I started training in Classical Ballet when I was quite young.
Although the Navy kept us moving, my mother always found a studio
for me to attend. I thought I had a promising dance career ahead of
me when, at the age of 15, I came down with a strange disease. This
disease brought on fatigue, pain in my joints and muscles, as well
as depression. Most people would now recognize the symptoms of
Fibromyalgia, but in the early 70's it was ignored. As the pain in
my joints got worse I had to stop dancing Ballet. I did Square Dance
for several years, which is where I met my husband.
Being creative was still very important to me. My mother was an
artist, painting in many different mediums. It was from her that I
got most of my creativity. Dancing was out of my life (or so I
thought) but I still felt the urge to create. After attending a
basket weaving workshop I felt as though I had found a new lease on
my creativity. For 16 years I wove and sold baskets under the
business name "Butler's Baskets". I had to stop weaving, for the
most part, around 1998. The death of both my parents had made my
disease worse, to the point where I could not work at all. It was
just a few years later that I met Jeylan, who taught me that Belly
Dancing could be done in a soft, easy way. She taught this way
because she too had Fibromyalgia. I will always be grateful to her
for bringing dance back into my life. It was though her that I met
our wonderful Tribal Teacher
Aela Badiana.
What can I say about Urban Tribal dancing? It's sensual, it's belly
dancing with an attitude, wonderful and fun. Having sat for several
years feeling emotionally drained, and physically miserable I feel
as though I have found a new life, as well as a wonderful group of
women to dance with.
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