# The deadly martial art of bellydancing



## Flea (Mar 1, 2010)

Since starting Systema I've felt called back to my roots in dance. I've done a lot of folk dancing and some swing and ballroom, but I'd never tried bellydancing.  Last week I saw that they were offering classes at the local Y, and I couldn't resist.

Aside from it being a lot of fun, I was very surprised at some of the parallels with Systema.  It involves a lot of sleight of "hand" to create certain visual effects like the shimmy, by isolating certain joints and moving them independently.  All the hip movements were very instructive to my Systema practice as well, showing me all _kinds_ of hip tension I didn't realize I had.

Practicing Systema is a hell of a lot of fun, and of course the bellydancing is too.  I love the music, and it's damn sexy (Systema may be too, but I haven't seen it yet.)  And obviously each art comes with its own set of priorities: Tonight as we worked on shimmies with varying degrees of success, the teacher noted that we all hadn't mastered the shake yet.  "And if it doesn't shake, ladies?"  Everyone shouted back in unison, 

*EAT SOME CAKE!!  *

Hmm, maybe we could translate that into Systema ...

Cake or no, this is going to make me a much better martial artist.


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## grydth (Mar 1, 2010)

Not surprising...... if memory serves, wide receiver Lynn Swann attributed a lot of his leaping ability to ballet lessons. 

I know my daughters found cheerleading benefited their karate - and vice versa.... except one kept flashing a huge smile during supposedly serious karate kata......


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## seasoned (Mar 1, 2010)

My instructor always told us if you can't dance you can't fight. It's all about rhythm.


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## Bill Mattocks (Mar 1, 2010)

I fear the castanets.


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## Flea (Mar 1, 2010)

seasoned said:


> My instructor always told us if you can't dance you can't fight. It's all about rhythm.



Quite so.  I think it's more complex than that though, because you can train your body to move in all kinds of different ways.  You can always retrain your body, but depending on the depth of the initial training that can require a lot of time and hard work.  After a year and a half of Systema I still lapse into dance - I curve my back in purty ways, I do some fancy footwork, I glide.  The irony is that now that I've finally gotten the hang of Systema basics like "don't cross your feet," we did about 20 minutes of traveling steps tonight at the Y. :uhyeah:  It all comes down to practice and more practice.

I've made some peace with the idea that as long as it gets the job done there's nothing wrong with looking pretty while I do it.  I still topple my Systema partners, so it's well and good.

In any case, my main point with this thread is the unexpected similarities between belly dancing and Systema.  It makes me want to explore the dance further to see how deep those parallels go.


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## blindsage (Mar 5, 2010)

My background in dance (mostly hip hop, with a variety of other things splashed in- Salsa, Modern, African etc. etc. etc.) has significantly helped in my MA practice.  I recommend it highly.


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## seasoned (Mar 5, 2010)

seasoned said:


> My instructor always told us if you can't dance you can't fight. *It's all about rhythm*.


 


blindsage said:


> My background in dance (mostly hip hop, with a variety of other things splashed in- Salsa, Modern, African etc. etc. etc.) *has significantly helped in my MA practice*. I recommend it highly.


 I wholeheartedly agree.


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## Flea (Mar 5, 2010)

Yeah!!

There are so many other forms of dance I want to learn - salsa, Flamenco, swing, hip hop, and on and on.  The Belly dancing has long been on my list, but I'm pursuing it now rather than later because I can get it for free with my monthly membership at the Y.  It's a pretty long list though.  :ultracool


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 5, 2010)

I believe Bruce Lee said the best athlete for Martial Arts was a dancer


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## seasoned (Mar 6, 2010)

Two boxers face each other in the ring, one flat footed while the other danced around the ring. I can agree with the relaxed movement of dance compared to the way some MA move in training.


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## shesulsa (Mar 6, 2010)

I would think that the very nature of bellydancing would strengthen the core immensely lending stability, balance, strength to everything martial arts (and fitness) not to mention the incredible health benefits.

Go, Flea, Go!


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## Stonecold (Mar 6, 2010)

It's all about the movement.
fighting is movement.
Life is movement, once you stop your Dead.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 6, 2010)

Stonecold said:


> It's all about the movement.
> fighting is movement.
> Life is movement, once you stop your Dead.


 
Or in a WHOLE lot of pain 

Been there done that and it is not fun


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## jks9199 (Mar 6, 2010)

I just want videos of Flea dancing!  :leer:

You're having fun.  You're developing additional muscle control and fitness.  What's not to like, except that dance practice uses time you could use for direct martial arts training!


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## Flea (Mar 6, 2010)

jks9199 said:


> I just want videos of Flea dancing!  :leer:




You asked for it, here you are!!

[yt]vJsZR3w776E[/yt]

Yeeeeeaahh, that's me.  Honest!  :angel:


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## Ken Morgan (Mar 6, 2010)

Flea said:


> You asked for it, here you are!!
> 
> [yt]vJsZR3w776E[/yt]
> 
> Yeeeeeaahh, that's me. Honest! :angel:


 
...I need to go take a cold shower.......


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## seasoned (Mar 7, 2010)

Ken Morgan said:


> ...I need to go take a cold shower.......


My wife just walk in while I was watching this. I told her I was watching a kata, on belly-ryu. Yes, yes I can see the similarities, indeed.


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## Carol (Mar 7, 2010)

seasoned said:


> My wife just walk in while I was watching this. I told her I was watching a kata, on belly-ryu. Yes, yes I can see the similarities, indeed.


 
I think I need to steal that. Yes, I'm practicing kata...that's it...kata!


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## Flea (Mar 7, 2010)

It's called ... Beh Lee Do.


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