It just occured to me that we don't have any set place to discuss excersize and physical activity. I'm never sure where to start these things. So, This is where I'm putting this thread! Ha! so THERE!

This is why belly dancing is the BEST excersize:

What other excersize program involves making sure you have bells and beads and beautiful silks and chifons and beaded belts and bras and jewlery, and SHINY thing!

There are no men, except for sometimes drummers, but they are there for *you and your pleasure* not the otherway around.

What other excersize actually looks better when fat women do it than skinny bitches attempt it?

What other excersize celebrates the female form in all the many forms we have?

Exotic and interesting music!

what other excersize helps you internalize how damn sexy and alluring you really are?

Crystal,

If I could ever take myself serious enough - I wanna learn to belly dance. I promise to God this is truth!

What kind of clothes do you wear - to learn it?

I took a belly dancing class and loved it. It was really hard work. But what I really like is SQUARE DANCING. I'll be so happy when I can do that again. M;)

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Oh yeah, I live in Saudi. You should see how shapely the women are here and they all know how to Belly Dance. My good friend is Labanese and is thick but in all the right places and owes it all to Belly Dancing. She says it's in their genes.

usually what I wear are a pair of harem style pants, that are silver foil with snake skin print, a velvet short tank-top that I've added some light bead work, and various veils and a hip scarf. I have two right now that I L-O-V-E. They are both burgundy cloth, but one is siver based with beaded strings that end in small silver "coins" that tinkle very sweetly, bead word and small mirrors. The other scarf is burgundy and gold with bells, so it's just as flashy, but jingles as opposed to tinkles.

Other women wear differnt things. Some prefer skirts to pants, some perfer a dance bra and belt. (I can't wear a dance belt right now because my belly is too big. Some like to wear a choli top that covers their arms to the elbow, especially if they are not comfortable with their arms showing. Some women perfer to be very covered while others would rather see what their bellys are doing, especially when we work on isolations so we can see the belly flutter or roll.

This pix was taken after my dance recital for ISU. What I'm wearing is typically what I wear for performances as well as practices. If you don't practice in what you are going to perform in, then you won't know if you are going to have a wardrobe malfunction until it's too late. And what everyone is wearing, aside from the two women on the left, is what they wore to practice in. (Except for the gal standing next to me, winking, She was getting ready to leave, and it was about 15 degrees F outside with about 18 inches of snow outside.

doh! forgot the pix! (could someone pretty please resize it!) ((Thanks K@t!)

I've always been interested in belly dancing and love to watch them. I had a troupe of belly dancers at my wedding,which was Renn themed at the cocktail hour. They even danced with swords on their heads.

Nice picture Vines, your a beautiful woman.

Hey Vines you look great! I can't believe you look so confident and happy. I had a friend who did the belly dancing lessons for exercise. If I get down a few lbs I may try it as well. Hubby would love that! (np vines)

What a coincidence that you bring this up. I just returned from a couple weeks visiting my sister and she put on a bellydancing exercise tape for the first time and we tried to do it. It was hard work but I say we burnt the most calories laughing at each other and ourselves.

Serena