The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 13, 2006 - 33 Artscene Oakville Beaver · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2006 By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 2006 United Way of Oakville Campaign Total amount raised OUR GOAL $ 49% 2.25 million United Way For more info: 845-5571 Belly dancing is lively, fun and a good workout Oakville native to offer classes for beginners, advanced It's could be a first for Bronte. As owner and operator Joharah describes the new business on Lakeshore Rd., "it's like an exotic Sultan's tent," brightly decorated with pinks, blues, gems, jewels and lavish pillows. It's a place where women ­ and maybe men ­ will come to shimmy. But it's not your usual tap, ballet, modern or jazz ­ it's BellyUp BellyDance. "There's just so much interest for it," said Joharah, the Oakville native behind the new belly dancing studio. "The amount of buzz about this place has been quite something. I had a feeling it was going to be a good community for it," said the woman who offers up only a first name. Joharah, who has been studying the dance form for more than eight years, also teaches a class at a local health club, and judging by its success, the interest is there. "The class is just packed, and it's growing," she said, adding it's now more than 40 dancers strong. "Women just love to belly dance." And while many women and men may shy away from belly dancing because Hollywood movies portray it as a sexual, suggestive dance, Joharah says that's not the case. "Belly dancing has been given a bad rap. I hate it when people equate it to stripping and lap dancing. Belly dancing is extremely different. They say that it's the most ancient dance form." In fact, it began as a dance that "was done by women, for women in Islam," she said. "To entertain themselves, the women danced. It was a form of celebration, to have fun and pass the time. RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER DANCE FEVER: Joharah (she only goes by her first name) is opening a belly dancing studio in Bronte. The Oakville native said this form of dance offers a good workout and can build selfesteem. See Belly page 35