The Belly Dance

Katia	Fred

Katia: OK.

Todd: So, first can you explain where your dance school is and what it is?

Fred: OK, Todd. Well, we have a school that's called International School of Dance, where we teach belly dance and Latin American dance, which mainly consists of Salsa, merengue, bachata, and it is located in Beppu, Japan.

Todd: So, when did you think of this idea for...?

Katia: We thought about it maybe a month, a month ago. Not long ago. Right the next day, or right away, Fred was already working on everything, so we just gave some e-mails, were doing this, and what about this, and so everything he started right away and we actually had an integration for the school maybe almost three weeks ago, and since we opened the following day we already are teaching.

Todd: Already.

Fred: So, we have something close to twenty students in three weeks of the school opening.

Todd: That's pretty fast.

Fred: Yeah. It is very, very fast.

Katia: Yes. I think we are surprised.

Todd: So, why did you choose those two dances: belly dance, right, and salsa?

Katia: I think mainly because this is what people are interested in right now and it's something that a lot of people can learn and it's popular and of course I can teach this kind of dance so of course.

Todd: So, you're saying that belly dance is popular?

Katia: Yes, it is. Yes, it is.

Todd: I had no idea.

Katia: It's very popular, and especially around women. It's something that gives a certain feeling to the woman so it's of course you workout. You use your body movements, but also there's a special feeling about doing belly dance so it's popular.

Todd: Could you kind of explain a little bit more? Like, what do you mean it has a special feeling? Like, this dance has special... I don't know, uses special muscles or...

Katia: No, not exactly like that. Of course the music has to do a lot with it. When you hear a Latin music, you feel different and you move different. When you hear Oriental music, then you have completely a different postureand for example, as a woman, you will tend to take a different posture. Your body will be different depending on the music. With belly dance, your body posture is very different, that for somehow, some reason... and maybe because of the history of belly dance, it's very related to femininity, being feminine and dancing.