She got belly

I went back to belly dance class a couple weeks ago, after over a year off, and it was both fun and nerve-wracking. Clearly, even with the Yoga, I'm out of shape. The other night I showed up for class, but no one else did, so I ended up having a private lesson. It was wonderful; my teacher and I went through a few things that I needed help with, and we also identified a few things that I need to avoid to keep my knee and lower back safe. It was really inspiring - I looked in the mirror and didn't have that body-loathing that so often accompanies a full-length mirror with tight-fitting or skimpy clothing on. I found myself really able to relax with the music and the moves, and didn't worry so much about doing it "right" as doing it "well," if that makes any sense.

This whole "doing it right" thing stems from my childhood, living with a perfectionist (a couple of them, actually). It's taken its toll on my creativity and my motivation, and I am constantly finding ways to unravel it. Belly dance, it would seem, is one such way that both embraces life and movement, and encourages the fire of creativity. My creative volcano (oblique Hawaii reference there)!

Here's a belly dancer who really inspires me with her grace, charm, joie de vivre, and the fact that she looks like a woman, not a stick-figure in a coin bra and fringe. I love Aziza!

Wind Surfing '09

As you know, I've connected with the local wind surfing club, and I will try my hands (and arms and back and legs and feet) at this amazing sport. It involves incredible balance and coordination - both of which I am lacking in my current middle-age. I have no doubts that I will recover what was once mine in youth. And hey, I did ride a skate board for the first time in November without eating pavement, right?

What pisses me off is the "extreme" sportsworld of skaters, snowboarders and yes, even some surfers, look down their noses at windsurfing. Seriously? Have you any idea what is involved? And have you seen the aerial stuff the pros do?





And don't even get me started on kite surfing, which has got to be the most insane thing I've ever seen on the water.






I'm heading back to Yoga class next week, and will join the Y to start swimming again. I will be in better muscular shape come June, and will hopefully be more coordinated through Yoga by then as well.

Not that I'm some cream puff. My balance isn't too bad considering I sprained both ankles in 2008, really. And I can still melt any floor you put under my dancing shoes.


(Images: http://www.egos.co.za/scripts/prodList.asp?idcategory=6&curPage=2&sortField=description and http://www.holiday-wa.net/SouthWestCapesRegion.asp; http://tidalstock.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/windy-day-for-some-kitesurfing-image-for-426/ and http://kitesurfingschool.org/faqs.htm)

More Belly

I found this clip, and I recognize most of the moves here from the dance I'm doing in class (yes, even the hair flip thing). I absolutely love her costume, too.



(Make no mistake - I looking NOTHING like this lady when I'm dancing. I can barely keep up.)

Dance, Belly Dance!

So I've been taking belly dance lessons lo these last few weeks.

I love it. The undulations are still really hard for me to do without feeling like one of the Predator's victims.

Check her out, though:



And this girl has more precision in her hips than I could ever dream of:

Shakin' my groove thang

I've finally got an exercise schedule that I think I can live with. It involves belly dance class on Monday nights, going to our exercise room at least 1 time a week, plus walking to my church job once a week. Or, if walking is impossible due to weather, the exercise room 2xs a week. I went yesterday and did pretty well - 30 minutes of cardio, then stretching, then sauna. I've discovered that going in the morning is much easier than at night. For one thing, the exercise room itself is very dingy and creepy at night. I seem to feel more relaxed during the daylight hours, and when there are people around the office.

Also, there is the possibility of a once-a-month T'ai Chi class a few towns over that I could get to. The instructor and I are in touch and if he opens a new class, I'll check it out. By the way, he's also a musician, and I'm putting his band's link on the sidebar, so check that out.


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