Aziza Sa'id's FAQ - Pregnancy

Belly Dancing During Pregnancy an instructional video by Gaby Oeftering Reviewed by Delilah

The idea that belly dance was used as prenatal conditioning for women in ancient times is not a new one; I've heard it since the day my belly dance career twenty five years ago. Anyone familiar with the true art would come to this conclusion intuitively. Susanne McNeilin did some important pioneering and research in the 80's on "Birthdance" as she called it. But now in 1998 another women currently devoting her energy and resources to actively researching, documenting, and pursuing the reclamation of this belly dance/birth connection as Gaby Oeftering from Freiberg, Germany.

The video Belly Dance During Pregnancy is a must-have, and not just for belly dancers. It is an excellent resource for three important interest groups: Belly dancers, and most importantly instructors, midwives, doctors and childbirth educators, pregnant women or mothers-to-be.

First of all, I want to say I am very enthusiastic about this video. I think it should be in every belly dance instructor's library, as well as in the libraries of every midwife, childbirth educator, doctor, and community for that matter! This video is done well enough to be taken seriously by all fields. Here are some key factors:

1) It accomplishes the task of being comprehensively instructive to the belly dance teacher who encounters pregnant women in her classes or who wants to work specifically with pregnant women.

2) It contains scientific and historical evidence that is delivered by experts in their fields, and thus can broaden the insights of all doctors and childbirth educators.

3) Pregnant women in good health can exercise with its real-time classroom instruction.

4) It is important to our larger culture, as it provides beautiful and therapeutic visual inspiration through performances of the dance.

The performers on the video are beautiful, graceful and integral. We cannot help but be swept away by their beauty and their strength. It stirs in us a primordial recollection of an ancient and sacred knowledge; we feel the truth of this connection in our bodies, minds and souls.

Annette: There is a wonderful book (You should be able to find it at your library or have them interlibrary loan it for you) called the Pregnant Goddess. It is a beautiful collection of very pregnant women looking stunning! They are in various different fantasy poses - whatever made them feel pretty. I know that I had more men compliment me when I was pregnant than ever before. So I now realize that more guys have a "thing" for pregnant women than I ever thought!

Taaj: Regarding the Belly Dancing During Pregnancy Video: The most fascinating part for me was just watching the pregnant women dance. Though some were dressed in costume, it seemed less of a performance and more of a private thing between woman and baby. It was quite beautiful and definitely inspiring.

To be so in tune with your body, your creative force (through dance and life), and your femininity through belly dance at a time of pregnancy could be so wonderful and make that special time all the more wonderful. I wish all pregnant people could dance.