Fashion English

 

Belly Dancing – A New Fun Way to Keep Fit

舞出妳火辣曼妙的身材–中東肚皮舞

感謝詹景雯老師提供

 
 
 

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__Do you have trouble with your fat tummy? Are you envious of people with thin figures? Well, there is a fantastic way to trim your middle and reduce belly fat while having a bit of fun at the same time. Belly dancing has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way of keeping fit. To the majority of people, belly dancing conjures up images of Middle Eastern mystical women in sequin studded costumes undulating in a very alluring and sexy way. Belly dancing, however, is not just an art in itself. In fact, it is a healthy form of exercise that offers more health benefits than you can think of.

__Belly dancing is one of the oldest forms of dance with origins that can be traced back to ancient Middle Eastern, Oriental, and Arabic cultures. It started as an ancient ritual dance performed by women for fertility and childbirth. It was also used for celebrations such as the ‘coming of age’ when a young woman attained her first menstruation. The dancers were fully clothed in those days and wore only a simple cloth tied around their hips. It was only when Hollywood started including dancers in their movies that costumes became more glamorous. Sequined bra-tops and belts were worn, showing off the dancers’ bare midriffs and enabling the audience to see the dancers’ moves a lot better.

__Why is this particular dance fast becoming very popular? Mostly because belly dancing is a fun way to, not only meet new people, but to keep fit at the same time. Not only this, the costumes are feminine and really sexy, and you do not have to be pencil-thin to be able to participate.

Since belly dancing is focused on the movements of the hips and lower back, there lie the health benefits of performing this routine. Most people will experience problems with their hips and regions of the lower back as they get older. So exercising these areas can only do you good in later years. Besides, belly dancing provides a good cardiovascular workout. It can effectively help to increase the blood circulation in the pelvis minor while building the muscles of the lower abdomen. The aerobic element of the dance can also help to increase the metabolic rate. While you shake your belly playfully to the music’s rhythm and swing your hips to the beats and sounds of the Far East, you burn calories almost simultaneously. There is no better incentive to keep on belly dancing than seeing a change in your figure and feeling a lot healthier too. This is the reason why more and more women are taking up belly dancing as a way of keeping in shape. It allows you to explore your sensuality while having fun and staying fit.

__If you are looking for a great way to keep fit and are tired of working out at the gym or running mindlessly on the treadmill, then try getting some belly dancing exercise! Belly dancing usually requires continuous movement for at least 30 minutes. By incorporating belly dancing in your fitness regimen, you can actually control or lose weight together with a balanced diet. In addition to the physical benefits, you are going to really enjoy the clothing and accessories that go with it. What is more, while you dance to better abs, you enhance your natural sensuality. So go check out local dancers in your area right now. You will soon discover the joy of belly dancing, and how it enriches your life immeasurably. Most importantly, it will make you become a beautiful, more sensuous, and more confident woman!

 

 

 

I. Vocabulary

1. tummy (n.) 肚子,胃
2.
trim (v.) 削減,縮減;修剪;修整
3.
conjure up 使呈現於腦際(或眼簾);想起
4.
sequin (n.) (裝飾衣服的)圓形小金屬片
5.
costume (n.) 服裝,戲裝
6.
undulate (v.) (指表面)呈波浪形
7.
origin (n.) 起源;由來;起因
8.
trace back 追溯
9.
fertility (n.) 【生】繁殖力,生殖能力
10.
coming of age 成年,滿法定年齡
11.
menstruation (n.) 月經
12.
show off 賣弄;炫耀
13.
midriff (n.) 上腹部
14.
workout (n.) 運動,健身
15.
cardio-vascular (n.) 【醫】(病等)心血管的
16.
circulation (n.) 循環,環流;運行
17.
abdomen (n.) 腹,下腹;腹部 abdominal (adj.) 腹部的
18.
metabolic (adj.) 新陳代謝的 metabolism (n.) 新陳代謝

19. incentive (n.) 誘因;刺激;鼓勵;動機
20.
keep in shape 保持身體健康
21.
explore (v.) 探究,探索
22.
sensuality (n.) 肉感,性感;喜愛感官享受
23.
treadmill (n.) 跑步機
24.
incorporate (v.) 把...合併;使併入;包含;加上
25.
fit (adj.) 健康的;強健的 fitness (n.) 健康
26.
abs (n.) = abdominal muscles 腹部肌肉
27.
regimen (n.) 【醫】攝生;食物療法;養生法
28.
accessories (n.) 婦女飾品; 配件
29.
enhance (v.) 提高,增加
30.
sensuous (adj.) 感覺上的;依感官的;訴諸美感的

 

II. Comprehension Check: Figure out “True” or “False” for the following
statements. Write T for “True” or F for “False”.

______1. Belly dancing is an old form of dance that first started in the western world.
_____
2. In the old days, belly dancers wore skimpy, glamorous costumes while
performing this ancient ritual dance.
______3. As belly dancing exercise uses the big muscles of your body, it is a great
way for losing weight.
______4. Belly dancing was originally practiced in the Middle East to strengthen the
pelvic muscles used in childbirth.
______5. Belly dancing exercise will eventually help you get a lean figure, so you don’t need to worry about what you eat.