I'm going to start taking some sort of of dance class but i don't no what kind. what do you think?

Question

I was thinking about ballet, swing, belly dancing or (I no it's not a type of dance but) yoga. I can't decide which one would have more benefits over all. I’m looking for something fun, appealing, and also something that I’ll get exercise out of. Do any of you have a say in this, from your own personal experience or interest? Maybe there’s another type of dance you think I should try.

Answer 1

I would highly reccomend bellydancing. Although comments by others reccomending this same form have been somewhat skewed I encourage you to find out more about bellydance. It will not get you "ripped abs" as someone claimed but it will give you an incredible sense of balance, flexibilty, and better self-esteem(not that I'm saying yours is bad). Bellydance is very natural in it's movements and is not very hard on your body. In fact if done correctly there are very few moves that could actually be somewhat hard on joints (Turkish drops being the number one hazard for the whold body, zar head tossing movements follow as second since they can cause neck injury even in professionals who know what they are doing, and third being tunisian twists which when done for many years can be hard on the knees, but still that's three out of 100's of moves and they are not neccessary to bellydance, just optional. Bellydance can be very versatile since there are many styles which appeal to different people. If you don't like one style try another. The feel of each style can be quite different. Bellydancing can be extremely fun and will generally give you all the health benefits of pilates and an aerobic workout combined. I would suggest reading some of the more accurately researched history on bellydance before buying into poular opinion about it's origins and purposes. Some people come up with some strange ideas of what bellydance is and how it started. Here are some great resource sites that will provide you with a welth of information on everything bellydance:
Shira's Site - http://www.shira.net - One of the oldest and most extensive sites on the internet, this site contains 100's of articles about various bellydance subjects. Shira also maintains one of the largest dancer directories for middle eastern dancers in the world. If there's a teacher near you there's about 80% chance they will list here.
Middle Eastern Dance - http://www.middleeasterndance.net - This is my own site but is a very good site for dancers and those wanting to learn more about middle eastern dances. It contains a dancers directory as well and has a movements section unparalleled anywhere else on the net. There are descriptions of how to do over 100 different moves and the list is always growing. It also contains costuming info, music info, zill patterns, and even a thesaurus for figuring out movements even when you've learned a different terminology.
Aziza Said's site - http://www.zilltech.com - Another extremely good resource with a vast amout of information.
http://www.bdancer.com/history/ - Agood site for history. She's one of the better resources for history but she still has some questionable aspects and leaves out somethings that really should be mentioned but for a beginner it's a good palce to start reading.
http://www.bhuz.com - A bellydance forum. A great place to ask questions and read what other bellydancers say.
Feel free to e-mail me through my site if you have any questions about bellydance.

Answer 2

For a first dance class I would do a Jazz class because it is kind of like a Happy medium compared to all the other types that you listed. Unlike ballet it does not require great structure or previous knowledge. It also can have a hip - hop edge to it ( depending on the instructor). And If you take it and you decide to change classes then you will know if you want to go in the hip- hop, belly-dancing direction or the modern, ballet direction.

Answer 3

Ballet is a good foundation to have... I take dance classes (ballet, jazz, tap, etc) just because I enjoy it- even though I have 2 left feet. Yoga is very relaxing for me and it's something I look forward to each week! I've always wanted to try belly dancing but worry it'll end up just being belly jiggling when I do it!!!! No matter what you chose I hope you have a fun time! Dance is great for improving coordination and muscle tone and Yoga is great for improving flexibility and muscle tone as well relaxation!

Answer 4

Well it really depends. If you want to do something really fast moving, hip hop and jazz are the better choices. If you want to get a real workout, tap is the way to go. Ballet and lyrical are more spiritual and you have to be pretty flexible and determined. I think swing would be more fun, and belly dancing is really hard. You need to be in excellent shape. It all depends on what you want out of it. I hope i helped. =]

Answer 5

Ballet is the foundation that will help you do everything else very well. It will give you balance and grace, as well as, flexibility.

But since you are undecided, first select a studio that teaches a variety of classes. Check out that different classes and get suggestions from the staff by telling them who you are and what you like. They can help you. Some studios will even allow you to sit in on some of their classes to help you decide which one to take.

Answer 6

Swing definitely! It's fast and fun and your feet are always moving! unless, of course you like slower dancing.. but ballroom dancing is the best!

Answer 7

Dancing is an "art form" of expression. It is using your body to tell something, express your feelings. How to you feel. What dance, music do you feel? It is for you to be in touch with that. If you feel and love classical music, do ballet. Latin? Do salsa, lambada. You wan to do yoga? How does the music associated with it makes you feel.

Remember: It is about feeling.
Over and Out.

Answer 8

I've seen lots of belly dancers and they are always very fit,i dont know if u want to be a pofessional belly dancer but they get paid 100 dollars an hour te belly dancers at my friend genesis's sweet 16 was paid that amount!!

Answer 9

Try ballroom. (Swing falls into that category). It is great for all ages, can be done seriously or just for fun - you can decide later just how much you are into it. It is great excersise. You become more coordinated and get a posture of a queen. You learn how to move your body so well - if you go to clubs, you can draw all the attention to yourself, if you choose to.

Answer 10

Bellydance. It's lots of fun and will get you curves in all the right places.

"Bellydancing is used as a way of celebrating woman's femininity, as it helps women gain confidence in their bodies.
A recent survey done by Mideastern Dancer Magazine reports that women who bellydanced delivered their first child with
shorter periods of labor. Bellydancing acts as an aid to exercise as the sweat and gentle nature of the hip movements help one to stay fit."