"Big" Bellydance

Marilyn Monroe full figure icon

Now playing: Tori Amos - American Doll Posse
Mood: no more bananas with peanut butter...i think i OD'd

I my quest to put together info and exercises about stage presence I have thought quite intensely about how self image affects stage presence and how important it is to the end result of your dance. And I've concluded that no matter how good of a dancer you are, if you can't get past yourself, you can't reach your BD potential.

Anyway, I was excited to find Big Bellydance, a website that promotes/supports plus size and full figure dancers. It doesn't really have much info at the moment but is supportive nonetheless. There is also some full figure Q&A Here.

Unfortunately, I find that there is very little info available on this subject and next to no info on self image and respect that pertains to BD. Most of what I've found is where to buy bigger sized costumes and how to dress to hide, accentuate, look slimmer, look sexier in your costume than any real discussion on why women (of all figures) are drawn to BD and what they go through mentally. The other stuff I found has a heavy new age overtone or just rolled up with pilates, yoga, and pregnancy.

BD puts, at least American women, in a very vulnerable place. And each of these women are working to feel better about herself in some way, whether body image, performance anxiety, appreciation, self expression, belonging to a group, and so on.

I have said in the past that all Bellydancers are nut cases in some way, and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense. But, we (Bellydancers) all seem to have our hang-ups that we use BD to deal with (me included).

So, hum, where am I going with this?

I guess I'm trying to say BD should be seen as therapeutic and that I wish there was more available out there for the women and men who need its support.

But then that would lead to a who is right and who is not, mess. Dance therapy taught inappropriately by non-therapist. Oh well, the yin yang of the universe and stuff.

~N

More links kinda sorta related to this topic:

Belly Dance Therapy
Beinthenow.org
The Healing Power of Dance