Belly Dance Classes at Church?

Learn how to Belly Dance at North Wood Christian Church in Indianapolis? Sure, why not? Nothing is sacred anymore and if they incorporate Belly Dancing into their worship services we're sure that it will be a 'relevant' way to get some of the men of indianapolis into church.

HT: Reformation Nation

Comments

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

Not to be disputatious, but belly dance originates in a traditional dance that has very little to do with sex. The sequined bras and whatnot are only recent accretions--tailored for the men who conflate "exotic" with "erotic".

(Myself, I actually do belly-dance to an exercise video in private, when I'm not pregnant. It's good cardio, very little shimmy and bump-and-grind, the way the video teaches.)

I'm not arguing that a church necessarily SHOULD carry on said lessons. I'm just observing that the dance form itself is not necessarily one intending arousal on the part of a viewer.

That said, it looks like the lessons in question ARE intending the corrupted, sexualized version. I mean, the lesson series is one day a week, for four weeks--not nearly enough time to get serious about it--and the pictured woman does not give the impression of doing regular exercise.

The lesson series offered at the "Sacred Space Healing Center," however, are much worse--including meditation classes. Why a church would allow this teacher in is beyond me.

[Shannon]

I think Belly Dancing is what got John the Baptist's head on a platter. I could be wrong.

I don't think there's much women can do (forget about with clothes missing) that men don't read as "erotic". That's not meant to be an insult.

That being said - I wish I knew how to do it :o)

(not publicly)

[Puddleglumm]

Whether one should do belly dancing as exercise in their own home is a private decision. Whether a church should be offering lessons is a whole other story!!!

[Shannon]

Oh, very much agreed. Going to "church" for something like this is absurd.

I haven't been to church (on a regular basis) in a very long time.

The way things are these days, I don't even have an interest in trying to find one. First "seeker friendly", now all this junk.

No wonder people have no respect for Christians.

I -AM- one, and I don't.

[merry]

I'm not a big fan of belly dancing.

I'd go for tap dancing lessons. Or break dancing. ;)

Any kind of dancing where I can keep my clothes on is fine with me!

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

Merry, in more traditional varieties of belly dancing, you were expected to keep your clothes on.

[Shma]

I think the main point is that this is advertised in a very sexual way from the look of the poster. I mean "navel academy" really. There are plenty of the classes at local rec centers should a christian choose to attend. There they could possibly meet unsaved women & have a chance to witness to them. The church is to be used to help christians grow in their walk with the Lord. Not as a new social club.

[merry]

Hi, Mrs. Pilgrim

You know that, and I now know that, but I don't think this church knows that. Belly dancing has been made popular in American pop culture by dancers like Shakira, who is a professionally trained belly dancer and makes it into something very sexual. I'm thinking that this church is probably trying to be culturally relevant, rather than emphasize health and fitness. Which is sad that they seem to only realize the sexual side of it and are doing it anyway.

[SouthernBelle]

I wonder how many Christians are martyred each day in Muslim and Hindu countries because they just want to bellydance for Jay-zuz! Americans are just so spoiled rotten! We don't know how lucky we've got it!

[Shma]

Good point Southern - how many people are martyed each day in other countries for just owning a Bible!!!

[Lygia Bradnick]

If belly dancing is ok or not is totally irrelevant. The point is church is not for that kind of thing at all.The church belongs to Jesus Christ and the reason for the church is for fellowship, love, teaching the Bible, evangelism and worship, not necessarily in that order.Is belly dancing fulfilling any of those things? Are we worshiping the King with that? Are we bringing someone to God's kingdom with that? Are we experiencing real Christian fellowship and love when we gather to learn how to belly dance? What part of the Bible is being taught by belly dancing? Do you get my meaning?

[The Highland Host]

One answer: $45. The bottom line is the bottom line.
Should churches raise money like this? My answer is NO. The church is to rely on God, not on exercise classes to raise money. Whatever happened to living by faith?

[Linda]

It seems to me the church is just the location for the classes, not that the church is actually sponsoring or incorporating belly dancing into its services.

[Melissa S. - dance name Kelilah]

I do not celebrate Christmas, I do not celebrate Easter, and I do not go to church on Sunday. I am, however, a believer that Yeshua (Hebrew name for Jesus) is the son of God our promised Messiah. I believe that through him the meaning of the Sabbath & the festivals in the Torah are made full of meaning & I observe those things because I love him. (although I do not adhere to Talmudic law because the law there is the law of man, not the law of God as laid out in the Bible) So, I'm very sensitive to things that are pagan in nature or things that are inappropriate for a believer. That's not to say I'm perfect, far from it by any measure. I am also a bellydancer. Bellydance isn't even the correct term. Middle Eastern dance encompasses so many dance forms, even going into African tribal dances & latin dances such as Flamenco have been influenced by Middle Eastern sources. (such as the Moors invading Spain bringing their dance form there, thus latin dance is very much influenced by what folks would call bellydance) Bellydance, or Middle Eastern dance, can be very folkloric depending on where it is danced or by whom. Ancient Egyptians used some of their dances in their temples, sure, but those dances we don't know much about since worship of those gods is pretty much dead. Common people have been dancing for thousands of years. Even men "bellydance". (check out Tito - a dancer from Egypt. He is AMAZING ! There are many wonderful bellydancers who are men. ) Some ancient dances simply originated with the every day people who would dance together to celebrate things such as birth or marriage. Dance was a way for grandmothers & mothers to teach their daughters, so it was passed down through the ages. Somehow all of these different forms of dance got lumped together under the umbrella of bellydance when really it's not all from just the pagan worship in Egyptian temples. Most of it was just common people celebrating life with their dance & that love of the dance lived to be enjoyed today. It is an art that can very much have its place in a church or any place of worship really. I'll be dancing in a show this April that will be held in a church. If done as intended, as a respectable art form & not sexualized, there is no reason why any believer should not take part. It is a skill, one that builds self worth & also is a healthy activity - dance is good exercise. My instructor has always enforced, since day one back in my beginner dancing days, that we are to be ladies. Never are we to shake our boobies in anybody's face, and never are we do be provocative as if we were strippers, we should command respect simly by our presence & never be put in the position to have to demand respect because we did something that could be taken as trashy.

I could see how people could have a misunderstanding as to what it's about when sex sells & a few rogue dancers put themselves out there as sexy bellydancers ready to strip. They give us a bad name. They make like they represent us when they do nothing of the sort, and yet people who come accross these women will come away with the idea that THAT is what the dance is all about when it is far from it in actuality. Of course, if I were to have first learned about the dance from a stripper or a woman behaving as one, sure I would have objections too. The reality is, though, that we dance for ourselves more than we dance for others. Yes, we may dance before an audience, but we are still in essence dancing for ourselves & inviting you to watch & enjoy with us the joy that dance can bring, the interpretation of the music, and the grace of the dancer herself.

I would encourage anybody, both male & female, to learn Middle Eastern dance. (of course, men will have a harder time finding an instructor in the US who can teach them how to properly execute the movement in a masculine way.)

[Melissa S. - dance name Kelilah]

oh, and bellydancing had nothing to do with John the Baptist's head. All the Bible said is that the girl danced for him. Remember that David danced before the Lord also. Miriam played her tambourine (or an instrument like it I think) & danced also. We don't know what these dances were like. We just know that they danced. The Bible says we are to dance before the lord, singing, etc... as a way of praise & thanksgiving.

Btw, we don't even know how old the girl was that danced & asked for John's head. There are sources that say that she was a small child & he delighted in her as a father would for his own small child so of course that would explain why he would give her anything she wanted. I'm not saying that is the case, but just take note that the Bible doesn't say she was a full grown woman. It's silent on the matter.

For the poster who said do we worship the Lord with bellydance ? I do all the time. In fact, I found a song I particularly liked & actually my heart lept with joy when I heard it & I asked God to help me with the choreography for it. I wanted it to be special, something that would be reflective of him, ya know ? It was the fastest choreography I've put together & the most fun. I always ask myself when dancing, would I do this for Yeshua & the answer is always a resounding yes. I think, again, it goes back to the understanding of the dance for somebody to even ask if we would do this as a way to worship God. If your idea of "bellydance" is what you see in movies or from women who are akin to strippers, then of course your understanding would be terribly flawed because of those presenting the dance to you as if that were the way it was actually danced. If you were to see it danced by those who love the dance & respect themselves & the dance, then you'd have an entirely different understanding & wouldn't even ask the question, "would you do this for the Lord ??" because you'd see that it was an art, not something trashy.

[Kris]

Hey Melissa,
I'm a christian as well,I love belly dance (am a beginner). What is the name of that song you like, maybe it works for me? :)

[Bonnie]

I would like to know whether or not bellydancing would be something prohibited by the Bible or not. I think it would be great if God blessed me with a husband, and here I sit wondering if learning to do something like that for him would be innappropriate. Yes, of course, I know I'm naive, which is why I'm asking. I don't think it should be taught in churches to do publically, but surely dancing (even erotic) is not condemned in every situation, is it?

[Farasha Hanem]

To merry:

You have two common misconceptions about bellydance. First of all, bellydancers DO NOT TAKE THEIR CLOTHES OFF. Bellydancing is NOT the same thing as "erotic" dancing, NOR is bellydancing part of the sex trade industry. Granted, it is a sensual dance, but it is a FOLK dance from the Middle East.

Secondly, Ms. Shakira is NOT a professional bellydancer, she has merely incorporated bellydance moves into her routines. Just because she has done this does NOT make her a "bellydancer." Your comment would raise the ire of the bellydance community if you had made such posts on a bellydance forum.

Btw, I am a bellydancer, AND a Christian. I'm not saying I agree to having bellydance lessons at a church, but I do dislike seeing misinformation concerning bellydance to continue to be passed off as fact. If you wish to know more about bellydancing, ask real bellydancers, instead of going on misconceptions and misinformation.

[A Concerned Christian]

Let's consider this simple phrase from our Lord Jesus Christ after he'd finished cleaning out the temple: "My house shall be called a house of PRAYER..." (Matt. 21:13) May our churches be filled with prayer meetings and classes that teach people about prayer. In light of eternity, a twitch of the hips or stomach will do little for a soul that is lost. Yeah, it's entertaining and great exercise...Okay, but it has no place in the church. Let's consider the Gospel - It works anywhere, regardless of culture or race or geographic location. I'd love to see such classes in places where they lose their lives for Christ. They've got better things to teach their people - Like hours of prayer and seeking God's face so that they will be equipped to face a world that's lost and even be equipped to lose their life. The Church better wake up, including myself, and count the cost.

[merry]

Just to let you know, Farasha, I was not talking about stripping. All the belly dancers I have ever seen were wearing clothes that showed their midriffs, which I personally am not comfortable with, which is all I was saying, in a slightly joking way. I was trying to be humorous, as I didn't realize this was such a grave and serious topic. I apologize. I did not intend to "raise the ire of the bellydance community". Bellydancers must be a pretty sensitive group if they are offended by simple misunderstandings like that. Good grief. I agree with A Concerned Christian's comment-- that was kind of the point of the post.

[Farasha Hanem]

You implied stripping in your comment, "Any dance where I can keep my clothes on is fine with me." What you might consider a joke can cause strife and hurt feelings. Making flippant, casual "jokes" about a subject you have no knowledge or understanding of is never a good idea. I do accept your apology; I hope in the future you choose your jokes more wisely.

I will say that I don't agree with bellydance lessons being held inside a place of worship, but this is not the first time this has happened; I saw a newspaper ad for bellydance classes back in the '70's, so this is nothing new. Of course, a lot of things are happening in what are supposed to be the Lord's churches that are not only improper, but also unscriptural, but that's an entire subject in itself.

On another note, as for Western dancers, I've seen a lot of them wear even less than most bellydancers.

[Farasha Hanem]

Oh, by the way, it was your comments about Shakira being a professional bellydancer that "raised the ire of the bellydance community." Shakira is a professional singer; she just incorporated bellydance moves into her stage routines, but that does not make her a professional bellydancer. If she were, she would be making her living solely by bellydance, or teaching classes (or both). Shakira is a thorn in the side of many of my friends who ARE professional bellydancers, especially those who are teachers, because they get so many newbie students that want to "learn to dance like Shakira." Shakira might have learned some moves, but she is not an authentic bellydancer.

[Athrun]

I have a question for the real belly dancers. What exactly was belly dancing used for? My limited knowledge and minor research reveal that in some cultures it was used as a means of worshiping certain deities. (I have further more been lead to believe that it was not meant to be seen by men but rather could have been a liberating and empowering experience for women in predominantly male dominated cultures. So the exotic part is inconsequential to me at this point.) If this was the original purpose would belly dancing be considered a form of idol worship of some cultures method to placate its deity? Please, take these as general questions from a curious Christian, with some knowledge from some credible and some unchecked sources, always seeking to worship God yet not wanting to tread into the darker territories of vain and unacceptable worship. Thank you.

[Sister Girl]

Maybe if the advertisement was more worship related, that would be something else. I honestly have no problem dancing for the Lord and celebrating my feminine beauty as soon as I learned how to belly dance. I think there are negative connotations toward belly dancing just because how sex-driven we've become, not to mention legalistic churches that beat followers down for even wanting to do belly dancing. They missed a big one, David, whenever the Ark came to town, he danced around and discarded his clothes (or most of them anyway)!! The exception being the people who danced before an idol when Moses wasn't around. (Bad idea...) Anyway, enjoy the moment :)

In Christ

[Sister Girl]

On another note, Enter the Worship Circle's "All I Need" is really good for dancing around :D After reading all of the advertisement, it looks like it is more of a worship oriented thing, my bad :)

In Christ

[Ana]

I too am a Christian and enjoy bellydance. I also had mixed feelings in the beginning, but now I know that as long as my heart is in the right place it's ok. We are to love the Lord with all our heart. When I dance privately I imagine myself dancing for the Lord and offering my dance as a praise offering to him. Someday I hope to host a conference where women can show their love for Christ through dance, whatever it may be. That would be awesome.

[Nadia]

I stumbled on to this discussion while doing a web search for christian belly dance. I couldn't help but put my 2 cents in not only for the others who have posted here but for those dancers that may also google their way to this site.

First of all, I am not only a professionally trained bellydancer, I am also an Arab-American and a Christian. I have served as a worship leader as well. To those of you who think no form of dance belongs in a church I suggest a re-reading of your Bibles - there are plenty of references to dance as a worship form.

For those that seem to have problems with belly dance in particular here is my question - would you make the same argument for say... ballet? tap? jazz? I would be willing to bet you have no objections to those dance forms so why does belly dance raise your hackles? Would it interest you to know that Belly dance is recognized as the oldest form of dance - the movements that make up what Americans mistakenly term bellydance are actually derived from the cultural dances of the middle eastern countries some forms include village style circle dance, shepherds cane dance, water gourd dance, and many more. These are non sexual dances.

As a matter of costuming - not all belly dance must be performed in the beaded cabaret style costumes that the AMERICAN film industry invented. In fact the middle east is very conservative about the showing of flesh so most authentic costumes will cover the body from neck to feet - no bare middle. I would also like to submit here that professional ballet dancers wear only a leotard and tights - all skin tight but some how no one here seemed to think it would be wrong to teach ballet in a church.

I think the essence of this argument is that those of you opposed to belly dance never took the time to research the culture and history behind it. You simply wish to pass judgment on the evils that flow from the middle east. The truth is this, any form of dance can be worship and any from can also be corrupted to display the immoral - its not the dance, its how you use it and what you wear while doing it that make the difference.

Next time before you jump to conclusions take some time to do your homework and pause to realize that your own assumptions are jaded by your American culture. If someone can use belly dance to glorify God who are you to keep them from their worship?

[Cora]

the internet is so amazing! my church is offering bellydance as a workshop at our retreat ... I was having trouble with that, and very surprised because this non-denominal church tends to be very traditional/conservative ... I realized I might be over-reacting to the stereo type (as is discussed much here) and went "googling" ... and found this discussion ... it has helped me immensly to have a more balanced understanding of what belly dance really is ... maybe I will go to the retreat after all! thanks to all of you who took the time to give your input

[Elizabeth]

The irony in this all is that when belly dancing became popular, church goers frowned upon it and called it sinful. When Leonardo da vinchi wanted to study the human form the church also forbid such study calling it sinful. He did it secretly and his findings where revolutionary to our understanding of the human body and internal organs. I know of christian authors that discourage dating because it's not in the bible. They call it sinful. I'm starting to see a trend. The church through it's ignorance has forbidden things they do not understand and titled it sinful because they won't take the time to get to understand it. I'm a christian and I've been one for ten years so I understand where alot of people are coming from in wanting to keep the church a holy place. However I also see alot of judgement based off misconception and ignorance. My boyfriend is a drummer and he plays for belly dancers. He's never looked at them in a sexual way, just enjoyed the beauty of the dance and the music. There is a beauty to the female form. I hope everyone can admit that. It's not wrong or sinful. Sometimes when I go places and I see beautiful women, i stare at them. I notice there features height and figure. I think they are lovely and I have an appreciation for physiology. Alot of people are right about this dance coming from the middle east and it originaly was meant as a form of celebration at weddings and only at family gatherings. It has become tainted throughout the years though. Merchants started integrating stripping into this dance to get more revenue from americans. That's not belly dancing however. That's something else entirely. I personally have no problem with it bieng taught at church because it is an art form just like painting is a creative form of art and no one would object to having leornado davinchi's painting up in there church, now would they? After all, it is a portrait of the lord's supper. But there's also controversy because he painted some of the men with more feminine traits and then accusations flew that he had an affair with mary magdalene. I think people in general do not understand God. I've been to very conservative and legalistic churches that taught it's holiness or hell, and I've been to liberal churches that think everything is acceptable. Whatever happened to hearing all things and holding fast to that which is true? Or that he whole judges a matter before he has heard it is a fool? Those are both verses in the bible. I also don't believe that other cultures should be negated. The world is a very big place with alot of diversity. We need to understand and appreciate other cultures if we ever intend on showing them Christ. Jesus himself sat among thieves and prostitutes and pharisees and tax collectors. All that to say this, belly dancing is a beautiful art form that synchronizes druming with dancing. It's something to be appreciated and enjoyed. So, enjoy it. :)