Art in motion: Belly dancers performing Saturday at the fair

MONROE — Watching a Middle Eastern dance focusing on movements of the hips and torso inspired Shannon Seidelman to start belly dancing. That was more than 20 years ago.

“I saw some performers in Ann Arbor when I was younger and I kind of fell in love with it but never got around to it until after I had my daughter,” Shannon Seidelman said. “I’ve been dancing all my life, tap, jazz, ballet, Tahitian and Hawaiian, but belly dance was mesmerizing.”

The Monroe resident is part of Great Lakes Yoga and Dance (GLYD), a group scheduled to perform at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Monroe County Fair ’s free stage.

Siedelman started taking classes in 2003 in Toledo and has had different instructors over the years.

In 2013, the mother of two started performing professionally.

“Before that, I was taking classes from the different ladies and each one taught a different style,” she said. “There are a bunch of different belly style dances and you can fuse them together and make it your own. You have to listen to the music because there are certain kinds of dance that go with certain kinds of music.”

Research suggests the art of belly dancing originated in Egypt and there are several different styles. Saidi dance tends to be lively and energetic. Cabaret belly dancing is more controlled and refined.

“I kind of do a fusion. I like the cabaret but I also like the tribal,” Seidelman said.

American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dancing is usually performed in groups and uses finger cymbals called zils. Big flowers worn in a dancer's hair are called hair gardens.

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“ATS dance is more cues,” Seidelman said. “One person is the cue person and you watch their arm or their head or leg. It’s a cue for a certain combo so it’s not choreographed.”

When it comes to costumes, she makes her own and estimates having about 200 outfits along with 100 veils.

"A lot of the time you can go online and buy pieces and put them together," she said.

To hone her skills, she practices every day in her basement studio.

“Belly dancing is feminine and it empowers you,” Seidelman said. “It makes you feel like you have control of your body. I enjoy the different styles of dance. It makes me feel happy to be able to move like that and I enjoy the sisterhood of being with the other women.”

The 56-year-old is excited to be performing at the fair with GLYD.

Started in 2022 by Melissa Jackson of Monroe, they practice at GoMad Fitness in Monroe. Jackson also teaches belly dancing classes for beginners on Fridays and intermediate classes on Wednesdays.

Like Seidelman, Jackson has been belly dancing for more than 20 years.

“Performing at the fair for the first time was wonderful,” Melissa Jackson said. “It’s always the hottest time of the year during fair week and we didn’t know what to expect. We weren’t sure how we’d be received but we had fun with it.”

This year, the troupe will have 10 dancers performing multiple dances.

"The dancers of GLYD appreciate and are very excited to share their love for this style of dance at the Monroe County Fair," Jackson said in an email. "Every dance style has a dance dialect. Our dance dialect comes from FCBD (Fat Chance Belly Dance) style, global caravan and firefly dialect. We dance with many different types of props such as skirts, baskets, parasols, fan veils, finger cymbals and swords to name a few."

The costumes include 25 yard skirts, pantaloons, choli tops and decorated bras and belts.

"This type of costuming is flattering on all body shapes," Jackson said. "Since one of our goals is to promote self assurance and self worth, this costuming aids us in allowing all dancers to feel good about themselves.

“Belly dancing is freeing for everybody. Anybody can come and dance. It is open for any body type. When everybody is dancing, there’s an energy we share. If you’re having a bad day, it chases anything that happened that day away. It’s a wonderful, positive experience.”

More information about belly dancing and classes is available on the Great Lakes Yoga and Dance Facebook page.

— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Art in motion: Belly dancers performing Saturday at the fair