Belly-dancing class offers fun, fitness benefits Published July 29, 2009 By Meredith March 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Popular reality television shows like "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," have recently created a lot of buzz about the fitness benefits of dancing. For many individuals, dancing is an enjoyable way to tone muscles, possibly lose some weight and enjoy interacting with others in a creative environment. The Fitness and Sports Center has caught this vision, and now offers a belly-dancing class in addition to other fitness selections. Sadafa, the class instructor, has been belly dancing for more than 20 years. She began dancing in college, when the stress of engineering and science classes compelled her to seek recreation completely unrelated to her studies. "I found a belly-dancing class in a local newspaper under community-education classes. I grabbed my roommate and said, 'Let's go - this looks like fun,'" she said. "After the first set of lessons, I enjoyed it so much that I kept taking classes. I've danced ever since." Sadafa has taught belly dancing classes for approximately ten years. When she moved to Europe after separating from the Air Force, she had trouble finding classes and resolved to teach her own. "I found that there weren't any teachers in the areas [my husband and I] were transferred to," she said. "I decided that if I wanted to continue improving, I would have to learn how to teach. I had a good foundation from several really good dancers and they taught me enough that I felt confident to go out on my own and start teaching." Sadafa teaches two different styles of belly dancing; one is primarily a solo style and the other involves group dancing. Both styles incorporate elements of Turkish, Arabic and Greek styles of belly dancing, she said. In her class, Sadafa starts by teaching basic moves, then speeding up the music and adding combinations of movements as students become more proficient. "I start putting in different types of music from different cultures. I've got Arabic music, Turkish music and Greek music - those are fun to dance to because they really get energetic," she said. Belly dancing's benefits can be multifaceted, extending from physical to emotional well-being, Sadafa said. "It works your core muscles. You can get a very toned midsection and develop curves; it's a very feminine form of dance," she said. "With some of the slower Arabic music that I use, the movements require controlled movement and that builds up the muscles and flexibility." With faster music, however, belly dancing can also be aerobic - without causing the wear and tear common to some forms of cardiovascular exercise. "With the fast music, like the stuff you would hear in Egypt, the steps move much more quickly and you're doing a lot more arm movements and moving from place to place," she said. "It's aerobic but not high impact. You are working your heart but it's not as hard on your joints as doing a step aerobics class or going running." In addition to the aerobic advantages, Sadafa recommends the dance class for the emotional benefits, including improved body image. "I've had dance students who were extremely self conscious and have a very poor body image. By the end of a couple of years they've just bloomed beautifully and come out of their shells. They feel more confidence in themselves, and that confidence improves their daily lives." Unfortunately, there are misconceptions associated with belly dancing which might prevent individuals from getting involved, Sadafa said. She hopes members of the Hanscom community will put those aside and give the class a try. Belly dance is not about being provocative or wearing revealing costumes, she said. "I wear full length dresses. The point of a class, in my eyes, is to get people up dancing and enjoying exercise. It's a wonderful expression of feminine joy and feminine grace." The belly-dance class takes place at the Fitness and Sports Center on Tuesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Students can register at the front desk. For more information, call the fitness center at (781) 377-3639.