I was you once. I was too afraid for too long to take my first Belly Dance class. I thought things like, “I don’t want to show my stomach, I don’t like the way it looks”, “I’m afraid I’ll look silly” or, “I’m interested in learning, but what if I don’t like it?” It seems especially hard as an adult even once you have found a local adult Belly Dance class in your area.

I knew exactly where to find local classes for four years before I took my first class, not only that, but my friend who introduced me to the dance had been involved with the studio for years and encouraged me all through high school. Man, do I regret waiting for so long. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to stop dragging my heels and go for it!

If you find yourself dragging your heels as well, think of this as your nudge to take a chance and take that adult Belly Dance class, you’ll be glad you did! So sit back, relax, and enjoy a tour through my early years of Belly Dance complete with some of my favorite photos from the vault…

Here are my top 5 reasons to stop waiting and try that Belly Dance class NOW!

5. Fun!

Maybe you put in a full 40 hours or more at the office or are working to raise a healthy and loving human being, either way you need time to have some fun (remember what happened in ‘The Shining’?) Even having just one hour a week that is work and kid free will help you relieve some of that stress. You deserve that hour to take care of yourself!

4. Feel Good Chemicals

You know that great feeling you get when you’re having fun? What you are feeling is the release of those feel good chemicals: endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine. According to multiple studies dancing can increase the amount of ‘happy’ chemicals in the brain and help to fight off things like depression and anxiety (yes, I experience both of those things and I can honestly say that I always feel better after dancing, even on the days when I have to force myself to go). Dancing can trigger the release of all three of these chemicals, a huge plus for any dancing queen!

3. It Doesn’t Feel Like Exercise

Are you the kind of person who wants to get fit, but dreads going to the gym? Lifting weights and running can seem like a big chore and after spending a day working who really wants to do more work? We used to have saying at The Dance Within, ‘fun yourself fit’, and that’s exactly how I like it! Exercise can be fun if you find something you can enjoy… something like *ahem* Belly Dance? Did you know that in a single Belly Dance Basics class we burn an average of 325 calories? Plus, Belly Dance involves every muscle in the body, especially those oblique and abdominal muscles.

2. Build Confidence and Body Positivity

For me, this is one of the biggest reasons that I love Belly Dance. You would be surprised how many people come in to dance class with insecurities about their body and the truth is we all have them.

In my personal experience I was always heavier by about 20 pounds so I always wanted to hide my stomach because it wasn’t as flat as the other people my age; when I started taking Belly Dance I had absolutely no desire to show the world my abdomen and after only a few months of taking Belly Dance I found that I wanted to show my stomach so I could see all of those movements that I had been working so hard to master. Since then my body has gone through quite a few changes (the biggest of which was having a child) and guess what? I have stretch marks and I LOVE them!

1. Community and Friendship

We’re not just taking a dance class, we’re building a community! Some of my dance sisters I’ve met along the way on my personal dance journey, and some I brought from my pre-Belly Dance life.

Let me introduce you to one of them! Cindy and I met in high school and have been friends for over 15 years (that’s over half of our lives so far!). When I wanted to take that first dance class Cindy came with me; we both fell in love with the dance that night and have been dancing together ever since. To this day Cindy is still my ride or die dance sister… Interested in going to a workshop or dance show? Cindy and I will carpool and make it a friends date. Need help with a private dance gig? Cindy is the one to call first to lend some assistance. Want to get a second opinion about my newest dance idea? I know I can text Cindy night or day. During high school we were attached at the hip, however now we are adults and both lead very busy lives, but we still get together to dance as often as possible and catch up on what’s going on in each other’s lives before we run off to our next appointment.

In conclusion: my advice is to grab your best friends and get to that Belly Dance class NOW!