Belly dancing began as a dance by women, for women. It is still that today, in classes being taught in Walkersville. Barbara Burgos, using her dance moniker of Sitamun, teaches nearly 20 women the art of belly dancing each Sunday evening at the Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do Studio. The women learn the basics of rolling, shimmying, hip crescents and loops, thrusts and pops and other assorted torso movements associated with the Middle Eastern style of dance. "Belly dance historians feel some of the dance moves have their roots in ancient birth rituals," Ms. Burgos said. "I wish I knew belly dancing before I had my son."

Staff photo by Sam Yu  Assistant instructor Janet Strawderman, left, is a blur as she performs a “twist shimmy” move during a belly dance class. In the background are students Colleen Schlieper, left, and Aura Garrison.

Each week the women stand in a large, open room and practice their gyrations as haunting, sensual Middle Eastern music plays.

Ms. Burgos, 43, began taking belly dance lessons 15 years ago while in the military. Living in Germany on an American military base, she worked in a mostly male environment, and would come home at night to her husband and young son. "I had no outside contact," she said. "I wanted a new activity."

Her first experience wasn't good. She couldn't seem to get the hang of moving parts of her torso without moving her shoulders. But she found she really liked the dance and the camaraderie of her classmates. And with practice she improved her technique. She continued to take classes and workshops after returning stateside, and now takes classes in Washington, D.C.

Her teacher in that German class was Turkish, one of the distinct styles of belly dancing. Her own style is American, a melding of the various Middle Eastern styles with some influence from jazz and flamenco. Veils and finger cymbals, or zills, are used as props.

"I feel belly dancing comes from the heart," she said. "It's spiritual." It's also a dance that women can do well into their 60s and beyond, she said. The dance gives women the freedom to interpret the moves using their own life experiences.

Ms. Burgos is a computer specialist for the National Weather Service, a job that involves a lot of sitting. "I can do isolations and belly rolls at my desk," she said. 

Other women who knew she studied the dance asked if she would teach a class in belly dancing. Few classes are offered in the area. She had no place to teach the class until the Walkersville studio became available. The class started in September, and a new crop of beginners signed up in January. Those who wanted to continue, study with Ms. Burgos Sunday evenings at her home before the class in Walkersville.

"I've never taught before so it's been a learning experience for me," she said. Beginning teachers often dole out large amounts of information at once. "I decided to break it down, to slow the pace," she said. Her advanced students act as models to demonstrate techniques to the rest of the class.

Belly dancing is a type of dancing women can learn as adults. "I always wanted to dance as a little girl," Ms. Burgos said. Her parents, however, thought dance lessons were a waste of money.

She had always been fascinated by Egypt, however, and belly dancing fit in with her interest. Many American belly dancers adopt Middle Eastern names, and she took the name Sitamun, an ancient Egyptian princess from the 18th dynasty.

Belly dancing has a rich but checkered history. It started at least 5,000 years ago as a dance Muslim women would do while sequestered among themselves. In the Muslim religion, women dance with women and men with men. "Most Muslim women would not dance outside the home," Ms. Burgos said.

It became known in the Arab world as Oriental dance, because its origins were thought to come from India or further east. By the 19th century, Oriental dance was being performed in taverns. In Egypt, however, the belly didn't show, because of a law that forbade the baring of the midriff in public. That law still exists. 

It was the Victorian abhorrence for displaying hip movement that perpetuated the dance's risqué image. "Some of the moves were developed to help women during pregnancy," Ms. Burgos said. "It helped women develop the muscles they needed to get through labor."

The belly dancing image wasn't helped by the playwright Oscar Wilde's characterization of Salome and the Seven Veils, in which the biblical Salome disrobes before Herod while performing an Oriental dance.

Women continued to learn the dance, however, and by the 1970s, its image had become one of an organic-based dance that focuses on natural movements that work with the body. Zills, coins, beads, scarves and veils all add to its flowing appearance. "You never want to look like you're taking your clothing off," Ms. Burgos said. "The veil magically comes off your body. Men who want strippers will be badly disappointed."

Although some of the women in Ms. Burgos's class wear scarves or harem pants, traditional garb is not expected of students. Many wear exercise pants or stretch pants and tank tops or T-shirts.

Ms. Burgos demonstrated the moves in a recent class, reminding the students not to twist their hips as they circled. "Draw a circle with your hips," she said. As she demonstrated the moves, she explained where they originated.

"In many of these countries, they're used to living in tight spaces, so they learn to dance in tight spaces," she said.

She demonstrated a basic figure eight move of the hips. "Imagine two pieces of glass, front and back," she said. "There should be no forward twisting."

Many of the women in the class were excited about learning the dance. "I've always wanted to learn it," said Jeanene Doolin, of Walkersville. "It's body isolation. You learn to focus on your muscles."

"You can feel that you're using muscles you don't normally use," said Michele Wiles, of Rocky Ridge. Both women are among Ms. Burgos's advanced students.

Both were drawn to belly dancing by its mystique. "It's a form of expression," Ms. Doolin said. "You can feel it in the music," Ms. Wiles said.

Dancers gradually learn their own style, they said. "You have certain moves you favor," Ms. Doolin said.

"It gives you peace of mind and eliminates your stress," Ms. Burgos said. "That's where the real attraction is."

On the Net: www.sitamun.com or call Sitamun at 301-865-8417(leave message if no answer).
For studio information, contact:
Creative Dance Studio: 2060 Yellow Springs Road, Frederick, MD 21702. Phone (301) 620-9322. Tuesdays from 7:10-8:15 pm.
24/7 Dance Studio: 482 A Prospect Blvd, Weis Festival Shopping Center, Frederick, Md. (301) 846-4247. Sundays Level 1(Beginner) 5:00-6:00 pm, Level 2 7:00 – 8:00 pm and Level 3 6:00- 7:00 pm.