I often get asked this question and after over 20 years as a Belly Dance teacher, my answer is… YES and NO! Yes Belly Dance will improve your core, if you connect with your inner corset of core muscles and use them correctly in class, but you’ve got to put the work in. And no if you think one weekly class is going to fix the life battering our Bellies take! People want to know if they will see improvements just from Belly Dancing or if they should do other exercises as well. I asked Local Fitness Expert Sam Hutchinson how adding a weekly Pilates class to your routine can benefit your Belly Dancing;
Why do you think Pilates is good for Belly Dancing?
“Pilates is a perfect compliment for Belly Dance because it builds internal strength which will improve your core and make you better at the movements! Balance and co-ordination are particularly important in dancing and Pilates directly improves this as well as giving you shoulder and pelvic stability.”
Thank you Sam, Belly Dance for me has always been exactly that, dancing from the Belly. I know Belly Dance will improve my core when I think of my tummy muscles as my foundation garment to support my dancing. I literally visualise the strings of corset being pulled tight and my transversus & oblique muscles contracting in. The feeling starts in my back at my waist and wraps round to my sides and in. Then it travels round to the front and contracts in drawing together my rectus abdominis tummy muscles and tries to meet at my Belly Button. This makes me feel strong and ready to dance. Is this how you see the core in Pilates?
“Yes, your core is pretty much every part of your body that isn’t your head, arms or legs. People so often think ‘Core’ just means tummy, but it actually includes your back, your bum, your pelvic floor as well as your tummy! So in addition to thinking about your back and tummy muscles, I teach exercises to activate your pelvic floor and gluts which will make your Belly Dance foundation even stronger! Pilates not only works on this to improve your posture, but it helps to increase your awareness of it which is KEY to growing strength in dance technique. Knowing where your shoulders, spine and pelvis should be, in order to place the body under the least amount of stress is vital if you want to improve your posture and Pilates will drill this information into you!”
Super thanks Sam, I agree to improve core strength we need to improve our awareness of how we are using our bodies. We learn this in Belly Dance and YES you will see improvements in your body awareness, posture and well being from dancing. Belly Dance is the best Natural high! However, Pilates has helped me to consciously find and activate my core and tummy muscles. I try to be aware of this when I am sitting at my computer, washing up, walking the dog and of course in my dancing! I look forward to learning more in your Thursday Pilates class at St Helens in Alveston which has been improving my dancing! You can check out more of Sam’s classes at Samhutchinsonfitness.com
And don’t forget to book your Belly Dance or Burlesque classes in my shop arabelladances.com/shop
