Teacher, Lorraine Pendleton has been teaching and belly dancing for 30 years.
Qualified in dance, aerobics and fitness, she brings a vitality and energy to belly dance and her teaching skills are highly developed.
Her classes enable the dancer to learn new moves in the context of choreography, keeping sessions lively and entertaining.
“I plan each course so that the choreography will include basic steps and progressions within combinations of movements”
“I have no hesitation in teaching the beginner alongside the more experienced dancer as each dance is totally unique to the chosen piece of music”
Lorraine is one of the leading Belly Dance teachers in North Wales. She has classes in Rhuddlan and Denbigh and holds workshops across Denbighshire.
Belly dance is a fantastic way to tone and strengthen the body. It makes the dancer feel happy, feminine and sensual. Belly dance works on the basis of core stability and this means the tummy muscles and the back muscles work together to develop flexibility.
The arm movements – snake arms – are really good for shoulder mobility and shaping up those bat wings!
The shimmies – help to keep the whole body relaxed whilst actually causing supporting muscles to contract. The effect of this is a strengthening of the joints.
The abdominal control – helps to keep us body aware! We can use this to support the back when lifting as well as doing amazing tummy rolls and camel steps.
Learning Belly Dance
Belly dance uses natural movements and shapes. The moving steps are relatively simple, especially compared with other dances such as ballroom.
The skill is learning isolation. The older we get the more we are inclined to use groups of muscles and therefore the communication pathways from the brain to the muscle lessens. Through practice, belly dance retrains the body to use movements not only in isolation but in a flowing movement which stimulates the impulses within the muscle.
Belly dance also helps the dancer to step out of her everyday persona and remind herself of the girl inside. That girl might be small and playful or may demonstrate a sensual and hidden side!
The atmosphere of a belly dance class is one of women gathering together in safety. It is non-competitive and supportive.
What to wear:
That’s easy – Anything you like!
Dawn has been belly dancing for almost 7 years and whilst living in Manchester she danced with Michelle Pender and Madeline Mitchell. She moved to Wales in 2006 where she joined the Cariad Dance Company with Lorraine Pendleton. Dawn enjoys all aspects of belly dance from the music and history to the elaborate costumes and the femininity of the dances. She enjoys performing with the group and has recently taken over teaching the Llanfair TH class.
A quick word from Dawn:
"Belly dancing offers so much to women. It's allows them to celebrate and enjoy their femininity, it keeps you fit and supple and gives you the opportunity and excuse to dress up in all your finery. I particularly love that it brings together women of all ages, shapes, sizes and cultures in a way not many other group activities do"
D x
