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Avoiding Injury From Belly Dance - Page 4

© Shira

Do just a few of the above exercises first, then over time slowly build the number of repetitions as you gain strength.

Whenever you start practicing hair tosses, try to avoid circular motions that involve tilting your head toward one shoulder, then toward the back, then toward the other shoulder. It's okay to circle across the front, but circling across the back is risky. That combination of tilt and rotation across the back can cause neck injury. Take it easy when you first start doing hair tosses. Do just a couple, then stop. One time I performed hair tosses in a show without having first built up the strength, and my neck hurt for over a week afterward!

Wear Shoes

The first time you find yourself in a hospital's emergency room as a doctor digs a glass bead from someone else's costume out of your foot, you'll understand why I'm advising you to wear shoes.

Many people believe belly dancing should be performed barefoot. Some say it's because people historically would have done this dance barefoot in the countries where it originated. Others use it for sacred exploration and feel the need to connect to Mother Earth. Still others simply want to avoid the limitation that rigid soles put on movement.

Suit yourself. I personally wear Hermes sandals every time I perform. When I want a barefoot look, I wear tan ones. This style of sandal can be spray-painted gold or silver for a fancier look, and its soft sole gives the barefoot feeling without the risks. Some dancers replace the lacing with satin rattail cord in a color to match their costumes. I find that wearing the sandals makes me less likely to stub my toe on an uneven dancing surface, less likely to catch athlete's foot from other people, and less likely to get a glass bead in my foot. The following photo shows me wearing a silver-colored pair of these:

Capezio, Danshuz, and Leo all manufacture the Hermes sandals. You might alternatively consider ballet shoes, Scottish ghillies, or ballroom dance shoes.

Although it's true that historically women performed Oriental dance barefoot, the 20th century ushered in an era where Egyptian dancers wore shoes for their shows to demonstrate that they were wealthy enough to afford them. So, wearing shoes is ethnically correct! If you watch Oriental dance performed in Turkey, Lebanon, or Egypt today, you're almost certain to see the dancer wearing high heels.

Spinning And Knee Torque

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