Cross Training = Belly Dance

Confession Time:
Sooooo.... I didn't work out this weekend. At least, not as usual from my schedule. Instead I was hired (along with two of my friends) to belly dance (yes, I am a belly dancer) at a new science fiction/ fantasy convention called In-CON-ceivable in North Hampton Massachusetts. I did my usual workout plus an additional short 3.5 mile run on Friday with Kiwii. But besides that, belly rolls, walking around, and dancing my butt off was my workout routine for the weekend. I feel a bit guilty about skipping my last workout weekend before the big VA race, but I barely got 4 - 5 hours of sleep a night due to all of the convention activity, there was no way to fit in any more than I already did.


BELLYDANCE?
Yes, belly dance. I started belly dancing almost 4 years ago now, while I was an undergraduate student at Clarkson. I fell in love with it and have been dancing ever since. When I dance I feel beautiful, powerful, and I just pour my emotion into my movements. I get lost in the music and just have a blast. It is a great way to stay in shape, work on your core, and have a great time doing do.

InCONceivable:
This new convention was awesome. We danced in two shows and I rocked two (and a half) costumes all weekend. I danced as the TARDIS (I am a HUGE Doctor Who fan), and also wore a Doctor Horrible costume as well. I met a ton of amazing new people, showed people the fun art of belly dance and got to hang out among my fellow nerds while catching up with my best friend.

I AM the Trifecta!
Belly dance (as you can imagine) is very exposing, not only physically (with your arms & midsection showing), but also emotionally with your movements and dance choreography. I have gotten much more confident in my body and my dancing this past year, but nothing compares with the response I got from the crowd. I was cheered for (and at), complimented gratuitously, and many people had lengthy discussions with me.

It was during one of these conversations where my confidence skyrocketed. I was discussing medical advances with some people who had seen my show and wanted to know more about me. One of the people watching (who happened to be an actor from StarTrek!) said "wow, you are smart, tallented, and beautiful, are you althetic? If so, you are the trifecta: the perfect woman I have been looking for my whole life!" To which I lit up, and flashed my thigh to reveal my Spartan race shorts and replied "I am a rep for the obstacle course racing series Spartan Races and I am a rock wall instructor". This weekend was a win. I have been so hard working at the gym I forgot how I am not only strong, but beautiful, and smart as well.

I kept on getting photos taken of me left and right: I felt strong, beautiful, and just simply amazing. I was actually so popular that the Doctor Who Club didn't start their photo shoot until I showed up. I am their groups' profile picture on Facebook!

Spartan Chicks:
Remember, we are strong, but we are also beautiful and amazing. Don't ever forget: you ARE the trifecta!

What types of unconventional cross fit do you do?