By Christina Collins

Rock hard abs, muscled legs… Western sports place so much emphasis on keeping things tight and compact. In bellydancing, things are more chill. The focus is on using the torso and abdomen in graceful, fluid ways. Doesn’t sound rigorous to you? Meet Dina Le Duke, a professional belly dancer with ten years of experience in torso rotations, hip drops, shimmies, and backbends, and you’ll see what she has to show for it. Strong and elongated stomach muscles, increased flexibility, and boy can she work that hip scarf! Now, as the owner of The Dancing Gypsy Bellydance Boutique and Studio in Spencer, MA, Le Duke is getting other women fit, firm, and fluid too.

Since childhood, Le Duke has trained in ballet, jazz, and modern dance, but it wasn’t long before the stomach-oriented dance form became her passion. In November of 2008, she opened The Dancing Gypsy, offering a variety of energetic classes and workshops, ranging from Cabaret Bellydance to Gypsy Fusion Bellydance to “Tribal Fusion: Polish and Power.” The 2009 agenda includes Bollywood Fusion and even Sword Dancing!

In case you were wondering, Le Duke’s business name comes from her many years of playing a dancing gypsy character at Renaissance fairs, including, most recently, King Richard’s Fair in Carver, MA. “That’s how most people in the New England bellydance community know me,” she says with a wink. “As the dancing gypsy.”

Bellydance is like yoga. “It’s isometric exercise,” Le Duke explains. “It has an aerobic component as well, if you do it to fast music. But if you want to do things like backbends and torso rotations, flexibility is key.” Belly dancing strengthens your body in ways that other types of dance and sports do not. It elongates the muscles in the torso and abdomen and strengthens the core without adding bulk. And ladies, there is another benefit. “You get amazingly strong abdominal and pelvic muscle control if you practice bellydance for a long time, and many bellydancers report having an easier time giving birth because of their conditioning.” Forget the Lamaze class—take bellydancing!

Le Duke’s biggest pet peeve is the common tendency to associate bellydancing with stripping. “It is a sensual art form, yes,” Le Duke admits. “And some people exploit the sensual aspect to extremes. But bellydance began as a folk dance, and to this day it remains so in its countries of origin.” In 21st century America, it has become particularly popular as a form of fitness. “You see bellydance everywhere,” Le Duke points out. “At fitness centers, yoga studios, dance schools, etc, and nobody’s getting naked in any of these places or reenacting scenes from ‘Girls Gone Wild.’”

The hip scarf is the only standard piece of equipment for bellydancing. “It helps accentuate the hip movements,” Le Duke says, adding that coins are optional if you want to jingle. The student age range at The Dancing Gyspsy is usually between twenty-one and fifty-five years old, but it can be done by women of almost any age. “I’ve even taught a few senior citizens in my time,” laughs Le Duke. “Some of those elderly ladies are really feisty and fun!” If you’d like to shimmy into shape, or just want to browse the boutique full of exotic jewelry, accessories, and costumes, check out The Dancing Gypsy on 117 Main Street in Spencer.

For more info, visit www.geocities.com/thedancing.gypsy or www.myspace.com/thedancinggypsy.