It is a dream for me to be dancing. Belly dancing makes me feel like a woman. As Carle and her sister students move through the dance's signature spirals, undulations and circular body moves, they're unwittingly achieving muscle control that, in turn, triggers the benefits of muscular flexibility. Wilcoxon has toned down the pace of the class concentrating on hip and pelvic gyrations and graceful hand and arm motions over floor work. Still, the mental concentration necessary to contract muscles that are not often used is an exercise in itself.
Every move increases body awareness.
The constant motion of the pelvic region torques the abdominal rectus abdominus and the external obliques. The hips, tensor fasciae latae, and the lower back, latissimus dorsi, are also working hard, accompanied by 640 skeletal muscles that help attach bone to joints. Belly dancing involves every major muscle group in the body. The frequent low-impact contraction of muscles improves posture, burns calories and in turn reduces stress and prevents disease. Thus an age-old custom lends Chesapeake Country a fun, sexy way to get off your butt and shake your bootie.