10 Things Bellydancers Can Enjoy in Lockdown

Dear Bellydancers in covid-19 lockdown, here are 10 things you can do that can be fun and productive!


1. GET MUSICAL:
Sort Out Your Music Playlists
Group your lists into various playlists - these could be grouped as: rhythms, orchestral compositions, taqsim, drum solos, folkloric music, pop, and a variety of cultural or regional styles & genres. And then make some teaching, performance or simply favourites or easy listening lists.

2. GLAMOURIZE YOUR COSTUME WARDROBE:
Organise, Mend or Update Costumes
Organise all your costumes and accessories, plus the fabric and decorations you’ve been collecting for years! Mend any costumes that need fixing and consider making some updates to existing costumes or hip scarves.

3. BUILD A VIDEO WATCH-LIST:
Keep a Video File of Great Bellydance Videos
Simply copy and paste youtube or vimeo urls into a word document, with a bit of info about your favourite dancers and their clips. If you sort these into groups, you’ll have a great reference for all your favourite videos, when you need to find something to watch.

4. DEVELOP YOUR DANCE SKILLS:
Take some Dance Classes Online!
Many of your favourite teachers are offering classes, either live real-time sessions on Zoom or Skype, or downloads that you can view any time. It's a good time to use this full spectrum of new videos and classes for your benefit! You might even like to try a new bellydance style or related practice, like yoga for bellydancers.

5. DESIGN YOUR OWN PERSONAL DANCE CLASS:
Create a Practice or Program of Your Own
Now that you have your refreshed musical playlists and favourite videos, why not create your own hour long daily practice? You might even like to create several practice sessions to choose from – slow, fast, improvisation, etc. Who knows, you might even like to share this online with students if you are a teacher. Note: Be mindful of copyright & legalities.

6. CREATE A DAZZLING CHOREOGRAPHY!
Choreograph and Refine an Amazing New Dance!
Utilise your lockdown time to develop a fabulous new dance and film yourself a few times to refine it. Now you have a lovely choreo to perform when things get back to normal and the haflas and shows resume.

7. SHARE SOME SPARLKLING SELFIES!
Try a New Make Up and Costume Look!
Have some fun creating a new look for your bellydancing self, and take some awesome selfies for your bellydance friends!

8. INDULGE IN A HOME SPA
Spruce Your Self Up with a Beauty Spa
Enjoy the simple things that make you feel better, like manicures, pedicures and facials at home.

9. CREATE A SACRED SPACE FOR WELLNESS
Enjoy a Daily Calming Ritual for Wellbeing
In these stressful times, you can benefit from creating a gentle calming ritual that grounds you and helps you feel more relaxed. You might create a sacred space with some silk scarves, calming aromatherapy oils, soft music, candles, etc. Spend a little time at your special space daily and breathe, pray, make affirmations, stretch – or whatever makes you feel better for the day.

10. REACH OUT & CONNECT
Stay in Touch with Bellydance Buddies!
Contact your bellydance friends and community via social media, post photos, short clips and keep up the contact. Bellydancers are usually a pretty positive bunch who will cheer you up when you feel isolated. 

Stay healthy and safe!

Keti Sharif
www.ketisharif.com
www.rhythmicessence.com