If you teach teens–thank you!
Watch this amazing video about "surviving high school" in America and tell me the world doesn’t need more belly dance classes. Nobody "needs" a belly dance class. But everyone (especially young women) needs the gift of self esteem, confidence and healthy body awareness/acceptance that our dance provides. I want to say something smart or witty, but I think the video says it all. (You may want to keep the tissues handy for this one.)
Thanks for sharing that. I have my 10th high school reunion in two weeks, and have been thinking a lot about how much I’ve changed since then, and how much of that has been due to belly dance. I could write a whole article (and maybe I should) but I think two vignettes say it all:
1996: waiting in line at school, the girl behind me says “wow, you have a really big butt. Just thought you should know”.
2004: shopping for my first professional costume, my mentor says “you should try this one on - it will show off that nice round butt.”
I was three sizes larger in 2004, but instead of being ashamed of my size and shape, I felt beautiful, and was proud of my body for what it could accomplish.