On her own

Women-Owned businesses continue to make a tremendous contribution to the U.S economy. In addition to their advancements in business, women are also helping improve our community in their professions and through volunteer work and nonprofit organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

THE JOY OF BELLY DANCING by SaMetro
It's so easy to become entranced with the swirl of a belly dancer"s hips and stomache that it's easy to forget that it"s a workout!  I found out the fun way with a class at Little Egypt Belly Dancing Studio.  After class I had the pleasure of speaking with the three most intriguing personalities at the studio: Brenda McFarlane,  owner/dance instructor; Michael, the drummer whose drumming stirred up quite a beat; and Stefania, a professional belly dancer/restaurateur who danced for us after class (she owns Courtney Italiano and Dolores del Rio, both of which serve their food with a side of belly dancers).  

A wonderful thing about the dance is that it has such positive physical and mental benefits.  Its focus on the core muscles(those found in the torso) has a Pilates/yoga-like characteristic. Add a swirling veil and it'll also works the legs, back and upper body, which I discovered during class as I popped my hips from left to right (coordination is vital). Brenda McFarlane pointed out that it’s something for women of all ages and sizes, and seemed especially enthusiastic about its positive mental effects.  For example, three of her private lesson students happen to be Doctors.   "Having an outlet, something to do for themselves to stay soft and feminine & creative in such a hard, driven industry is crucial" they all tell me.  The right brain, left brain connection is very important to keep in balance.  Michael compared it to drumming: a holistic approach to the body, incorporating the left with the right; soon after he said this, I looked up and noticed a T-shirt: "The belly dancer always gets the drummer” on the front and realized that, after my experience with the dance, it seems that the drummer getsthe belly dancing.  Get in touch with your femininity at Little Egypt Belly Dancing Studio or visit their site for more information at http://www.blittleegypt.com.

B1604 NewsLetter/SaMetro.com  6/08

 

Looking for Little Egypt

Little Egypt was the stage name for two popular belly dancers. They had so many imitators, the name became synonymous with belly dancers generally.

Farida Mazar Spyropoulos, (c. 1871, date of death unknown), also performing under the stage name Fatima, appeared at the "Street in Cairo" exhibition on the Midway at the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893.

Ashea Wabe danced at the Seeley banquet in New York  in 1896, enjoying a fleeting succès de scandale.

 

by N. Bashira

 

 

The power of Middle Eastern Dance to benefit our physical and emotional well being has been proven effective time after time...music and dance have been used successfully to break through to victims of trauma.
Mentally stimulating, physically challenging and socially integrating, this art from has taken many women from the pits of depression to a stronger self, more aware of our potential as women to face challenges with a more positive outlook and a renewed self esteem.

The basic movements of the dance provide the perfect mix of isometric and isotonic resistance to shape our bodies without forming bulk muscle. Bellydance increases our endurance & strengthens our cardiovascular system with as much of a workout as any aerobics class. Our posture is improved which improves our overall health. Our joints and spine are nourished by the synovial fluid, thus resulting in less pain and stiffness from arthritis, and our bone density increases. When we engage in physical activity, our mental & emotional facilities also benefit.