The class is aimed at any woman who wants to take part in a fun and stress relieving exercise.

 

Laura Armstrong has been teaching belly dancing for three years, and first brought her class to Tempo in 2013, before moving her class to Lisnaskea in September.

 

“Middle Eastern dance provides a fantastic, low-impact workout, which is particularly good for older ladies or anyone with joint problems. It is also a great fun way to exercise with other ladies in a relaxed and friendly environment.

 

With us all having such busy lives nowadays I find that is the most effective way to do it and as we continually revise both technique and choreography it is not a problem to join at any week,” said Laura Armstrong.

 

Laura got involved with dancing over ten years ago but it was the music and dance of the Middle East that really caught her imagination.

 

“I started going to Middle Eastern dance classes in 2005. I absolutely fell in love with the music and the beautiful and the feminine movements. As my love for this dance form developed I started to attend weekend workshops in England and then in 2009,

 

I went on my first ever dance orientated holiday to Cairo where I got to take lessons from some of the most respected Egyptian teachers.

 

 When I returned home to Fermanagh in 2011, I couldn’t find any classes but luckily managed to find some ladies practising this dance form in Belfast and Sligo. I then started a beginner class in Tempo in 2013. I have just started in Lisnaskea this

September.”

 

While the ladies who attend the classes have fun, they are also reaping the benefits of regular exercise in a fun and unusual way. It is a form of dance that suits ladies of all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels.

 

“The class begins with a work out before working on a selected move, breaking down the technique required finally we work on a fun and easy choreography to a piece of music. It is a fantastic boost for mental health in that the music and the fun nature of the dance gives you that feel good factor and the beautiful movements encourage women to feel good about themselves and this increases self-esteem greatly. 

 

There is also a huge list of physical health benefits including improved muscle strength, improved flexibility, better memory, improved digestion, improved posture, and strengthening of the back.

 

“There is no need to expose your tummy or feel any pressure to perform, this is simply a wonderful, joyful form of exercise that allows us ladies to indulge our femininity and have a bit of fun,” added Laura. 

 

The classes run every Tuesday evening from 7pm to 8pm and costs £5 and any woman is welcome to come along.