The Hindu Business Line : Belly dance for city belles

Sharmila Arte, 37, is a perfect wife, daughter-in-law and mother. But she also has a secret life. Two afternoons a week, she slips out of her Matunga home in Mumbai on the pretext of going to the temple. But instead of going there, she heads for the suburbs, praying that she doesn’t get held up by traffic since she doesn’t want to be late for her belly dancing class.

Belly dancing has long been associated with light-eyed, fair-skinned Arab women exuding sexuality. It speaks of exotic locales, beautiful women and debauched men and carries with it a vague sense of immorality and vulgarity. But despite all its negative connotations, belly dancing has found its way into this mega metropolis and garnered a sizeable fan following. Scores of harried city women have loosened up, let go of their inhibitions and brought back some spice into their daily drudgery. Shakira, take a pat on the back.

“I’ve been managing my household and family for years now. Although I do some voluntary work, I felt like I needed to do something else, especially now that my kids are busy with their friends and other things,” says Sharmila. So six months ago, recalling a long-forgotten affinity for dance, she began scouting for dance classes. She rejected Western dances like salsa and ballroom dancing because they all require partners. Then she saw a listing in a newspaper for belly dancing classes. “I called the number, ready to hang up any minute. But the instructor was very professional and friendly, and seemed to understand my fears. She encouraged me to simply come and see one class,” she recalls. When Sharmila went to check out a session, she was hooked. “I loved the way the women moved. And all the students were from good families, dressed decently.”

Refreshed, sexier, happy…

Six months on, Sharmila says: “I feel confident, refreshed, sexy and happier. It has transformed my life.” Andheri-resident Kavita Ranjan echoes this sentiment. The 29-year-old has been learning belly dancing for about eight months now, but unlike Sharmila, her family knows about it. “My husband is quite intrigued by it, and I even show off to my four-year-old daughter,” says Kavita, who has a part-time teaching job. “My parents were quite shocked when I told them I was joining these classes, more so because they were afraid of how my in-laws and ‘society’ would react.” Although her family is accepting of her interest, Kavita says she is unsure about telling others. “Some of my friends know, but I don’t think the neighbours and extended family would understand. And I can’t take each one of them to my class to show them how it is.”

Look, style, attitude

That, says Dr Preeti Rao, 28, is the biggest hurdle. This dentist, who teaches belly dancing at the Pulse Studio in Santacruz, Mumbai, says, “I grew up in the Middle East, where belly dancing is a part of the culture. Women break into it the way people here dance bhangra at the drop of a hat. It’s a big misconception that belly dancing is to entertain men. It is meant for women.

“Naturally, most women come with inhibitions — mostly about their bodies, and about their dancing skills. We have to make them understand that it’s a dance you can do even if you are fat. It’s a dance that requires the right look, style and attitude, so you can’t afford to be self-conscious,” says Preeti. “Also, it requires tremendous muscle control, which is difficult to pick up.” But therein lies the appeal for many enthusiasts. Putting everything out of your mind and focusing on learning something and getting it right can be liberating.

An instructor, Prajakta Sathe, 24, says, “Often, women with a classical dance background need to unlearn their skills to be able to belly dance. Because while Indian classical dance has stiffness, belly dancing is all about fluidity.” Adds Aanchal Gupta, 28, who runs the Arts In Motion studio in Sion, “Indian women tend to do jhatkas, whereas belly dancing moves need to be more controlled.” Although the Pulse Studio and Arts In Motion put up shows which include a segment of belly dancing, the fact that there is no obvious platform for the women to showcase their talent — other than wedding sangeets for some — does not seem to bother them. “If a good opportunity comes up I would love to dance in public, but I’m learning for myself,” says Shanti Shah, 40, who is waiting for the right time to tell her family about her unique hobby.

Preeti and Prajakta have also had offers to dance in public, but have turned them down. Prajakta because they were dubious calls from restaurants, and Preeti because she’s only danced with women and “that’s the only way to let go.”

Clearly, for these women, belly dancing is not about who they are performing for. As Aanchal says, “We lead such difficult lives that we women have become quite aggressive and tough. This dance helps us slow down, get sensuous and become more feminine.” If only society could see that.

Women’s Feature Service

More Stories on : Music & Dance | Gender

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