# Belly Dancing for Fitness or Fun?

- Link: https://bethebetty.com/belly-dancing-for-fitness/
- Published: 2015-09-12T03:18:00-05:00
- Author: Bonnie Beta

## Shake Ya Body like a Belly Dancer

First of, let me say that as much as I LOVE belly dancing, it will not help you 
lose weight or get in shape unless you are such a couch potato that you never move.
Ever. I bought into the hype that you can get in shape by swaying your hips. You
can’t. There are exercise tapes with a belly dance inspired theme, and those may
work if you include them in with a regular cardiovascular routine. But if you just
do belly dance class once a week or do belly dance [instructional](https://bethebetty.com/carmen-electra-aerobic-striptease-workout/)
tapes, do them for fun, not for fitness.

### Belly Dancing for Fitness? Probably Not.

![BELLY-DANCING-What-my-students-think-I-do-What-men-think-I-do-meme](https://i0.
wp.com/bethebetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/frabz-belly-dancing-what-my-students-
think-i-do-what-men-think-i-do-wh-0c2472-e1785963466903.jpg?w=400&ssl=1)

So first decide if you are a belly dance purist, and only want instruction, OR if
you want belly dance inspired exercise. We’ll start there first:

_**Belly Dance Inspired Fitness**_

[**Discover Belly Dance** **with Veena & Neena**](https://amzn.to/4qrbqO4)

Veena & Neena are very likeable, despite the whole “Belly Twins” thing.

![veena and neena](https://i0.wp.com/bethebetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/veena-
and-neena.jpg?resize=374%2C475&ssl=1)

They have about 10 tapes. Some are Belly Dance instructional and some are more fitness
geared.
 My first introduction to Belly Dance was their Fat Burning tape. This tape
in particular is NOTHING like belly dance at all. I don’t suggest you get this tape
if you want a taste of Belly Dance. The moves are nothing like a belly dance class
and if you have weak shins, you will not make it through this tape. But the other
ones are pretty good.

![rania](https://i0.wp.com/bethebetty.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/rania.jpg?resize
=317%2C500&ssl=1)

[**Belly Dance Fitness** **with** **Rania Bosonis**](https://amzn.to/4imnheg)

Rania may not be the greatest fitness [instructor](https://bethebetty.com/the-art-of-exotic-dance/),
but she is a wonderful dancer. Each of her tapes and DVDs includes one of her performances
at the end. She is fantastic to watch. Rania has lots of other performance tapes
that are worth getting if you are interested in belly dancing.

![Dolphina goddess workout Be the Betty](https://i0.wp.com/bethebetty.com/wp-content/
uploads/2015/08/dolphina.jpg?resize=261%2C475&ssl=1)

**[Dolphina’s Goddess Workout](https://amzn.to/4xfvm9t)**

At first watching, I didn’t like this southern Californian blonde, Enya listening,
meditating, tree hugging, charka talking freak. But she changed my mind. She’s nice
to look at, but beware of the camera shots in the first workout. The camera man 
is so fixated with this woman that he forgets to film the actually moves! Most of
the time it is a close-up of her face or her stomach. Get a grip, guy.  The second
workout is much more professional and clean looking. I like them both and I dare
say it does feel like a workout.

PSA: I magically ended up pregnant while taking Belly Dancing classes. You’ve been
warned.

_Say tuned for part 2!_

![Vintage pinup drawing of bellydancer](https://i0.wp.com/bethebetty.com/wp-content/
uploads/2015/09/bellydancer.jpg?resize=358%2C480&ssl=1)

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