Belly dance for beginners at Cinnamon Lakeside

Friday, 14 October 2011 03:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

As Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo treats guests to Moroccan cuisine and entertainment, the hotel takes the guest experience a step further with lessons in belly dancing by a professional Middle Eastern dancer. Dareen Jawhara returns to Sri Lanka for ‘Morocco Unveiled,’ a tribute to Moroccan culture at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.

Dareen will conduct lessons on 14, 17, 19 and 21 October at 5:30 p.m. and 15, 16 and 22 October at 10:30 a.m. The Aerobics Studio where the classes will be held is an extension of the hotel’s sports and fitness centre, the Power Drome. The Studio is well equipped with spring flooring and mirror paneled walls.

Participants are invited to take part in belly dance sessions in air conditioned comfort. The hotel’s health and fitness instructors may be reached on 2491827 for reservations. Lessons are priced at Rs. 600 per lesson or Rs. 500 per lesson for participants who sign up for six or more lessons in advance.

Dareen is a belly dance instructor and performer based in Dubai. The Belarusian discovered belly dance in Minsk where she fell in love with the art form. Her passion for dance has led her to spearhead an annual International Oriental Dance Festival, JAWHARA, in Dubai.

Belly dance is a non-impact, weight-bearing exercise suitable for all ages. Its health benefits include aiding in the prevention of osteoporosis. Many of the moves involve isolations, which improves flexibility of the torso. Belly dance moves are beneficial to the spine, as the full-body undulation moves both lengthen (decompress) and strengthen the entire column of both spinal and abdominal muscles in a gentle way.

Dancing with the veil can help build strength in the upper-body, arms and shoulders. Playing the zills (tiny metallic cymbals) trains fingers to work independently and builds strength. Further, the legs and long muscles of the back are strengthened by hip movements.

The origins of belly dancing can be traced to dancing styles which were performed in the Middle East and North Africa. It has roots in the ancient Arab tribal religions as a dance to the goddess of fertility. Some theorise that belly dance was always performed in the Middle East and North Africa as entertainment, as the movements of dancing girls depicted in carvings from ancient times are typical of belly dancing. Yet another theory states that belly dance was originally danced by women for women in the Levant and North Africa.

The dance form was popularised in the West during the Romantic movement of the 18th and 19th centuries, when Orientalist artists depicted romanticised images of harem life in the Ottoman Empire. Around this time, dancers from Middle Eastern countries began to perform at various world fairs, often drawing crowds in numbers that rivaled those for the science and technology exhibits. It was during this period that the term “oriental” or “eastern” dancing is first used.

Dareen’s performances take on an individual style. Guests at ‘Morocco Unveiled’ at the Cinnamon Lakeside Terrace will be privy to several of Dareen’s acts from 13 to 22 October. Reservations are being undertaken on 2491998.