Wouldn’t it have been amazing if you had discovered belly dancing when you were younger? You would surely be so much better by now, your body so much stronger and leaner, you may even have become a pro! I hear this a lot and I totally understand why women (and some men!) think that starting earlier would have been the magical solution to their solution. But this is not necessarily the case, and definitely not a productive way of thinking. So read on to find out why discovering belly dance when you did was probably right for you and also a free resource, which will help you develop and improve your dancing right here and now.
So why do so many dancers wish they’d started earlier? I guess it’s only natural that we’d wish something we love and enjoy had been in our life earlier. But we can’t change the past, so dwelling on it is nothing but a waste of energy. ‘If only’ thinking, also known as counterfactual thinking, can in fact be quite damaging, because it can keep you locked into your current situation, making you feel powerless and bad about yourself. So stop wondering ‘what if’ and celebrate the facts of the here and now instead. And yes you probably discovered belly dancing at just the right moment for you, and here’s why:
Being Ready
You may not have been ready to discover dance before you did. You may have been too busy to enjoy and maintain it – and yes we all know that it takes perseverance especially at first to get to grips with technique, posture etc. You may also not have appreciated what the dance does for you. The fact that it’s both a mental and physical mediation, and offers a break from everyday life and a rare chance to exercise whilst having fun. After all, it gets you connected with your body and helps build strength as well as body awareness, balance, memory etc.
Finding the right class
You couldn’t have started dancing until you found a class and teacher nearby that you enjoyed and inspired you. These are not always easy to come by, so you were lucky to find yours when you did. There is nothing but a bad teacher to put people off for life (just think of any childhood memories you may have from school – I hope they’re all good ones, but I’m sure there’s a few bad teachers in there too).
Read my blog on how to find the right dancer teacher for you here
Keeping going
So if you were lucky enough to discover dance just at the right moment for you, you can celebrate the fact that you’re still enjoying it. But how do you keep the fire of passion for it burning? In my experience it all comes down to the people you surround yourself with. Make sure that your teacher and dance community continuous to develop you. If you find that classes are getting a bit stall for you, then maybe suggest new dance styles to cover. There’s also a wide range of workshops and dance holidays available these days, and sometimes meeting new dance friends on these is all it takes to keep the fire in your belly alive. The beauty about belly dance is that there’s so much to learn both when it comes to the dancing, but also the history and culture that surrounds it, so you’re not likely to run out of material to submerge yourself in.
If you want to improve your dancing right here and now, then download my free 10 tips for better and more beautiful dancing here.
So I hope this will help you realise that dancing entered your life just at the right time for you. Now all you need to is keep it up! Was your encounter with the dance special and just at the right time for you? Share your story in the comments below and keep the knowledge sharing going.
Happy dancing – always…
Dorte
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