Sirocco Academy of Egyptian Dance
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"Really enjoyed my first experience of bellydancing. The class was great, enjoyed meeting new mums going through the same experience. Esther was a great teacher and made the course fun! Looking forward to participating in more BellyBabes classes!" M Tu
"All the way through labour I was swaying my hips during contractions like we did in class. It really helped. I'd definitely recommend belly dancing to help with labour it was great for the movements" (J.B)
"10/10. Favourite part was dancing with veil. Would recommend to others!" (Anon)
"Fab class and teacher :-)" (Anon)
"Used the moves taught throughout pregnancy, helped keep me fit and flexible. In latter stages helped create room for rapidly growing baby and helped me isolate parts of my body when I felt like a blob!
Was welcome to course postnatally, helped me through Caesarean section recovery and also to regain some body confidence.
Esther was a very encouraging and understanding teacher. The course was fun and inclusive for all levels of dance experience. Wish I had time to do more of it!" (Sinead H)
"I had a natural birth and I think all the moves you taught us were of great help to speed and ease the labour at home" (N.L)
"This is a friendly and fun class.. Esther explains and demonstrates movements really clearly and comes up with lots of alternatives if your range of motion is still restricted. It's great fun to learn some new moves and then practice them with a mini choreography and the relaxation period at the end is great for winding down". Heike A
Light-hearted 'dance' routine when two of our teachers were 8 months pregnant...
BellyBabes Antenatal & Postnatal Bellydance
BellyBabes is Sirocco Academy's new belly dance tuition specifically aimed for mums-to-be and new mums!
Developed by SAED teacher and former midwife Susanne our programmes are aimed to be both safe and effective for whatever stage of your motherhood journey you are at.
As featured by BBC Five Live!
Next Course Starts:
Bellybabes is on a short hiatus as Esther is currently having to juggle quite a few commitments! (However please ask about whether our regular classes may be suitable and feel free to ask to be added to mailing list for updates!)
BellyBabes Antenatal Bellydance Course
Course Teacher: Esther
Time and Location:
5.45-7.15pm
Wednesday Evening
Ullet Road Unitarian Church (Upstairs room, entrance on right of church)
57 Ullet Rd
Aigburth
Liverpool
L17 2AA
(Note location may move to mirrored studio on Dunbabin Rd, Childwall- L16 7QQ depending on numbers)
Course Fee:
£37.50 or £31.50 concession
(5 weeks)
Description:
Sometimes referred to as the 'birthing dance' within the West the gentle hip moves and postures in bellydance have been linked to helping women in antenatal preparation and in childbirth.
Apart from being fun and providing an opportunity to meet other expectant mothers, belly dance has specific benefits during pregnancy, including:
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Strengthening pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles and all those muscles used for giving birth
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Gentle stretching to aid comfort in final trimester
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Moves that may aid optimal foetal postioning, and help during labour
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Encouraging good posture and relieving pregnancy back pain
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Low impact exercise to maintain general fitness
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Relaxation and relieving stress
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Improving self-confidence and instilling joy.
Class Format:
Developed by our teachers Susanne (former midwife) and Esther (recent mother!) our classes are most suitable for a healthy pregnancy past 12 weeks. It doesn’t matter whether you have previous experience in belly dance or not. You don’t even have to be particularly fit or flexible. Moves are modified for whatever stage you are in your pregnancy.
The classes are structured as follows:
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Some gentle breathing exercises
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Warm up
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Belly dance moves and sequences
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Dance!
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Cool down with yoga stretches
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Relaxation
Note: Bellydance, like any other activity, is a fantastic form of exercise for mums-to-be when taught safely and effectively by knowledgable instructors. Our teachers who teach it have many years of professional bellydance experience. Our courses were developed by our teachers - one a former midwife and two with recent experience of being pregnant and bellydancing. It is important to check the credentials of any teacher offering this as part of any antenatal workout.
All our teachers are fully insured to teach pregnant women.
What you should bring to class:
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You should wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move. For example, stretchy leggings or other exercise clothing. Any comfortable top is suitable (you don’t need to have a bare belly unless you want to).
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A long scarf that you can wear around your hips (it doesn’t have to be a traditional belly dance scarf).
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Either be prepared to dance barefoot, or bring flexible gym slippers or similar. Dancing in socks is not recommended because you may slip.
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A yoga/pilates mat for the relaxation. You may also want to bring a little pillow and/or a blanket, if you want.
Important: You must consult your GP or midwife before beginning a new kind of exercise!
Travel Information
Plenty of on street parking around Ullet rd. Buses that travel down Ullet Road are 60, 75, 76, 80, 80A and 80E
Articles on the Benefits of Bellydance in Pregnancy and Motherhood
This article was written about our teacher Melanie about the joys of bellydance through pregnancy and beyond!
'Empowering embodiment through belly dancing in pregnancy: a phenomenological exploration' The Practicing Midwife (March, 2015).
"The findings suggest that pregnancy belly dancing provides an opportunity for women to celebrate their femininity and maternity through connecting with others, their bodies and their babies. Belly dance is shown to be a joyful, empowering activity, with potential for improving psychological well being during pregnancy”.
'Belly-dancing through pregnancy: a way to give birth and not be delivered'
"Belly-dancing is ideal for the body during pregnancy as it brings about relaxation, flexibility, and strength. Lifelong bad body posture can be changed and tension can be reduced. The pregnant woman can find more energy and harmony, which may have positive effects on pregnancy complaints. They may be alleviated or relieved altogether. Belly-dancing is part of an ancient female culture; here the circle closes when we combine belly-dancing with the upright birth positions dating back thousands of years. Even the ancient Egyptian hieroglyph depicting birth shows the pharaonic queen in an upright birth position".
For more information on belly dance in pregnancy check for example http://www.natural-pregnancy-midwife.com/belly-dancing-for-pregnancy.html