No ideas for you, just a {{hug}}. Hoping you get back in the swing of things soon.

And be kind to yourself, it will come back to you but could take a little time. Patience. :)

I've had several injuries where I've had to be out of class for several months at a time. When I go back, I take a beginning class, in addition to my regular classes. I've found this helps build strength and get me back on track with what my body should be doing. Also, it helps me not feel that bad about not being able to do everything my regular class is doing -- reminds me that once I work back to it, I'll be able to do it again.

I completely understand! I am starting to get back into it myself after being out of it for a few years, and it can be very difficult feeling motivated again. Between trying to finish school and working, and the stress that comes from that, I often feel like I just don't have the energy to practice. Plus, I hadn't found a new teacher to dance with after I moved back to my home town. When I finally started practicing again, I just put on some music that I used to dance to and I went back to practicing the basics. I always liked how one of my old teachers used to warm up, and I just started doing that. I sort of felt like it was like riding a bicycle, in as far as I remembered how to do the moves, but I felt like my body wasn't as strong as it was when I was dancing a lot. It felt like my locks weren't as sharp, and my movements not as defined, as before. Luckily, there is such a thing as muscle memory, and I slowly started feeling it come back again the more I danced. One thing I was surprised at was that I could still play finger cymbals like I did before. I hadn't lost that even though I hadn't played them in several years. Now I am just wanting to learn even more patterns. Oh, and I don't think there's anything wrong with starting back with beginner classes! I always start with beginner classes when I start up with a new teacher just because I am not familiar with their style (one of my teachers used to say it was a respect thing, if nothing else). I don't think it ever hurts to go back to the basics, either. There's no such thing as too much practice! :)

So, I would say put on some music that you really love and that moves you, and just do what comes naturally. That's what I've been doing. I find that putting on a piece of music that I absolutely love helps motivate me.

think of what got you hooked on bellydance, maybe there was a specific dancer you saw and said "i have to try that!" or something like that, watching a little youtube in that vein might be helpful ^_^ have fun! welcome back!

When I really don't feel like dancing I pull out a pair of melodias or something nicer to work out in and do my make up all up- not full blown, but usually some fun stuff to practice w/ make up and to feel more dancer-ish. and I always put on arm cuffs and like little glovies (I'm more goth/tribal) so those really make me feel more dancerish and inispired.

Past that music always helps me. I flip through youtube and find a genera of dancer that has a great peice of music then try to find it and put my own take on it. Lol at this point the people at my gym where I practice probably think I'm a voodoo killer type person since I show up to work out about a third of the time w/ full blown eye make up. LOl I get depressed easily about my 'lack of progress' so I find it really helps me out.

=) I hope you find your happy place for dancing. You will turn around quickly! *hugs*

One thing that you might do...conditioning exercises specifically geared towards developing the muscle control and development that are used with dance...we're doing a session of this in our classes this time and it's really helping me to isolate and strengthen those muscles...

Anybody got any good DVD recs? I've got oodles of notes, but don't think my instructor would appreciate my posting them outside the group.

Firecracker! Firecracker! Sis-boom-bah! Kelly! Kelly! Kelly! Kelly! Rah! Rah! Rah! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KELLY!!!

Hope that helps! :)

Hi Kelly,

Your body will remember. I don't think the body every forgets the movements we learn in dance.
Example: i JUST started dancing again after a 25 YEAR break. I still know all the moves I learned back then, they are just harder for me to execute now until my body gets used to moving like this again.
How long did you dance before you took your break?