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Business & Tech

The Great Escape: Shimmy, Shake and Take a Break

Smithtown belly dancers show you how to shake it on the house.

Your teens are holding a car wash at the high school Saturday. The grandparents volunteered to take the younger children to a movie Sunday afternoon. Your tweens take tap on Wednesday evening.  It’s your time. Take it.

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, maybe a whole lot easier.

 

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Who: The Ghada Girls

What: A complimentary belly dancing class

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Where: 86 Terry Road Smithtown, (located inside Empire Karate). 631-I-SHIMMY

When: Monday 7:30-8:30pm, Tuesday 6:00pm-7:00pm

Why: You won’t know unless you try it

Got an hour? Got a friend? Got a belly that needs some attention and motivation? Then head to the Ghada Girls, the belly dance troupe in Smithtown who is offering your first class free.

To most people belly dancing conjures up a picture of a sensual, elaborately dressed Middle Eastern women baring an exposed midriff. While this is mostly true, Kim (K’mika) Hernandez owner and operator of Ghada Girls and her dance partner (or more commonly referred to as her belly sister) Azzarah Andraya, who met up 12 years ago in a belly dancing class, say it is also a great low-impact core strengthening form of exercise that focuses on many different parts of the body.

 “Naturally the abdomen movement is most famous, however, isolation of arms and legs may also be employed,” says K’mika, from Coram, who started belly dancing when at the age of 41 her aching arthritic joints were in need of some type of therapy.

Belly dancing, she said, helped her feel better without feeling like she was exercising. Both women agree that any woman, regardless of age and size can take up and enjoy the many benefits of belly dancing. From posture improvement to increased flexibility to every mother’s most wanted need: stress relief.

Azzarah, who lives in Centereach, says,"there is something about putting on a jingling hip scarf and dancing around with a beautiful veil that although fun, has an amazing benefit of releasing those daily stresses of everyday life, including the normal motherhood stresses of just needing some time for yourself.”

The hour long class is for beginners and offers the use of props that include finger cymbals and hip scarves. K’mika, a breast cancer survivor, can provide child care when signing up and offers discounts to other breast cancer survivors.  K’mika added that she guarantees, “Anyone who takes a class with me will feel more like a woman, confident, in control of her body, mentally and emotionally…at any age!” 

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