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Stories of Students

BodyWorks By Chandani
Middle Eastern Belly Dance
2250 Red Tide Rd Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451
(757) 313-8000

Over the past 3 years I have taught over 250 students from all over the Hampton Roads area.  I even have students from as far as Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and North Carolina.  Everyone of these women have touched my life and helped me grow as a person.  What I didn't expect was how much belly dancing and BodyWorks By Chandani has touched these women.  Each one of these women has a story to share.  Some of them have asked to share their experiences of belly dancing on this website.

"I started Middle Eastern dancing with Body Works by Chandani on a sort of whim. I was on the web one day and found her website. I was very impressed with its thoroughness and the fact that it is dynamic and updated regularly. I was also struck by her perceptiveness in noting that dance is something we can do as women to nurture ourselves. That was just what I had in mind.

I was not disappointed when I began attending classes. Chandani is a great teacher as well as a very talented dancer. She never makes anyone feel bad about themselves and she corrects people with subtlety and grace. She is very patient and intuitive and fosters a close relationship between her students, providing encouragement just when we need it most.

I was also astounded by the physical changes that came about in me. In the beginning, I was tired in class and definitely "felt the burn". My stomach has always been one of my problem areas and I never thought that middle eastern dance would change that. However, I have lost one dress size after eight weeks in the Beginner I class. All of this without dieting at all! I did not make a special effort to lose any weight. My clothes fit better, I have better posture, much improved confidence and a joy for life that is hard to explain.

I knew I was hooked the other day when I was teaching a class for a friend as a substitute teacher. I was nervous about facing a class of college freshman who were unmotivated to be there. Imagine my surprise when I realized I was ever so slightly doing a little hip shimmy as I listened to them answering questions. I don't think anyone noticed, but I sure did...my whole life is different and I can't say enough about it!

I'm in the Beginner II class now and I have made the commitment to make an effort with my eating habits to improve my physical changes even more."

Raquel R. (3/24/2003)

May this be the beginning of many, many successful years for you
in all of your endeavors. You are a wonderful teacher and a
delightfully awesome person. Your studio is like an oasis in this
hectic world and I look forward to classes every week.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!

Jo-Ann (5/1/2003)
 

When a friend asked me to come to the "open house" Bodyworks By Chandani was having, I wasn't really sure I wanted to go, but for my friend I went to lend her support at something I knew she loved.  By the end of the evening, I was up dancing with the rest of the women.  I realized that I was actually having a good time, laughing, smiling, dancing--things that I had not done for what seemed like ages.  I quickly wrote out the check for the beginner's class, because I know me and money, if I paid for it you better believe I was going to finish it. 

I began dancing in September last year and found myself falling in love.  I had been very depressed, overweight & tired all the time.  Tying my shoes was almost an impossible feat.  As the weeks flew by I learned new dances and new moves.  I found that I craved my class time.  I felt happier when I danced, more energetic and I started to lose weight.  It has helped me regain my life!  I have been dieting and eating right since then and because I have been dancing on top of that, I have lost 44lbs so far. 

I can't imagine where I would be today if Belly dancing had not become part of my life.  I realized that I needed something to motivate me and make me exercise without really feeling like it.  I have so much fun when I dance I don't even realize how hard I'm working! If you think you can't possibly do it, I invite you to give it one night and see what can happen!
 

Lauren Fry  (8/11/2003)
 

Dance is the way I relieve stress and boost my self-esteem. I have been dancing since age seven, and have participated in most of the standard disciplines: Tap, ballet, jazz, acrobatics, ballroom dancing, etc. Since childhood, I have been intrigued by belly dancing and have wanted to learn to belly dance, but have not had the opportunity (partially due to the undeserved negative connotation associated with the phrase “belly dancing” which made my parents a bit reluctant to let me try).

Fortunately, while surfing the net, I came across the belly-dancing studio where I am currently taking lessons.  Since joining, my experience has been phenomenal.  After a hard day of work in which I might have made some mistakes or experienced some stress, belly dancing has given me a fun activity that takes my mind off of the events of the day.  When I am focusing on the movements, which are so dissimilar to the movements of many of the styles of dance I have previously taken, my stress is relieved.  When I master a new step, the feelings of frustration and self-doubt that were caused by mistakes made during the day are forgotten and I am confident again. After an hour and a half of learning this mystifying discipline, I leave the studio with a rejuvenated soul and a sense of accomplishment.   

Julia (8/24/2003)

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