A Question...Can I Belly Dance Now?

Submitted by SweetRoseMarie on October 8, 2010 - 9:16am
Body: 

Morning all....I have a question. My daughters both belly dance and want me to join them. Is this something that I can do with a third stage cystocele? I love watching the dance and would love to join in. Does anyone know if this is something that I could try? Thanks for any replies and insight. Hope everyone has a blessed day.......Rose

Christine

October 8, 2010 - 1:31pm

Louise is our resident belly dancer...I'm sure she'll chime in. :)

louiseds

October 8, 2010 - 7:11pm

Hi SweetRoseMarie

Not much time to answer at the moment. Off to a bellydance class in 15 minutes, myself.

The short answer is yes, but I would get your posture organised first so that you have a stable basis for learning all the moves. Then you will need to explain to your teacher about Wholewoman posture and why you do it. This is important because you will probably be asked to pull in your tummy and tuck your butt. If you do these things you will possibly feel very uncomfortable in the vulva. However, once you are familiar with the reasoning behind WW posture you will be able to think your way around problem moves and pull them off pretty convincingly. Zip and Tuck is standard in bellydance but parallel to that is a discussion about whether or not it is necessary. Some dancers and dance teachers think it is not important. That is good enough for me. If I have to Zip and Tuck I would have to give it up. No way!

I can now do all the basic moves in my own style, but I have had to translate many of the instructions and find ways of using diffferent muscles to move my torso in different directions.

I did get a lot of back pain at first, but now I am fine. Working with veils is great for POP. You build great upper body strength and flexibility by pumping chiffon, rather than pumping iron! This sounds really nonsensical but it is true! I have improved my upper body flexibility and strength a lot. It is all to do with wing flapping - great for maintaining and reinforcing the lumbar curve.

You may need to be very persistent with your body to get it to produce the visual effects but by different means, which only you will know how to do once you understand your anatomy a bit better. It is worth the effort, even if you are slower to pick it up than other women. It is such a fun thing to do. I am so happy that you are going to try it.

The golden rule is to stop if you feel symptoms and pull back a bit. Doing smaller moves is sometimes more forgiving on POP. Then go home and work out how to do the same move in a way that doesn't aggravate your POPs.

There are a few moves that are really challenging. I will write about them later. You don't have to learn to do everything at once.

You might find that bellydancers think you are a bit strange having POP. I have come to the conclusion that bellydance is one of the things that women with POP do not do, because you have to contrive the moves in order to keep symptoms at bay. I think women with POP tend to drop out of bellydance in the early stages, but this is because they don't understand what their body is doing, and I have yet to meet a bellydance teacher who understands Christine's model.

C'est la vie. Happy dancing

Louise

SweetRoseMarie

October 9, 2010 - 9:08am

Thanks so much for your detailed answer Louise. My daughters said they will help me with the basic moves and I will be sure to use the posture as I go. I am excited to learn. I feel invigorated at the idea of new found experiences. And that I can do it in such a way that I can maintain and improve my health. Once again thanks so much for your insight. Many *smiles* for your day! Rose

louiseds

October 9, 2010 - 10:51pm

Hi Rose, I hope that your daughters will be able to learn about the posture too, so that they can dance more mindfully, and be able to look after their own bodies as they go through life. There is a big Web Forum at www.bhuz.com, where I found out about the 'to tuck or not to tuck' debate. I would love to get some more discussion happening there about women's posture.

I will be very interested to hear how you go, because the dancers I dance with are not really that interested. There is great stigma attached to POP, even in bellydance circles. I really think it is TMI for women if they don't know about it. It is only when you have it yourself that you become a sponge for any information you can get that won't land you on your back with your legs apart, fast asleep, on an operating table! Such a pity, because women have so much to learn from each other, and so much to teach each other.

Somebody, a long time ago, named the female, outer sexual organs 'pudenda', which means 'something to be ashamed of' .

Wha???

Why????

Perhaps that could be better phrased as something to be kept covered, for its own protection.

Somehow, that label has stuck, and we are stuck with it, thanks to an anatomist long ago. But that is another story.

Happy dancing. Stay in touch.

Louise

SweetRoseMarie

October 10, 2010 - 8:29am

Greetings Louise.....Looking back into our past it would seem that a lesson was in order. Women, down through the ages, have been the care givers, the field workers, the home builders and many more life chores. And all with a beautiful, proud posture. I have found, by simply letting my body do as it pleases, that it goes into the WW posture quiet naturally. Also where belly dancing is concerned have they never appreciated the pronounced belly area? Let any belly dancer, very thin or very plump, stand to the side and the first thing that is noticed is the slightly rounded and protuding belly. Now take a look at women in India, Africa and other parts of our beautiful world and you will see this same pronounced belly region. Logically speaking I would say that these women are unconsciously letting their interanl organs move forward into that lovely WW posture. For you see I don't think it is necessarily a learned posture, but as Christine has intimated not in so many words a forgotten posture. As for a discussion on correct posture let us all take a lesson from our past and walk proudly as our ancestors. Louise...You will never convince those who do not wish to see. You cannot teach those who do not wish to learn. Maybe better to let them be inlightened by your spirit. In living a healthy and happy life others observe and wish to have the same benefits. That is what will prove that Christine offers the knowledge of a way of life that our ancestors already knew was healthy and cleansing for the spirit.

louiseds

October 10, 2010 - 9:10am

Yes, I think you are right, but unless history is told, people don't take any notice. If we lock history up behind a facade of Pilates and flat bellies it will remain untold, and Pilates and flat bellies will become the new history. I really think we need to bring it out and put it on show. I picked it up. You picked it up. Countless other Members have picked it up. By not putting it out there others will not see it, and women like my bellydancing friend's mother will continue to obey their doctors who tell them seriously, "You have to have a hysterectomy for POP". Women will continue to crumble under such threats unless they know that it is a lie. I do not like seeing women being castrated and trussed up in mesh and tape "because it has to be done".

It does not *have" to be done. There is no imperative. That is what makes me so cross!!

Women cannot come to it unless it is put in front of them. I am not talking about taking on the bellydance teachers who insist on zip and tuck. That would be tilting at windmills. I am talking about putting Wholewoman in front of women wherever I find them. Then it is up to them to think it out for themselves, and figure out for themselves whether zip and tuck is giving them a flat belly that may be their undoing.

Don't worry. I am not cross at you. I am cross at people who take it upon themselves to play unhealthy games with women's minds.

Louise :-)

Christine

October 10, 2010 - 9:18am

Talking about suppressed histories...

This woman is speaking in Santa Fe today and I had planned to go, but am just too busy :( Her website is amazing, though.

Christine

www.suppressedhistories.net

SweetRoseMarie

October 10, 2010 - 9:32am

I agree. When I went to my GYN the first thing she said is oh you need surgery immediately and while I'm *in there* I'll do a complete hysterectomy to *ward off future problems* Hummmm? Makes one wonder now doesn't it? My pap is completely normal. I have no other issues with my girlie bits, but she wants to immediately rip my insides out. I still thank my lucky stars that I went for that pre-op and was told I can't have surgery due to other health issues. So sad that I am thanking the stars for those *other issues*. And I agree when I am in my women's circles I voice my WW standars loud and clear. It's just that I don't see the need to try and teach those who have no desire to learn. Those who negate their health to the misguided medical community without thought or trepidation. BUT....I will show the material and help with care and understanding those who wish to learn to protect their health. My daughters (ages 34 and 37 are already coming around to this new/old ideal) I think this is because they see that over the past month a calmness has come to me through this knowledge. Still everyday there is that challenge to implement this wonderful program so that it becomes second nature. I now walk and go about my usual house cleaning and chores with a new found confidence. Before after this happened I literally stayed in bed even afraid to walk. And I say, once again, I may face *the knife* in the future due to many health issues, but I am fervent in the knowledge that for POP I have the tools to help myself recover. I do not look for perfection but simply to live my life without fear.

SweetRoseMarie

October 10, 2010 - 9:36am

Thank you Christine. I will check out her site. *Smiles* and good wishes for your day....Rose

louiseds

October 11, 2010 - 8:42am

Amazing. I rather like her Vulva poster.

:-)

SweetRoseMarie

October 11, 2010 - 8:53am

I am having fun going through this site Louise. Brings back the mother goddess ideals. Got to admit that poster would be the eye catcher of the week :0)