by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
Getting a gift for a woman on Valentine’s Day is easy; there are the old standards of chocolate and roses to fall back on, as well as a host of books to help the hapless male who might not be creatively romantic. A Valentine’s Day gift for a man is a different matter and it can be difficult for a woman to come up with something really unique to give to her man. In my quest for the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift for men, I hit upon a local solution: sensual belly dancing.
Here in Jacksonville, Simone has been teaching women the art of belly dancing for about a decade. EU got the chance to speak with her about her passion for the fine art of belly dancing. From 1997-2005 she taught Belly Dancing at FCCJ, after which she opened her private studio in Feb 2005. Starting her own studio has been a learning experience for her. Says Simone: “When I started I did lots of group classes…and realized the ladies are more interested in private classes. Some ladies don’t feel comfortable about themselves and that’s in part why I teach. I want ladies to feel more sure of themselves, confident and so forth. If it takes private classes to get them where they want…it’s fine. Some ladies start with group classes. As long as it’s intro to belly dancing or regular choreography, group classes are fine. When it comes to sensual belly dancing people feel differently.”
Simone, who appeared as the legendary belly dancer Mata Hari in the Oscar award-winning Discovery Channel documentary “Spies In Washington,” has traveled extensively as a belly dancer since she learned the art as child in her native Lebanon.
“My first memory of anything was actually dancing on a specific song…wearing a white dress going around and around and around…When I was a child my mom and dad would go to concerts [in Lebanon]. At that time you were allowed to, if you had a child that want[s] to dance, you can put it on the stage…Of course most children wouldn’t want to do that, but my mom would put me on the stage, with the singers and I would just…dance. I guess it’s in my blood. When we…went to events, birthdays or weddings for relatives, people beg me ‘please dance’ and when I start dancing and the other girls are dancing, everybody sat down and watched. So I never had formal training, it started as a cultural thing. I’m lucky that I had the creativity plus also I [have] watch[ed] famous belly dancers from overseas.”
Belly dancing, she explains, isn’t as vulgar as a strip tease, even when it is sensual. Instead, it’s more about leading the man’s imagination, while never touching the breasts or other body parts. The sensuality comes from use of a veil, slow exquisite movements, and the use of a tassel to hint at what’s to come. She’s gotten more than one note thanking her for revitalizing a marriage.
While you might want to sign up for a series of classes, if you’re looking to surprise your guy with some hip swaying action this Valentine’s Day, you might want to sign up for Simone’s Valentine’s Day Workshop. It isn’t a private class, but you get 4 hours of training. As Simone says, “It’s a very intense course.” The Workshop for Valentine’s Day is set for the 10th from 11AM- 3PM $139. If you can, try to call ahead at (904) 645-9500 or come early to see if there’s room to sign up. For privacy she locks the studio during her lessons so that the ladies don’t have to deal with interruptions or unwelcome guests.
Located: 7037-3 Phillips Hwy Jacksonville, FL 32216
Class types available: aerobic belly dancing, sensual belly dancing, club-style belly dancing and regular belly dancing classes.
Pricing: Intro to Belly Dancing $199 for four sessions (but there’s generally some sort of special or giveaway). Private classes vary.
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