretch our hands to the toe of the left leg.

We lower the body down, bend in the lower back, raise the head up. We do four tilts forward and down.

Changing the leg. We repeat the same thing.

In the next lesson we will learn the movements for our dance.

Trinity Dance School conducts belly dance courses in Moscow: inexpensive, convenient and in a comfortable environment, you can step by step master the unsurpassed art of oriental dance.

Flying movements of the arms, enticing "shudders" of the shoulders... Fascinating "gait", soft "tossing" of the stomach... Alluring vibration of the hips and buttocks... This is the dream of any real woman!

Features of oriental dance

Belly dance is a special direction, it requires special sensuality. This is a separate culture, identity, you need to comprehend it gradually, movement by movement, step by step. Here is a completely different approach than in club dancing or latin.

Oriental dance, as we know it today, has gathered a mixture of a number of cultures, but to this day, it differs from other types of dance, primarily in its unforgettable relaxed and sensual rhythm.

Temperament, femininity and emancipation are the basis of Arabic belly dance. Oriental dances are called by some the measure of a woman's seductiveness. Indeed, while mastering these magnetic dances, many girls said that they began to feel the power of their feminine charms.

It is safe to say that the philosophy of this dance is the possession of the body and soul, love and respect for oneself, and of course, self-expression. Bellydance is not just an amazing performance technique, it's also sensuality, it's artistry and musicality.

A dancer needs to be able to present bellydance as a game, as a kind of flirting, and virtuosity and a perfect performance technique will help with this - we teach all this from the first lessons and try to improve every day.

Health benefits

Health promotion;
Improved vitality;
Excellent remedy for depression;
Remedy for a number of gynecological diseases;
Almost all muscle groups work, and what is important, even those that are not involved in everyday life;
And such an element as shaking perfectly helps to get rid of cellulite!

Where can I send my child to dance? Benefits of belly dancing

If you sign it up for a belly dance, you will eventually get the following benefits:

● all kinds of waves and exercises aimed at the development of plasticity;
● Older girls can do some strokes and eights.

Also at the lessons of oriental dance in the dance studio for children they:

● comprehend the basics of oriental choreography;
● train the vestibular apparatus;
● develop flexibility;
● work on the correct placement of arms, back, feet and head;

● Saidi ;
● baladi ;
● hiligees ;
● bandari and others.

It is precisely because of this that each lesson in the children's dance studio is different from the other and the children attend them with interest.

How to belly dance for kids

Is It *Really* Something Young Girls Should Do?

Dear Shira:

The Question

Shira Responds

Consider the Double Standard

A Look At Dance in The Middle East

So What About Western Society?

Is Belly Dancing Good For Girls?

But What About The Negatives?

Performances

Closing Thought

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Instructional Videos for Children

Acknowledgements

About this Column

Copyright Notice

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All styles of children's dances in Divadance

Warm-up

Hip movements

Chest movements

Neck movements

Stretching

Where can I send my child to dance? Benefits of belly dancing

If you sign it up for a belly dance, you will eventually get the following benefits:

Also at the lessons of oriental dance in the dance studio for children they:

Belly dance. Dancing for children

Age belly dance groups for children

Belly dance for children aged 5-7.

Belly dance children 8-10 years old

Belly dance 11-15 years old

Benefits belly dancing for children

Warm-up

Hip movements

Chest movements

Neck movements

Stretching

Features of oriental dance

Where can I send my child to dance? Benefits of belly dancing

If you sign it up for a belly dance, you will eventually get the following benefits:

Also at the lessons of oriental dance in the dance studio for children they:

Learn more

Is It Really Something Young Girls Should Do?