Delhi Salsa

Ever wanted to move your hips in Shakira and Beyonce Knowles fashion but felt too shy to do that? Ever wished you could master those sensuous steps and dance like there’s no tomorrow but wondered how? Well, it is time you stopped looking. No, you don’t have to take a flight to the Middle East to learn it. Instead you can learn belly dancing right here, in your own city just like loads of other South Delhi women who have been attending regular classes to learn this art form. You heard it! Belly dancing is creating ripples among South Delhiites. As enthusiasts pick up the ancient art of seductive dance, they are also getting a good workout at the same time. With dedicated dance classes being offered in the city, belly dancing is turning out to be the latest craze among South Delhi women. Be it the young school-going girls or businesswomen or even housewives for that matter, this Oriental art form has women hooked on to it. Students of belly dancing vouch for the excellent workout this dance form has been giving them. This, they say, is much better than the traditional exercises they do in the gym.“It is something everyone can do, regardless of one’s age or body shape. Being in an all-girls class you feel comfortable in the knowledge that nobody’s going to laugh at you. There is no self-consciousness unlike at a gym. It is a beautiful dance, a form of self-expression,” says Gauri Puri, a belly dance student. Beautiful it sure is, but isn’t the dance form associated with the art of entertaining men? “Not at all,” vehemently deny those learning it. “Belly dance is a beautiful art. It doesn’t matter if you are healthy or slim, whether you are in your 20s or 50s. This art is of the women, by the women and for the women. You let go of all your inhibitions when making such moves. You feel happy when you dance like this,” says Dyaneet Shah of GK I, who’s been learning belly dance.Point taken. So move over men, for women now dance to please their own hearts. Though since it is such a sensual dance, initially there are some hesitations. “The whole focus in this dance is on your waist and abdomen. So it is quite natural that women feel too conscious. They have to be guided in a way that they dance with gay abandon. What matters is the right posture and style,” says Meher Malik, a city based belly dance instructor. She adds, “Also, it is a very good cardiovascular exercise, good for your waist and to get those nice curves.” To get perfect curves…interesting. Is that why women go for it? Lalita Baduar, holding belly dance classes in Panchsheel Park, says, “Most housewives take these lessons to lose weight. Some do it for fun while some do it because they want to unwind after a hectic day at work.”Exercise, fun, interest…the reason could be anything. What is important is that in a society like ours, women are coming out of the closets to take up this bold dance form. What’s more, they are loving every bit of it