Plus Size Dancers - Page 17

Salome · 11-09-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amri_

Why i cant delee my posts mself???????

Hi Amri, that function is reserved for moderators, for a number of (primarily technical reasons). Sorry.

Amri_ · 11-28-2008, 09:55 AM

Salome, dat's Np, understandable.....But for such people as me( who 1stly type, then think. LOL) this function would be necessary)) I don't see any problems if one can delete his/her own posts only. Sometimes it's really needed. IMHO.But mod's actions are not for discussions, so those are the rules

Sorry if I said smth wrong

gisela · 11-28-2008, 10:12 AM

If you write something you regret writing afterwards, you can always edit your post and remove the text you don't want. It would be good to then write Edit: or deleted or something if it is part of/in the middle of a discussion. Otherwise it can make it pretty confusing.
I too often write and then think

Amri_ · 11-30-2008, 03:43 AM

Thanks Gisela)))) It's good to know that Im not the only one who does so

Melanie · 12-05-2008, 06:33 PM

I missed this debate before, but thought I'd just jump in with my tuppence worth, since it's been going on so long.
I'm curious for an update from Lady of Lost Times - did you find another teacher/class? Are you still dancing? I hope so.
I agree with a lot of what's been said already. Whether or not you're happy with the size you are and accepting all that's been said about health and weight issues, the question still is, can you be too fat to 'be a belly dancer'?
Too fat to dance? Where would you draw the line? And everyone has to start somewhere. Are we to put our lives on hold until we match up to someone else's idea of perfect? I don't think so.
I'm very overweight and have had my share of bitchy comments. When I was in my teens and not overweight, I still got comments about how 'fat' I was. In everything, there are always some who make corrosive remarks, and it's really difficult not to be hurt by them. My first bd teacher is a big lady too, and she was emphatic that it doesn't matter so much what size or shape or how old you are, what matters is that you express the music and dance from your heart. This was repeated almost word for word to me this spring by Hossam Ramzy.
The only thing I would say is that carrying a lot of extra weight and flesh can affect the range and quality of movement. I find it hard to get good definition to some movements, and can lack crispness because I get a lot of 'sympathetic' movement from the wobbly bits. But the more I drill and dance, the better I get, and the more I love it.
There's loads of inspirational stuff out there, not least Shira.net and her Belly Dance Plus site (

) so take heart and let us know how you're doing!

Sayyadina · 12-06-2008, 01:41 AM

I'm so new to this world. I will say though that when I signed up for classes, I was scared that my weight would be an issue. I'm reasonably healthy so there were no medical issues. I was worried about my size alone.
Then, my teacher walked into the class and she is my size if not a bit bigger. My worries vanished instantly.

She's extremely talented, by the way. My teacher also has an amazing hip bump.

dreamthief666 · 04-18-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizaj

on other hand you could wait for the menopause

of course getting gigs when you're 50 is another matter

shouldn't you have given up by now ! and take up knitting like a good gran

dreamthief666 · 04-18-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LadyofLostTimes

Hi there,

I am new to belly dancing (less then a year). I really love it but I have a problem and I was wondering if you ladies can help me. I am a plus size lady and I find it so hard to find any support from the belly dance community. I thought that belly dance was to empower you and make you feel like a woman and to have a place that all women (no matter what size or shape) can come together and celebrate being a woman and the love of the dance. All I have been receiving is hatred and negativity. I was once in a class to learn belly dance and all I heard was rude and nasty comments, even from the teacher. I had also placed a video on you tube of me dancing and showing off the costume that I hade made and all I got were nasty comments on there to. It had gotten so bad that I had to take it down. Now I know that you tube is filled with a bunch of lame brains that have nothing better to do then sit there and leave nasty comments all day long. The ones that left me the nasty comments were mostly belly dancers. (I know because I looked them up.) I will not sit here and list what they have said because some of them were really nasty. I would just like to know if and other plus size dancers are having just as hard of a time as me. Why do skinny dancers find it ok to beat down someone who is not as small as them? (I had enough of that in high school)

I know that I shouldn’t care about what other people think or say but it is hard when you want to share with people and they turn there backs to you when they find out that you are over weight and all you are left with are your cats and your boyfriend. It is heartbreaking to think that a community of something so beautiful can be filled with negativity, anger, and hate.

Sorry for the long rant but I just wanted to know what other people think on the subject.

Thank you
Fran

P.S If there is any big beautiful dancers out there that read this I want you know that there is some one out there that supports you. I may have hung up my coin belt but I will be there for you. (((((HUGS)))))

please don't give up take a look at steffi from barefoot bellydance, she big and beautiful, and moves so gracefully, i wish you were in my area 'cause i'd give that teacher a kick up the a*** what an unproffesional thing to do, i'm very large and have never had a negative word from my teachers or fellow students

Goddess529 · 04-20-2009, 08:59 PM

Hi there!

I am so sorry to hear about your experience. What kind of teacher was that? Anyone who decides to share their knowledge should be kind and supportive. There is more than one type of beauty. The world would be pretty boring if everyone looked exactly the same. I am overweight by about 30 pounds, but I am trying to lose the weight to be healthier, and not to fit some so called beauty standard. Let me tell you a brief story. I am African-American and made the decision 11 years ago to wear my hair in locs. I read up on the maintence of this hairstyle, and how you have to have a strong mindset to wear your hair like this because you will get ALOT of negative feedback from it. I thought long and hard about it, and did it. It was one of the best things that I have ever done for myself. I love it, and have not once regretted it. It makes me feel beautiful and it shows. My mother HATED it. She once said that she didn't understand why I would do such a thing and how I "used" to be pretty. That really hurt me. My mother is a sweet and wonderful person, but she had a hard time accepting the "new" me. Afterwhile though, she began to notice how perfect strangers off of the street would come up to me and complement me on my hair and even ask to touch it! She slowly accepted that it wasn't so bad after all. Just different. I sometimes have a hard time getting jobs. Some places still disappove of the look, but I refuse to change because this is who I am. I love my hair because it is a part of me. As for you, please don't give up the bellydancing because of a few ignorant idiots. Bellydancing IS empowering and beautiful. The art of bellydancing belongs to anyone who desires to learn it and do it. Even if you can't find another class in your area, just buy some dvd's and some good bellydance cds and dance, dance, dance!!! Please believe that you ARE beautiful. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Happy shimmies!!!!

Goddess529

lizaj · 04-20-2009, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamthief666

shouldn't you have given up by now ! and take up knitting like a good gran

11-28-2008, 09:55 AM	#162 (permalink)
Amri_ Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Russia-Turkey Posts: 125	Salome, dat's Np, understandable.....But for such people as me( who 1stly type, then think. LOL) this function would be necessary)) I don't see any problems if one can delete his/her own posts only. Sometimes it's really needed. IMHO.But mod's actions are not for discussions, so those are the rules Sorry if I said smth wrong __________________ the one who's happy is always right.

11-30-2008, 03:43 AM	#164 (permalink)
Amri_ Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Russia-Turkey Posts: 125	Thanks Gisela)))) It's good to know that Im not the only one who does so __________________ the one who's happy is always right.

12-05-2008, 06:33 PM	#165 (permalink)
Melanie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: West Wales Posts: 17	So, what's new? I missed this debate before, but thought I'd just jump in with my tuppence worth, since it's been going on so long. I'm curious for an update from Lady of Lost Times - did you find another teacher/class? Are you still dancing? I hope so. I agree with a lot of what's been said already. Whether or not you're happy with the size you are and accepting all that's been said about health and weight issues, the question still is, can you be too fat to 'be a belly dancer'? Too fat to dance? Where would you draw the line? And everyone has to start somewhere. Are we to put our lives on hold until we match up to someone else's idea of perfect? I don't think so. I'm very overweight and have had my share of bitchy comments. When I was in my teens and not overweight, I still got comments about how 'fat' I was. In everything, there are always some who make corrosive remarks, and it's really difficult not to be hurt by them. My first bd teacher is a big lady too, and she was emphatic that it doesn't matter so much what size or shape or how old you are, what matters is that you express the music and dance from your heart. This was repeated almost word for word to me this spring by Hossam Ramzy. The only thing I would say is that carrying a lot of extra weight and flesh can affect the range and quality of movement. I find it hard to get good definition to some movements, and can lack crispness because I get a lot of 'sympathetic' movement from the wobbly bits. But the more I drill and dance, the better I get, and the more I love it. There's loads of inspirational stuff out there, not least Shira.net and her Belly Dance Plus site () so take heart and let us know how you're doing!

11-28-2008, 10:12 AM	#163 (permalink)
gisela Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Denmark Posts: 2,255	If you write something you regret writing afterwards, you can always edit your post and remove the text you don't want. It would be good to then write Edit: or deleted or something if it is part of/in the middle of a discussion. Otherwise it can make it pretty confusing. I too often write and then think

12-06-2008, 01:41 AM	#166 (permalink)
Sayyadina Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 11	I'm so new to this world. I will say though that when I signed up for classes, I was scared that my weight would be an issue. I'm reasonably healthy so there were no medical issues. I was worried about my size alone. Then, my teacher walked into the class and she is my size if not a bit bigger. My worries vanished instantly. She's extremely talented, by the way. My teacher also has an amazing hip bump.

04-20-2009, 08:59 PM	#169 (permalink)
Goddess529 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Philadelphia, PA (USA) Posts: 5	Hi there! I am so sorry to hear about your experience. What kind of teacher was that? Anyone who decides to share their knowledge should be kind and supportive. There is more than one type of beauty. The world would be pretty boring if everyone looked exactly the same. I am overweight by about 30 pounds, but I am trying to lose the weight to be healthier, and not to fit some so called beauty standard. Let me tell you a brief story. I am African-American and made the decision 11 years ago to wear my hair in locs. I read up on the maintence of this hairstyle, and how you have to have a strong mindset to wear your hair like this because you will get ALOT of negative feedback from it. I thought long and hard about it, and did it. It was one of the best things that I have ever done for myself. I love it, and have not once regretted it. It makes me feel beautiful and it shows. My mother HATED it. She once said that she didn't understand why I would do such a thing and how I "used" to be pretty. That really hurt me. My mother is a sweet and wonderful person, but she had a hard time accepting the "new" me. Afterwhile though, she began to notice how perfect strangers off of the street would come up to me and complement me on my hair and even ask to touch it! She slowly accepted that it wasn't so bad after all. Just different. I sometimes have a hard time getting jobs. Some places still disappove of the look, but I refuse to change because this is who I am. I love my hair because it is a part of me. As for you, please don't give up the bellydancing because of a few ignorant idiots. Bellydancing IS empowering and beautiful. The art of bellydancing belongs to anyone who desires to learn it and do it. Even if you can't find another class in your area, just buy some dvd's and some good bellydance cds and dance, dance, dance!!! Please believe that you ARE beautiful. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Happy shimmies!!!! Goddess529