A first impression of 'Bellydancing' - Mondays 1pm with Arina
I was a little bit dubious about Belly Dancing. You've got to be quite 'up for it,' and at 1pm on a rainy Wednesday - there are not many things I would like to do less. So as we rather awkwardly chatted before our teacher arrived I was even more put off when one lady told me it was really difficult to do. Did I have time to make a run for it?
A rather flustered Arina glided into the class. She flicked her hair and put on the cd and started to teach us the basics. From the minute she put on her belly dancing skirt I was mesmerised. She managed to transform into this incredibly cool, elegant dancer who turned a hip to one side. Looking in the mirror it is difficult to compete but as the hour went on I loosened up a bit. It was quite difficult to go from 0-100 in 60 minutes but time certainly flies when you are concentrating on your hips. At one point Arina asked if there were any questions. I asked how by touching her temple on every beat she managed to look so elegant -I looked more like I had a mild headache.
As we danced I was transported to all those ancient cultures where all the womenfolk enchanted their menfolk by the side of burning embers with the smells of rosewater, coconut and jasmine wafting over me. Not bad for a Monday.
Signed: A reluctant exerciser.