In December of 2008, I saw something on Facebook that would change the trajectory of my life. An acquaintance from the local music scene shared a video clip of herself performing in a burlesque version of The Nutcracker. I saw her running around the stage in mouse ears, a bra, and fishnet tights and thought, That could be me. But first I had to learn how to dance-- or at least move gracefully.
Shortly thereafter, while temporarily living in Israel, I went on a mission to find a gym or studio that offered any kind of movement classes. One gym sold sketchy diet supplements. Another was 7 floors underground. The third had a papier mâché figurine of a fat woman, which was my cue to stay. I had to take two buses to get there and I did not have any exercise clothes. I took yoga, Pilates, and belly dance classes wearing jeans or pajama bottoms. I did not understand a word that was said in those classes.
Upon returning to the glorious United States of America (we have burritos!), I moved to San Francisco and, in 2010, started taking yoga and belly dance classes at Spring Pilates (RIP) in Noe Valley. The best yoga class was immediately before belly dance, and I had to build my stamina before I could do two classes. I loved the belly dance teacher, Sharon. She made us choreograph pieces, even just a few counts of 8, and perform them for each other. She’s the one who made me buy finger cymbals 6 months in. There was a core group of dance students who came every week, one of whom is now a full-time dancer. The safe and supportive environment gave me confidence.
Sharon left a year later and I studied with a series of teachers in various studios around the Bay Area. After a few years of training, I realized that I no longer thought about switching to burlesque. Maybe it was the fallout from getting raped around the same time I saw the Nutcracker burlesque, maybe it was just getting older, but showing off my semi-nude body for an audience of men sounded less and less appealing. I know burlesque audiences (at least here) are not only men, that the men who see burlesque are not necessarily creepy, and that women are very enthusiastic supporters of burlesque. But belly dance audiences are very heavily female and the performances are not overtly sexual-- more like coy, flirtatious, bold, sassy, dramatic, or romantic. Outsiders may think of burlesque and belly dance as being similar (I certainly did), and there are certainly performers who do both, but belly dancers do not strip. The vibe is totally different. Go support your local burlesque revue and your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant when they have dancers to find out!
It took me a few years to make friends, but I enjoyed the challenging technique and woman-dominated environment so I kept showing up. Eventually belly dance became a serious hobby and I even joined a dance company. I can’t help wondering what the last 10 years would have been like without belly dance:
My body would be different. I get muscular over the summer, when I have time for loads of classes and intensives!
My relationship to my body would be different. I’ve learned a ton about physiology. Belly dance celebrates jiggles! And it’s been a joy to be around embodied women.
I’ve sunk a lot of time into this! It’s very fulfilling. I wonder if I’d have picked up something else if belly dance hadn’t come along.
I’ve stayed in San Francisco. SF is the hub of American/Western and fusion belly dance. People come from all over the world to study from the teachers here. When I travel, the teachers I meet all name my teachers as their inspiration. It might be easier to find a nice Jewish boy elsewhere, but this is where the belly dance is!
I made a lot of friends locally and around the world!
Last but not least, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time and energy learning about Arabic cultures, peoples, traditions, and music. I am so grateful for how this connection has enriched my life.
I’ve had a Facebook account for 15 years. I see hundreds of posts a day-- pets, vacations, marathons, socio-political issues, food porn-- and somehow it was Nutcracker burlesque that launched me into the world of belly dance 10 years ago. Go figure!
