Exotic Eastern music filled the air of McCormick Auditorium at Norris University Center on Wednesday night. Five women wore skirts with gold coins that jangled as they danced. They tapped their finger cymbals together in rhythm and swung their hips gracefully.
This is a typical scene at Gwyn Aubrey’s intermediate oriental dance class, a Norris Mini Course. Oriental dancing, or belly dancing, as it is commonly known to Westerners, has enjoyed a surging popularity in the United States and in the Chicago area for the last several years.
At the Levy Senior Center, 300 Dodge Ave., Ami Isset also teaches oriental dance classes on Thursday nights. Isset’s classes boast enrollments as high as 25 students at a time, with students in their 20s and even into their 50s.
Aubrey noted that oriental dance lost popularity during the 1980s and 1990s but the trend has been revived in the past few years.
According to Chris Tondini, the coordinator for Norris Mini Courses, the enrollment in both beginner and intermediate level oriental dance classes has been “bigger than ever” this year, with 15 in the beginner course and six in the intermediate course.
In the past, the intermediate course has been cancelled due to lack of interest, but this year it is being offered once again because of increased student demand.
Aubrey has seen the popularity of the dance rise during her past five years of instruction.
She first learned the art nine years ago while working as a librarian at the University of Chicago. This new activity “opened up a whole new world for me,” she said.
Aubrey said it is important to practice oriental dance for the sake of preserving cultural identity. Because of the political instability in the Middle East and Asia, “oriental dances are not being done in the countries of origin,” Aubrey said.
Isset agreed with Aubrey that dance is a form of personal expression.
“Movement is so important for a nice sense of self. Women feel free (here) and very in touch with their body as opposed to aerobics. It incorporates dance and a sensation of pleasure,” Isset said.
Chicago resident Anne Carnes started attending oriental dance lessons after taking Latin aerobics with her mother, in a class also taught by Isset. “She’s a wonderful teacher and the music is really wonderful and (the exercise is) not over-strenuous,” Carnes said.
Students have also responded enthusiastically since the belly dancing mini-course started about three weeks ago.
“(I would) definitely (recommend this to people who are) willing to try something non-conventional,” said SESP freshman Kate Schultz.
Oriental dancing courses are offered Wednesday nights from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for beginners and from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for intermediate-level dancers at Norris. The fee is $52.
Isset will begin teaching a six-week oriental dance session running from Nov. 10 to Dec. 22. The class is $39 and meets Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the Levy Senior Center.
Reach Andrea Castillo at [email protected].
