Maya Dance Company's 21 Day Challenge

Earlier today I saw Maya Dance Company's 21 Day Challenge and decided it was the perfect way for me to get back into the swing of blogging

While I won't be doing a video, well maybe for some of them, I will be writing and posting a picture for 21 days.

I am Jessica & I am a Belly Dancer.

I started belly dancing in 2008 at Janka's Oriental Dance Studio. In 2009, I became one of Janka's teaching assistants and apprentice. This is where Melanie (my partner in shimmies) and I became close - she was the other assistant.

2010 saw a big change in me. I lost 25 kilograms (which I've picked up again), started teaching a gym class and a morning class at the studio, and danced in the International Oriental Dance Festival Gala with Janka's troupe, Evolution. I would say this was where I began to feel that belly dancing was more than just something I wanted to do. It's a passion that consumes every part of your body and infiltrates every aspect of your life.

Then I had my twins. I had to take a long "maternity leave" because the pregnancy was high risk and I managed to return when they were 7 months old (2012).

At the end of 2013, Janka gave Melanie and I the studio. It was renamed to Zahra's Oriental Dance Studio and has been getting stronger and more established each year.

I started this blog last year, to be part of my learning process and to connect with other belly dancers. I've also committed myself to traveling to events (money allowing - unless anyone wants to pay for me to come to their events and I'll blog about it *insert cheeky smiley face here) in order to learn, connect and become known in the community.

I tend towards strong fusion as my personal style, but I enjoy learning about and dancing (or trying to dance) Egyptian, Arabic pop, drum, shaabi and most recently tribal fusion.

So that's Jessica, the belly dancer, in a nutshell.