We love to watch belly dancers shake their hips flawlessly, but here are a few things we bet you didn't know about the art
Since the tender age of 14, trainer and maestro of belly dancing, Meher Malik has been nurturing her passion for the dance, which is now synced into her life and career. In Bandra, Malik and her Banjara School of Dance are conducting an intensive one-week crash course for beginners in belly dancing, and plans are under way to schedule an ‘improvers’ course as well.
How it all began
Even though she admits of never consciously turning this Middle-Eastern dance form into a profession, Malik says, “It all started on a school trip to Cairo at the age of 14. I saw a belly dancer on the Nile cruise and she left a deep imprint on my mind, therefore I had to give it a shot and I have never looked back.”
Culture fusion
Even though Malik keeps the Egyptian Sharki format as the base, she isn't afraid to fuse it with other traditional Indian dance forms like Kathak and Odissi. “But to perfect this art, a one-year foundation in Egyptian stylisation, Egyptian music and costumes is required before we experiment,” she explains.
While, any girl or woman from ages 12–60 years can try her hand at belly dancing, this dance form puts a lot of emphasis on muscles. It is also beneficial for women who would like to increase their chances of fertility, points out Malik.
Health benefits
For an average person, it takes about 1–2 years to master the art of belly dancing. Thereafter, you can pursue it professionally. “You need to have decent directional and spatial intelligence, basic motor skills, which are further enhanced through belly dancing. Besides this, there are other prerequisites,” says Malik. A few other health benefits of this dance form are that it strengthens the back, corrects one’s posture, tones the body and imparts good control over one’s breath. However, like any other dance form, wrong postures or steps performed incorrectly can be detrimental.
Baby steps
All dance forms always begin with the baby steps. For example, Maya is one of the initial steps that is taught by Malik and her associates. “Besides Maya, Hip Drops, Chest Circles and Snake Arms are some of the most basic steps that you need to master; these aid in tightening and toning the muscles in the arms and the abdomen.
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