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Therapeutic belly dancing Could belly dancing become the newest trend for Shanghai hipsters? Anything's possible. If instructor Maggie Tsang has her way, at the very least, it will evolve into a therapy for women to relieve stress, writes Jin Haili It's hard to believe. While watching Maggie Tsang dance, you may just need a pinch to see if you are dreaming. Her body sways enchantingly to the rhythmic drumming.

The image fits alongside that of a genie ascending from a magic lantern. But, indeed, it's no dream, just regular Shanghai, not an exotic spot like Cairo or Beirut.

Tsang, 31, is a belly dancer -- a rare talent in the city. So much so that she established the city's first belly dancing class three months ago. Leaning casually on a soft cushion, Tsang, born in Taiwan but more recently lived in Hong Kong, takes a sip of iced lemon juice and says, ``Yes, belly, not ballet.'' Many people are initially confused by her profession. Tsang encourages people to dance, just dance -- whether it's learning to salsa, trying ballroom, jazz or even belly.

The key is to make an effort to learn the culture behind it. Especially belly dancing -- known for its high command of isolated body movements and sense of harmony, it is considered the world's oldest dance form dating back 3,000 years.

Her acquaintance with the dance isn't nearly so long, only going back five years when she was a saleswoman. ``The overall economy was gloomy in Hong Kong at that time and the requirements of my job put too much pressure on me,'' recalls Tsang. ``I had to find a way out.'' Though bound with a strong interest in dancing, Tsang admits she had ``two left feet'' in the beginning. She remembers being so bashful about her clumsiness that she preferred to hide in the corner of the classroom.

Today is a different story however. Even a Cairo businessman said she dances as well as an Egyptian after watching Tsang's Hong Kong performance. ``That's the highest award I've ever received other than a perfect figure and full confidence about my life,'' she smiles. After her move to Shanghai in January, Tsang, now work for a US-based trading company, thought her belly dancing era was over.

But, as so often in Shanghai, the city surprises with unexpected opportunity. One afternoon, Tsang was talking with her friend, Alyssa McBride, about where they could practice. From the United States, McBride has been learning belly dancing for more than three years. With a common hobby, the two have become good friends and they started meeting once a week to practice. As the weekly woman-only party started becoming routine, Tsang and McBride became discontent with the ``M-T'' union. ``Since we both benefit physically and mentally from the belly dance, we wanted to invite more women to join in,'' says McBride.

Though the two ambitious women hope to turn a hobby into a business, they admit it won't be easy. Finding a suitable venue has been the biggest problem. Spreading word and convincing young local women to try belly dancing is the other obstacle. ``We have contacted almost all the top gyms in the city,'' says Tsang. ``Unsure of the class' market potential, they expect too much in fees. We have had to lower our standards on the environment and location.'' Thankfully things have worked out. Investing her own savings, Tsang has set up a dancing class in the Arts Training Center of the Shanghai Opera House.

The course is 1,800 yuan (US$217) for 15 weekly classes -- each around one-and-a-half hours. So far, 12 students, mostly foreigners, have signed up for the classes. McBride acts as Tsang's substitute on occasion. Tsang's students are both surprised and happy to have found a belly dancing course available in Shanghai. Tara Benson, a 23-year-old product manager, has taken the class for only six weeks, but it's apparent that the American loves it. ``I feel like a true woman when I see myself dancing in the mirror,'' she says. ``Maggie is a terrific teacher and she's always patient to explain the skills and movements, which has helped me to progress quickly.''

Another student, Jimalyn Yao, a 14-year-old Los Angeles-based Chinese, who visited Shanghai during her summer holiday says, ``I read in a news magazine that belly dancing is the `new hip thing'.'' Though highly admired by her students, the instructor says that she has undergone a hard time at the very beginning of teaching. ``To teach dancing is totally different from dancing by yourself and you must care about each student,'' says Tsang. ``Whether they've had enough warming-up exercises or if they can catch up with the whole class. They remind me of the time when I was just entering the world of belly dancing and I know how they feel.''

Tsang and McBride have just signed a contract with The Westin Shanghai. The duo will dance every other Saturday at the hotel's buffet dinner. Tsang has also performed at the anniversary party of La Bella club. Tsang hopes to enlarge her class by encouraging more locals to join the fun. She believes one day the dance may become a source of therapy for women, allowing them to release the day's problems and worries. About Belly Dancing It is hard to say exactly when and where the belly dance started. But it definitely originated in the Middle East.

The term ``belly dance'' was first used by the French when they saw the undulations and the isolated movement of the abdominal region. In Arabic, the dance is called ``raqs sharqi'' or dance of the East. Its proper name is the Oriental dance.

Historically, Oriental dancing helped form a strong bond between women, who danced together at weddings and other family events or local festivals -- often in rooms separate from men, although that has changed in recent years. In every way, Arab people consider it in the same way Westerners think of the waltz and other dances -- a good, fun, social activity. In the ancient Middle East, the belly dance was first performed as a fertility ritual.

Essentially, the sisters of the women giving birth would help the mother-to-be by undulating and rolling their bodies in natural, curvy, snake-like movements. This would, supposedly, help the woman in labor by reminding her to relax the abdominal muscles. It is a dance as natural as breathing. Unfortunately, belly dancing has been mistakenly associated with seducing and entertaining men by Westerners since they first discovered it. And yes, guys can also belly dance.

It's not a gender thing. One of the big trends in Turkish nightclubs is to feature young, good-looking male belly dancers.

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