The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

And I'm single again. Apparently, I'm too good for him. Fuck that excuse.

Belly Dance. The words conjure up thoughts of pretty girls in shiny outfits, smiling and bouncing to drums. But the dance holds much deeper meaning than just a form of entertainment. It is something that has a lot of history and every dancer shares in that. With every muscle movement, every choice of outfit, we pay homage to our forebears who have done this for thousands of years.

I have been dancing for ten years now. Only in the past year have I done anything professional. In the past year I have been in two national parades and one show. They felt amazing. But to be honest, my best dancing memories have been around a campfire. No matter how rewarding a formal show can be - learning a choreography and performing it well - there is nothing like improvisation and dancing; going where the music takes you to bring you closer to your soul and to nature in a trance dance.

Belly dance is a journey. It has been in existence for thousands of years. It was started as a fertility dance, performed at festivals to celebrate the upcoming spring. It has been a dance to represent fertility. The stomach rolls and hip movements highlighting the unique aspects of the female form. However this dance is not exclusive to only women; many men share in this form of self expression and do justice to its beauty.

When a person is dancing they are expressing their soul. When you watch a dancer perform don't only pay attention to the bouncing of their hips, or the movement of their shoulders; take note of their face. Often you will catch a glimpse of their soul, their true self. When you are dancing, you are taking a spiritual journey with your body, whether it's a dance you've worked on for months or just following on the spot where the music takes you. Asking the audience to watch you perform this is asking them to take the journey with you; inviting them to share the experience.

Many of our spiritual practices can be linked to belly dance: yoga, meditation. I experience all these while dancing. When you embark on a spiritual journey you are trying to tap into every part of yourself - your body, your psyche. It is the same with belly dance. You use muscles that you didn't know you had before, parts of your body that you didn't know existed ... they develop during your dance. And just as with meditation, at first you're a bit shaky with them, but with practice you become more comfortable and confident.

When you first begin your practice and begin doing the moves required - hip drops, chest circles, stomach undulations - you think how weird it feels for your body to be acting that way. The next day you feel sore, knowing you've pushed yourself a step father than usual. But after a few days the soreness dissipates, and you're aching for more. Another taste of what made your body feel that way.

The same happens for your psyche. When trying to tap into your inner self you touch parts of your brain that you didn't know existed; the same as happens with your muscles.

I also see decorating your body to have a parallel with decorating your altar. You think of every piece you need to fulfill your purpose, you search for something that fits; you try to find something that you connect with. Just as you search for the perfect altar cloth or the perfect chalice, you could also be searching for the perfect top or hip scarf to wear while you explore yourself.

Another important aspect of your decoration is the imagery you wish to portray. Many dancers choose to theme their dances and focus on a certain aspect. Some examples of

this could be an element, a concept, an animal, or a god/goddess. A dancer who is channeling the energy of the serpent to create a dance may choose a costume with a scale-like appearance, or a snake arm band. A dance for Midsummer perhaps could use the element of fire to honour the sun. Wearing the colours of red, orange, and yellow might be appropriate. In some of the more theatrical dances the costuming is less subtle and more elaborate. Dancers will dress as faeries, demons, or medusa in order to more aptly portray their inspiration.

A popular practice of adornment is henna. This has been around for certainly as long as belly dance has. It is the practice of dyeing the skin with a paste dye derived from the Henna plant; leaving the paste on to stain the skin. When decorating yourself with henna you are following an ancient practice. The thoughts and mood you use to paint yourself will follow and stick with you while the dye stains your skin. The same could be said for writing down purposes of a ritual. Writing down you intentions for something helps to cement your purpose. Etching a word into a candle can be as powerful as decorating your hands.

I hope that from reading this you will have a better understanding of the art of belly dance. When you see someone moving their hips or shimmying their shoulders to the beat of a drum you will have a better idea of the joy it brings to their soul. Perhaps you too will even join in this sacred and ancient practice.

Had a photo shoot today. Nice pictures of my tattoos for the article that I still need to write. Also got all the decorations and presents for my son's birthday. Still need to work out tonight, probably work on my puzzle. Watch one of my new movies. 40 Year Old Virgin or Fight Club?