Jahanara, USA

How did you hear about World Belly Dance and what inspired you to participate?

Another Belly Dance link/resource, but I forget which one. Idaho is a particularly homogeneous, conservative state, with not much diversity and particularly little exposure to Belly Dance, so the myths and misperceptions run rampant here. Belly Dance is a beautiful art and social event, created by and for the women, which is so much more empowering than believing it's about the men.

What does Belly Dance mean for you?

Belly Dance for me is an art, a way to express myself, a fun way to exercise, and a fun way to unwind after a day of being a full-time homemaker (a time to focus on myself and my art - a moving meditation).

What message about Belly Dance would you like to send to those that have not started dancing yet?

Belly Dance is an incredible workout, challenging muscles you didn't know existed, and much more fun than traditional exercise. Plus, you get to wear much more flattering outfits than lycra and spandex!

I am a full-time homemaker and mom to Ian - age 6, and Erin - age 4. Before that, I was a secretary for the Idaho Legislature, and, before that, a high school English teacher (I burned out on the politics, not the teaching). Almost all of my interests and hobbies revolve around teaching (Belly Dance, World Religions, 4-H leader for a Cloverbuds 4-H club). I've been a member of the Baha'i Faith for almost 18 years, after an independent investigation of Truth, and I sometimes fill in teaching Children's Class (for the younger kids) when the regular teacher is out of town. I first discovered my love for teaching as a tutor at a college tutoring program. I love helping people learn more about the world and about themselves.

Another hobby is fitness and nutrition. My mom was a Home Economics Teacher, so the interest in nutrition came from her. The interest in fitness came later in life, after recovery from a brain injury contributed to a lot of weight gain (note - the doctors want you to eventually stop the 4000 calorie a day diet during recovery!). Because of my injury, from a roller blading accident, I'm also passionate about increasing awareness of brain injury prevention by wearing helmets. There is no cure for brain injury, only prevention! Every fifteen seconds, someone in the U.S. has a traumatic brain injury. Nine out of ten will die. The one who survives has a high chance of having a permanent disability.

My husband and I have been married for almost 19 years. He is a software engineer who works in the IT Department of a local hospital. We were penpals for two years, before ending up at the same college and starting to date. The foundation of friendship, I think, has helped us stay married for so long.

Jahanara