Stay Active Saturday - Dance, Dance, Dance

After over a decade of long-distance running and triathlons, I switched my focus several years ago to something drastically different - dance. Or to be more specific, bellydance. I'd never really given much though to it in the past, thinking that if you hadn't grown up dancing, it wasn't really something you could pick up as an adult. But after watching a friend who'd been dancing just a few years perform at a recital, I was so taken with it that I called to sign up for classes the next day.

Tonight, our studio is hosting our spring show, An Evening Unveiled. This month marks not only my fourth anniversary of dancing but also the third anniversary of my first time on stage. In the years that have passed, I have performed in numerous shows, at community events as part of the professional troupe Gypsy Sa'har and even for patrons at a local Greek restaurant.

The fact that dance is so different from anything I've done in the past is one of the things I love most about it. In addition to keeping me active, it's connected me with an amazing, supportive group of women and wonderful new friendships. It's also been an opportunity to show myself that I can do things I never imagined that I could.

It's been such a wonderful experience for me, that I'm thrilled that Little Sprout has also been enjoying dance. My experience has given me so much confidence in myself that I didn't have when I was younger, and I'm hoping that it will help her develop this at an earlier age. 

Have you ever tried something drastically different for staying active? I'd love to hear from everyone about what you do!!!