MADRID, SPAIN. While studying abroad, I decided to begin belly dancing classes in Madrid. My interest sprung from years of creative-movement exploration. I have done different types of dance in California such as Ballet, Modern/Contemporary, and African but I hadn’t really had too much experience in Belly Dance since I came to Madrid.

Last year, I broke my foot in a bicycle accident, so dancing was very limited to me for some time. One day, during my recovery, I picked up a hula hoop and that is where I re-found my connection to dance. Dancing with the concentration on the abdominal muscles and hips didn’t require lots of intensive and technical footwork that I was so accustomed to, and which I could no longer pursue. I had been hula hooping throughout the past summer and even bought a LED light hoop when I came here to Spain. Hula hooping really helped me re-establish my connection with my body to the movement after my long recovery.

I had been searching for Belly Dance classes for some time after I settled back home in Atocha, until I finally found one that was low costed and near me back in December.

I now have been dancing three months with Karnak Dance studio and am loving what I have found. I just finished my Iniciación 1 class and had our end-of-the-semester performance which went beautifully.

I would definitely recommend anyone interested in Danza Oriental to check out this studio and see what classes you could find. I am currently going into the second semester in Danza de Vientre with the Iniciación 2 class and will be having another performance in the end of June.

I feel that taking this class has definitely been a milestone in my re-integration into dancing.