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I was born in London in 19!!!! My mother was English and my father is from Ghana.
My first stage apperance was at the age of 2 when i was the youngest cast member in a musical show at The Metropolitan
Theatre on Edgware road. However by the age of 5 my parents were told i would never make a ballet dancer (my dream at
the time), as i was the wrong build. How right they were. So my dancing was on hold until i became a go go dancer (boy
that ages me), in my late teens. I danced on shows like Ready Steady Go and Top Of The Pops. Then came a long break as
I went travelling. My next thing was to become a competative disco dancer which culminated in me winning the UK aerobic
style disco championship, in the mid 80s. Time to hang up my disco shoes and train as an aerobics instructer as i could
work at this around my children's school times.
Then in 1997 i found Egyptian Dance (hooray). I wasn't sure what it was but went along to adult education classes and
have never looked back. To say it has changed my life is an understatement. I have never found another dance form that
is so fulfilling. As a women, the best way i can describe it is LUSCIOUS. It does not matter how old you are, what size
or fitness level, there is something for everyone. This dance form works not only your body but also your mind. It improves
your posture and builds your confidence as a women.
In this day and age, when women are made to feel less than perfect if they dare to have any body parts that wobble, bellydance
is the perfect answer. It embraces ALL SHAPES AND SIZES!"
I have met and taught many wonderful women over the 7/8 years that i have been teaching, but one lady always stands out in
my mind. She came to class after going through a lot of personal traumas. She was very shy at first but little by little
began to sparkle. She finally plucked up the courage to perform in class. As she came off the floor she gave me a big hug
and thanked me for allowing her to fullfill a life long ambition to shimmie around a dance floor, but had never had the
confdence in herself as a women to be able to do so. That comment meant so much to me, as a teacher, but also from one women to another.
To me bellydance is not about being perfect, it its about expressing yourself to the best of your ability.
This is the oldest dance form in the world. It has been passed down from mother to daughter for centuries. I thank all the
ladies from the Middle East for this wonderful art form.
E-mail: mary-quist@hotmail.co.uk
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