Shimmy like Shakira

I’m the first one to admit that I cannot dance – at all. Except for the awkward booty-shake that you can find me doing at the Lizard after a few drinks, I cannot samba, tap, or waltz. Or do anything else even close. So when I signed up to give belly-dancing a go, I wasn’t expecting much. Honestly, I was just hoping that my Hispanic genes (pre-programmed with at lease some dance talent?) would cover up my inability to shimmy in an artful manner. I’ve seen people belly-dance before. I mean, I’ve seen Shakira’s music videos, which probably counts for something. It can’t be that hard…

I walked into the class, greeted by music and the chime of coins on hip scarves. The members of the Ethnic and Interpretive Dance Society – EIDSOC – were very welcoming and, as I donned my very own coin belt, I decided that this experience might not turn out so bad after all. This is just ones of the very active EIDSOC’s classes, so if you have a craving to wiggle around Bollywood style, pump off the pounds in Zumba, or reclaim your African cultural heritage, then check their class times on Facebook and drop in. 

While the experience was fun, my belly-dancing skillz were as bad as I thought they’d be. Even though in my head I was channelling Bollywood, my body seemed to be channelling something between a heart attack and a seizure. I may be exaggerating, but still, it was not a pretty sight. The class itself was a blast – full of enthusiastic people and good music. Anyone that is looking for a nice workout and a fun way to spend an hour on an otherwise lazy Sunday should look into it. Belly dancing goes on from 1 – 2pm, every Sunday in the Salad Bowl, coin belts for all. 

Photo ©Anna Gudnason