If I got a dollar every time someone told me they've "always been fascinated by belly dance," but it took them years or even decades to set foot in a class because they were too busy, or too intimidated, or thought they were too old or too fat or too [insert a quality deemed to be negative here] to give it a try, I might have a few thousand dollars to spare by now. I hear this all too often and it makes me sad to think of how many women are missing out on this joyful practice and its countless benefits every year due to societally-imposed insecurities and societally-imposed prioritization of ..read more

On slowing down and embracing a new pace this winter ​ As winter approaches here in the north, I am allowing myself to sit with and embody the themes of the colder seasons.  In a culture that glorifies "the hustle," the daily grind, and maximum productivity all the time, it feels almost revolutionary to be giving myself the space to slow down, to carve out more time to rest, to spend more time in quiet reflection. Yet this is all very necessary. It is natural. It is the way it should be. Just look at nature. The sun rises and it sets, creating times of daylight and times of darkness. T ..read more

Often times it's in those moments that we feel the least like dancing, that we most need the medicine it can bring. ​​We are going through a time of so much collective trauma, pain and grief. And on top of that collective pain, so many are going through personal trials and tribulations too. In times like these, we often can't bring ourselves to do the things that bring us joy--like dancing. It's easy to stop taking care of ourselves and our needs, and to spiral down into hopelessness and despair. Yet these are the times when we need dance the most. These are the times when its benefits can ..read more

After more than a decade of teaching this dance, here's what I wish all my new belly dance students would know ​It's crazy how many people step into my beginner belly dance classes feeling apprehensive and even ashamed for not having any dance background or feeling like they are not naturally skilled at dance.  If we all came out of the womb as perfect dancers, what would be the point of taking a class? One of the first things I tell my clients is that I too, only started dancing as an adult. I never had any lessons or training as a child. Growing up I had orthopedic issues, and was ve ..read more

Egyptian-style bellydance artist and Pilates instructor Rachael Borek discusses her thoughts about body shape and our society's obsession with it in this short commentary It might seem weird that I'm saying this, when my whole job is about moving bodies, understanding bodies, and using my own body to create art. But I'm saying it anyway. The shape of my body does not matter. The shape of your body does not matter. And the amount and distribution of each of our body fat most especially does not matter. It matters that your body is strong enough to support you in living the life you want to li ..read more

Celebrating life while honoring death It’s the first day of spring and with the new season officially here now, there is so much we can celebrate and look forward to.   This is a time to celebrate our victories—having survived a long winter both literally and figuratively (a global pandemic), we are now arriving at a time when we can plant new seeds of potential, and we can nurture the things we want to see grow, within ourselves and in our world. Photo by Tracy Coon  Soon our environment will be blooming with new life. Yet right now much of that life is still unseen potential. The ..read more

What if I told you that most of the countless hip isolations we do in belly dance come from just 6 foundational hip movements?   Would that motivate you to practice these movements for a few minutes on a regular basis?   What if there were 6 videos you could reference, to learn the technique for each of these movements...   Would that make learning this beautiful (and surprisingly difficult) dance a little less daunting and intimidating? If you answered "yes" to these questions, I have good news for you! Here's my gift to get you started on your belly dance journey with your b ..read more

A huge theme for this coming year is this idea of embodiment and how we can live our lives in ways that honor our bodies and their physical and emotional needs. As the year comes to an end, here are a few questions we can reflect on, to help us set the stage for living more embodied lives in 2022: ​ “What does it feel like to be in my body in this moment? What does the experience of being in my body feel like each day? How has my body been generally feeling throughout this year?” The answers to these questions will vary from day to day and from moment to moment, and there is no wrong answ ..read more

Not sure what to wear to your first belly dance class? You're not alone! This is one of the most common questions I get from brand new belly dance students, so I decided to make a video and blog post to address it. There is a misconception that you have to show your belly or wear a fancy costume just to go to class... but this is simply not the case. In reality, what you need to wear is anything that makes you happy, that you feel comfortable and confident in, and that allows you to move freely.  You don't have to show your belly unless that makes you happy and you are comfortable with ..read more

If you're feeling this current of heavy, overwhelming, or exhausting energy right now, you are not alone! It's normal to get burned out in the summer, but this moment in time feels extra exhausting. We are still living through a time of fear, uncertainty, major shifts and transitions... I just want you to know that regardless of how difficult things are right now, you're doing an amazing job. The challenges you've overcome these past 2 years were no small feats, and you're still here, you're still standing. There's so much to be said about that! So acknowledge your victories and take it one ..read more