10 years ago, I was convinced to come with a friend to a belly dance class that was a short walk from my house. We danced a term of beginners together and then she moved to the west coast of the country.

Typical.

I, however, was hooked and persisted.

There was something in the feel of the movement and the music the teacher picked that came together for me and left me wanting to learn more.

Fast forward 6 years of weekly classes, dancing in the school troupe and enjoying being a part of the school. I had my two gorgeous kids and somewhere along the line of not dancing every week while their early days happened and the studio I was at not having regular classes; I lost the love.

I was quite ill-at-ease with this. It didn’t feel right to come so far and give it all away, so I made myself a promise that I would do a year of workshops, try out a few different classes and that if nothing reignited the passion I had previously felt for dance, then it was time to sell off the hip scarves and costumes.

The Change Started

My first workshop of the year was in New Zealand. The wonderful Traysi had organised for Suhaila Salimpour to return to Wellington to teach her Suhaila Format Level 1 3 day workshop. I had bought a copy of her Fitness Fusion DVDs when I had first started dancing and was honestly a little freaked out by the section of the dvd that focused on glute work in the yoga DVD.

But I was excited by the idea of coming to do her workshop. I had no idea what was going to happen or the path that was about to open up to me. At the end of the first day’s workshop in an euphoric state. I had found my passion for dancing again! And I completed the 3 days, including sitting the certification exam and then went on holidays with my family while walking on air that I had found a place I felt I belonged again.

But that’s not the reason I belly dance. Believe it or not.

The reason why I belly dance, is the music. And really, you couldn’t stop me if you tried.