Expert: Gia al Qamar - 7/17/2010

Question
Hi, am currently 18 and always have been dying to learn how to belly dance. I want to learn how to belly dance to gain confidence in my self and i think belly dancing would be a great help. I also admire the dance because i think it is so exotic and beautiful. The only problem that i face is that i am currently a full time college student and don't have the money to afford classes so i was wondering if buying dvd's and watching tutorials would truly help me learn and if so how much hours do i have to practice?

Answer
Marhaba Stephanie!
DVDs are a terrific way to start to gain knowledge about Middle Eastern "Belly" Dance.  There are some wonderful DVDs on the market and many have great choreographies, drills and fun performances to watch.  For the busy student, such as yourself, they are a great way to 'dip your toe' into the big waters of Belly Dance without having to commit to a class.
HOWEVER...
The one thing that DVDs cannot tell you is if you are doing the movement correctly...for that you do need a qualified instructor.  MANY colleges have Belly Dance clubs where you can learn from more educated dancers and often local communities also have affordable classes that you can attend at low cost.
While online tutorials can sometimes be fun to watch, they often contain misinformation, not only about the movements themselves, but also the historical and cultural aspects of our dance!  So take what you watch online with a grain of sand...buy a few well created DVDs by known instructors and as soon as you are able, find a wonderful teacher who can show you all that you yearn to know about the world's most ancient dance!
Gia
www.IDreamOfGia.com