Comments on: Confronting The Wall of Mirrors http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/ Plus size women's clothes, plus size fashion, plus size style Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:46:23 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Corinna http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-2642 Corinna Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:46:23 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-2642 @Samina - Thank you so much for your comment! You have a great website for your dance classes and it sounds like you are a very supportive teacher. Your students are lucky to have you! @Samina – Thank you so much for your comment! You have a great website for your dance classes and it sounds like you are a very supportive teacher. Your students are lucky to have you!

]]> By: Samina http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-2641 Samina Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:06:50 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-2641 It is a shame that there continue to be dance teachers willing to put that so-called-ideal body-image ahead of the enjoyment of a dance student. (On a positive note, i know many ballet teachers who would not dream of doing such things to a child, or an adult). I am a bellydance teacher myself, and am so pleased you have discovered this dance form, which glorifies the female form in all it's various shapes and sizes. I had a similar experience as a young ballerina, after 10 years of studying and training, to be told that i am a lovely dancer, but with my body-shape, it was not going to be a career for me. After several years of not dancing (a teenage pout, i believe), i discovered bellydance and have never looked back. I now teach and perform on a regular basis, and no one has ever suggested to me that my body shape is anything other than perfectly suited to the form. :) That early disappointment has focussed my passion to ensure that no student in my class ever feels that their body will stop them from enjoying dance. It is such a wonderful thing to see a young teenage girl embrace her body, just as it is, and focus on what her body can do, and see the beauty in her movements. Even more delightful is seeing an adult overcome years of thinking she is "not good enough" to dance, to see her look in that wall of mirrors and know that she is absolutely divine. No doubt, you are the prettiest falling leaf in that class. Congratulations to you. :) It is a shame that there continue to be dance teachers willing to put that so-called-ideal body-image ahead of the enjoyment of a dance student. (On a positive note, i know many ballet teachers who would not dream of doing such things to a child, or an adult).

I am a bellydance teacher myself, and am so pleased you have discovered this dance form, which glorifies the female form in all it’s various shapes and sizes.

I had a similar experience as a young ballerina, after 10 years of studying and training, to be told that i am a lovely dancer, but with my body-shape, it was not going to be a career for me.

After several years of not dancing (a teenage pout, i believe), i discovered bellydance and have never looked back. I now teach and perform on a regular basis, and no one has ever suggested to me that my body shape is anything other than perfectly suited to the form. :)

That early disappointment has focussed my passion to ensure that no student in my class ever feels that their body will stop them from enjoying dance. It is such a wonderful thing to see a young teenage girl embrace her body, just as it is, and focus on what her body can do, and see the beauty in her movements.

Even more delightful is seeing an adult overcome years of thinking she is “not good enough” to dance, to see her look in that wall of mirrors and know that she is absolutely divine.

No doubt, you are the prettiest falling leaf in that class. Congratulations to you. :)

]]> By: Brianne http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-869 Brianne Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:43:16 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-869 I LOVE belly dance! It's so incredibly fun and it's for every shape of body! I particularly love this dancer: http://www.youtube.com/user/nikafeyrouz Anyway, I started taking classes about a year and a half ago and it's one of the best things I've done for myself. :D I LOVE belly dance! It’s so incredibly fun and it’s for every shape of body! I particularly love this dancer: http://www.youtube.com/user/nikafeyrouz Anyway, I started taking classes about a year and a half ago and it’s one of the best things I’ve done for myself. :D

]]> By: KathyB http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-827 KathyB Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:36:16 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-827 Oh, Corinna! This is so beautifully written and inspiring on so many levels. It makes me crazy angry that precious little Corinna was treated that way! And all of the other little ones who've had such negating and heart-wrenching experiences. How can people be so cruel!? I am inspired to defend the children and the adults who are targets of this sort of abuse. It thrills me to see you triumph over that -- with your dance, with standing up to your mother, and with your strength and love of yourself and your body. It elates me to see your experiences and passion touching and inspiring others. And I absolutely INSIST that you dance for me next time I see you -- wear your coins! Big fat hugs! Oh, Corinna! This is so beautifully written and inspiring on so many levels.

It makes me crazy angry that precious little Corinna was treated that way! And all of the other little ones who’ve had such negating and heart-wrenching experiences. How can people be so cruel!? I am inspired to defend the children and the adults who are targets of this sort of abuse.

It thrills me to see you triumph over that — with your dance, with standing up to your mother, and with your strength and love of yourself and your body.

It elates me to see your experiences and passion touching and inspiring others.

And I absolutely INSIST that you dance for me next time I see you — wear your coins!

Big fat hugs!

]]> By: Diana http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-818 Diana Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:59:06 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-818 I have loved bellydancing for more than 10 years, and I take a perverse pleasure in the thinner women who are new looking me up and down as though I'm mad - and then outdancing them all. Get your shake on, and love how it looks in the mirror. My mother had the same problem with me in gymnastics. It's a lot to recover from, but I've learned in my body that fat women can be as athletic, lovely and strong as their thinner counterparts. It seems so perverse that we're encouraged not to exercise if it's something we love doing. I have loved bellydancing for more than 10 years, and I take a perverse pleasure in the thinner women who are new looking me up and down as though I’m mad – and then outdancing them all. Get your shake on, and love how it looks in the mirror.

My mother had the same problem with me in gymnastics. It’s a lot to recover from, but I’ve learned in my body that fat women can be as athletic, lovely and strong as their thinner counterparts. It seems so perverse that we’re encouraged not to exercise if it’s something we love doing.

]]> By: Lorna http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-816 Lorna Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:26:09 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-816 WOW! Great and inspiring post. So sad that these negative messages can have such a huge impact on young lives. LOVE that you are dancing! WOW! Great and inspiring post. So sad that these negative messages can have such a huge impact on young lives. LOVE that you are dancing!

]]> By: Corinna http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-815 Corinna Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:02:33 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-815 @ pyewacketsid: Yes. That IS right. You are taking the class because dance is a great workout AND because it is fun. You said in your comment; "I thought I’d made peace with being as fat as I am, but apparently I have a ways to go. My reflection made me feel clumsy and uglier than I’ve felt in a long time. The mirrored wall in yoga didn’t do that — somehow this was different." I want to say (what is probably already obvious to you) that it isn't your reflection in the mirrored wall that "made" you feel clumsy and ugly. It is the way that we women doubt our attractiveness and this is something that all women have in common, no matter the size of our bodies. I have found that looking in the mirror at home and saying out loud the things that I find attractive about my body (not just my face) has been incredibly helpful in feeling pretty. And by the way, I do this naked. @ pyewacketsid: Yes. That IS right. You are taking the class because dance is a great workout AND because it is fun.

You said in your comment; “I thought I’d made peace with being as fat as I am, but apparently I have a ways to go. My reflection made me feel clumsy and uglier than I’ve felt in a long time. The mirrored wall in yoga didn’t do that — somehow this was different.”

I want to say (what is probably already obvious to you) that it isn’t your reflection in the mirrored wall that “made” you feel clumsy and ugly. It is the way that we women doubt our attractiveness and this is something that all women have in common, no matter the size of our bodies.

I have found that looking in the mirror at home and saying out loud the things that I find attractive about my body (not just my face) has been incredibly helpful in feeling pretty. And by the way, I do this naked.

]]> By: Wenzday http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-811 Wenzday Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:46:28 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-811 This brought tears to my eyes. The last sentence was so beautiful. This brought tears to my eyes. The last sentence was so beautiful.

]]> By: defiantcreatrix http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-810 defiantcreatrix Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:48:08 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-810 Ballet-for-kids should be outlawed. My ballet teacher took like, one look at clumsy me trying to dance, probably picking my nose or something (I was not a very girly little girl) and asked me to tell my mother I didn't like class and didn't want to come back. At the first class. I was five. Those women are ruthless, and I still don't dance. Ballet-for-kids should be outlawed. My ballet teacher took like, one look at clumsy me trying to dance, probably picking my nose or something (I was not a very girly little girl) and asked me to tell my mother I didn’t like class and didn’t want to come back. At the first class.

I was five.

Those women are ruthless, and I still don’t dance.

]]> By: Meryt Bast http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/comment-page-1/#comment-809 Meryt Bast Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:07:48 +0000 http://acelebrationofcurves.com/2009/03/31/confronting-the-wall-of-mirrors/#comment-809 I don't even know you, but I am so proud of you. Bellydancing is so much sexy fun. Enjoy it! I don’t even know you, but I am so proud of you. Bellydancing is so much sexy fun. Enjoy it!

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