Thread: The Navel

I had a student come up to me last night who asked if there was a specific reason why belly dancers always had the same shaped stomach. This confused me because I've seen everything. I told her that there is no specific shape you need to have in belly dance and that maybe some women have similar shapes because they use the same muscle groups.

I dunno...I really feel like every belly is different! Maybe you have a different opinion or observation...Discuss...

Yeah, every belly is different. Some people like Delilah and my friend Naia have particularly beautifully shaped bellies. Then there's me.... mine is just a belly, it doesn't have a particularly beautiful shape.

Some people have innies or outies, too. LOL

reason why belly dancers always had the same shaped stomach.

So how many dancers has she seen in her life?

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

I had a student come up to me last night who asked if there was a specific reason why belly dancers always had the same shaped stomach.

Did she say anything to clarify what she meant by this? I'm also at a loss. The only thing I can think of is that many dancers have well-defined obliques, which gives those vertical lines on the front sides. Maybe that's what she was referring to??

Originally Posted by aazura

Did she say anything to clarify what she meant by this? I'm also at a loss. The only thing I can think of is that many dancers have well-defined obliques, which gives those vertical lines on the front sides. Maybe that's what she was referring to??

That is something I really noticed as I progressed with my dance, I was getting dressed one day and did a chest slide in the mirror and thought "whoa, where did *that* come from?"

Originally Posted by anala

reason why belly dancers always had the same shaped stomach.

So how many dancers has she seen in her life?

I'm thinking it must not be many.

I had the same experience, and while there is a huge range of bellies out there, I have noticed that by using those muscle groups, many dancers develop the curved belly with carved out sides look - those oblique lines. Sometimes even women who start out very skinny, with flat abs, end up developing a little curve in the area, probably from the way the muscles are used.

my guess would be the yummy rounded shape we generally have...many of us have really well defined rectrus abdominus (the muscles that make 6/8 packs) and unless you're quite thin, it is covered with some softness. that's usually what my students are talking about and what i usually notice or love about dancers belly's.

visual may help: http://isisdance.com/Images/Dec08/large/DSC01033.jpg

someone asked me if all dancers have the same type of stomach once, too. He said that all the dancers in my professional troupe (we're all fairly thin with sort of similar builds) have defined muscles with a pooch below the belly button. My first reaction was WTF I dont' have a pooch. I think he just meant that we have softly defined abs as opposed to a 6 pack and I suppose the dance could be credited for it; I never had much definition until I started dancing.

Mmmmm... maybe I'm just being negative, but when I hear this question, it often seems to me that the person is *really* asking how come we're not always as thin as most women who show their bellies in public.

I'm sure that's not always the case, but I've heard enough variations on 'does bellydance make you fat, cuz all the dancers I've seen have been fat.' to be suspicious.

Of course, I'm talking 'fat' as compared to Paris Hilton and the Olsen twins, referenced by the generation that grew up with them.

When I get THAT question, I always reply that in bellydance, we have a healthier view of the range of women's bodies that are beautiful...

I hated my "pooch" until my father pointed out that it's totally natural for a woman to have a bit of fat in that area. He told me to look at celebrity bodies really closely and I'd find that it was there...just in different degrees. Some magazines, like Shape, tend to take photos of the women standing at a bit of sideway angle and lots of tucking in. This hides the belly a little...but it's still there. I don't know if it's completely true but ever since he pointed this out I stopped obsessing about it. I have no idea why this student said bellydancers have similar bellies because mine doesn't look like anyone else's in class.

One time somebody told me, "You can't be a bellydancer. You're not fat!" She was supposedly complimenting my body but it totally offended me. I felt like saying, "You can't be an attorney, you're too dense. Oh wait. You are!" But I didn't because I needed my job at the time...

Originally Posted by Lauren_

When I get THAT question, I always reply that in bellydance, we have a healthier view of the range of women's bodies that are beautiful...

I have come to believe that every woman is beautiful when she is dancing.

You can't be an attorney, you're too dense. Oh wait. You are!


LOL!!!!

My lover's belly is as a heap of ripened wheat...from the Song of Solomon, I think.

tell her its from eating hummus at set breaks ;P

[QUOTE=Lauren_;326594]Mmmmm... maybe I'm just being negative, but when I hear this question, it often seems to me that the person is *really* asking how come we're not always as thin as most women who show their bellies in public.

QUOTE]

Lauren this was my first hunch when I read Andalee's thread. Now I want to know Andalee, was the person asking skinny?

No, the woman was quite large (she was super tall too!). I am trying to think of the belly dancers she saw and i can only imagine it must've been a BDSS or something...because around here we all look different. My troupe-mates are about the same size, but their abs look different, and then there is me with my fluffy tummy!

I guess she asking because she wants belly dancer abs...

The phrase I use is "abs of steel topped with luscious marshmallow".

Originally Posted by sabrinabellydancer

tell her its from eating hummus at set breaks ;P

Or, if you're blessed enough to dance in a shawarma-as-payment type of community, you can say it's because many restaurant owners prefer to pay their dancers in foodstuffs instead of cash.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

..g.:

Originally Posted by maiaraqs

The phrase I use is "abs of steel topped with luscious marshmallow".

Love this.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

No, the woman was quite large (she was super tall too!). I am trying to think of the belly dancers she saw and i can only imagine it must've been a BDSS or something...because around here we all look different. My troupe-mates are about the same size, but their abs look different, and then there is me with my fluffy tummy!

I guess she asking because she wants belly dancer abs...

Great! I'm really happy to be wrong.

Originally Posted by maiaraqs

The phrase I use is "abs of steel topped with luscious marshmallow".

OMG, I love this! Except I'm not especially fond of marshmallows.. I'll need to adapt it.

I love that description. I think we all develop that "u-shaped" definition in our abs because we use the obliques so much in powering our hip-work and rib-slides. I agree that it is the first musculature that pops up ( ha ha) in someone who takes class faithfully!