Baubo Belly Dancing News Stories

How Belly Dancing Cured My Back Pain

Take It Easy--22nd of August 2004

Back sufferer Guinevere Clark, 30, from Pembrokeshire, danced her way to a new career and a new life...

"My back problems started when I was a student nurse, about 12 years ago. I was training at Charing Cross Hospital, London, and a lot of my work involved lifting, pushing and pulling heavy beds or patients. I'm only 5ft 1 and my back started to ache, especially on 12 hour shifts.

After two years of nursing. I was in constant pain. I'd have to take pain killers before and during a shift and some days I'd be in so much agony I couldn't even lift a kettle, let alone a patient.

One day in 1994 I was looking through a listings magazine and saw an ad for bellydancing lessons. I knew any from of gentle activity which encourages fluid to move round the joints would help my back.

I was bored of the gym, and hated the chlorine in swimming pools so decided to give it a go. My first class at Danceworks lasted an hour. The class was split between raw beginners like me, and women who were more advanced.

As I watched them spin round in their long flowing skirts and tinkling coin belts, I coudn't wait to get started and the class flew by. I learnt some basic moves and by the end of the class I was exhausted. Belly dancing really pushes your body to the limit, it's a great form of exercise.

After a few weeks I noticed the difference in my back. I felt stronger at work and had stopped taking the tablets. It was amazing. Around the same time I decided to quit nursing and do a drama and theatre degree at Manchester Metropolitan University. Even though the belly dancing had worked wonders I knew if I stayed in nursing I'd end up doing myself permanent damage.

All through my course I practiced dancing at home. As well as being great fun and brilliant for my back, belly dancing was a great way to unwind after a hard day at university.

I decided to make belly dancing my business a few months ago. I opened up a shop in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. The Shimmy Shop sells belts, music and anything else you might need to get started.

I also run adults and children's belly dance classes and and I have about 80 students. In my spare time I dance at weddings and birthdays. People love a 'bellygram' and I can earn about £60 for half an hour.

I love my job and it's great fun, but the best thing about it is that it's made my bad back dissapear, and lots of my clients say the same thing."