Belly Dance Yoga is my passion project. It combines the two things that I love to do the most — belly dance and yoga.
The beautiful thing about belly dance is that it’s all about freedom of expression! There is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s all about being your unique self and owning it. Belly dance allows me to explore my sensuality, movement and grace without judgement. Over time, it has made me more confident and appreciative of my curves and femininity. And here’s another added perk: my core and arms are always challenged in a deeper and more dynamic way than crunches and lifting weights! Oh — and can I also talk about hip scarves and costumes? There is something so satisfying about wearing an outfit covered in beads, sequins, and coins that moves and jingles with every shimmy and shake! Getting to look and play the part of a goddess makes me actually feel like one!
The physical practice of yoga aligns movement with breath. Although there are so many forms of yoga out there today, that is one thing that never changes. Something truly profound happens when movement and breath are synchronized. Racing thoughts fade into the background, the mind becomes more focused, and stress can start to melt away. I go to yoga when I’m sad, frustrated, full of anxiety, and need to mentally work through something… and I also go to yoga when I’m feeling amazing and want to celebrate being alive. My yoga mat is my sanctuary where I get to be with myself and my thoughts. I relish in the fact that it can truly take a lifetime or more to fully master a pose or understand the philosophy of yoga; there is always room for improvement and refinement.
Combining belly dance and yoga together was quite a challenge. Since I received my 500 hr certification in yoga from YogaWorks, I’m hardwired to create a sequence, break things down into component parts, and focus on alignment. Therefore, I didn’t want to incorporate belly dance moves into yoga flow sequences without first breaking down the yoga alignment and the belly dance moves separately. After a lot of experimentation, I figured out a formula that is fun but not intimidating — and super sexy!
My overall Belly Dance Yoga class structure starts off with gentle stretching, yoga postures, body isolations, and movement to warm the body up. The next portion of class breaks down several belly dance techniques with and without music. Then, to put it all together, the class learns a choreographed belly dance/yoga sequence that combines all of the belly dance and yoga techniques taught up to that point. A sweet and rewarding cool down to allow the body to unwind and recover.
Ready to stretch, shimmy, and shake with me? Follow me on instagram and twitter at @theholistichoo to stay updated on upcoming workshops!
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