Tuesday 12 April 2016

RITAMBHARA SAHNI'S BATTLE WITH CHANGING THE VIEWPOINT OF BELLY DANCE.

 RITAMBHARA SAHNI’S 

BATTLE WITH CHANGING THE VIEWPOINT OF BELLY DANCE AS AN ART AND ALSO WITH LEARNING THE ART OF BELLY DANCE.

IN RITAMBHARA SAHNI’S WORDS……

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni
Ritambhara Sahni

Ritambhara Sahni director at Belly Dance Institute Mumbai
RITAMBHARA SAHNI


Belly Dance became my childhood dream when my mom, my brother and I were watching this movie at home calledFrom Russia With Love’. A James Bond classic which had a belly dance scene in it. The movie is a MUST WATCH everyone cause of this belly dance scene so please do watch the movie or you tube this scene in the movie. Here is the link to the scene.


 My family use to love watching James Bond movies and so I also got hooked then. Another James Bond movie that had a belly dance scene was this movie The Man W Bogarts Face’. However belly dance was portrayed in both these movies for the entertainment for Men. That actually dint bother me much, the moves made me go crazy. I was but of course mesmerized by the moves being a female and dancing professionally other free style dance forms even back then.

I expressed as a child to my mother who supported me and actually was the one who gave me several opportunities to perform professionally back then that I wanted to learn this beautiful art of belly dancing. But my mom like all other people back then said belly dancing surly looks great and beautiful as a dance art but is considered to be a dance form only for the entertainment for men. I was heartbroken but my heart would not agree that this dance form was considered bad and can only be for the entertainment for men.

With small arguments with my mother every now and then to learn this art I eventually gave up on convincing my mother but continued to secretly try the moves. My mother always supported me in learning each and every free style dance form and gave me several opportunities to perform. She was unaware like all others about what belly dance really is. She was also mesmerised by the moves and also wished it would not have been considered in this bad light.
As I would keep trying the moves secretly I did achieve some of them because of my strong roots in popping and locking and both these dance forms have similar elements. But some of the moves were just impossible.

My dream was a secret with me until Shakira came alive with her beautiful single ‘Wherever Whenever’ and changed the viewpoint of belly dance to a tremendous extent. I was then running my Institute Ritambhara Sahni’s Institute For the performing arts [RSIPA] which taught several free style dances. I started to get calls from people all over Mumbai enquiring if we teach belly dancing. My students kept asking again and again for me to teach them belly dancing. So something big had happened here, something what I always wanted, ---I wanted everyone to say that they wanted to learn belly dance. Because if people said so, they would not consider the dance form to be taboo. It was finally happening. The view point of belly dance was changing. Some people were reacting to it to be taboo but my people who understood the language of dance were all in to explore the art of belly dance. My dream finally was to become a reality.

My mother had expired way before a little after my childhood days. When I spoke to my father about the same my father completely encouraged me and said my mother would have also encouraged if she would have been alive as her viewpoint was only because she was unaware. With today’s changing viewpoint she would have been in complete favor of me belly dancing because my mother herself was fascinated with this dance art of belly dance. That’s when my father arranged for me to travel abroad to USA and Europe where we have our family as well to learn and explore this dance art.



I kept study this dance form making several trips abroad and continued to run my institute Ritambhara Sahni’s Institute For The Performing Arts[RSIPA] . Did hold short workshops and belly dance courses also in that time span I finally launched Belly dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni in 2005 and it has been going strong ever since and the viewpoint about belly dance I feel has almost reversed.

TO VIEW MY ARTICLE ON HOW I CREDITED SHAKIRA TO CHANGE THE VIEWPOINT OF BELLY DANCE ALL OVER THE WORLD IN HINDUSTAN TIMES ...CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK.


Ritambhara Sahni - Hindustan Times Article...

Also my interview is featured in the Afternoon Newspaper Dispatch and courier on how the stigma attached to belly dance is now a thing of the past . Happy day of my life to see me featured about this in the newspapers. Click on the following link.

Ritamhara Sahni - interview in Afternoon News Despatch and Courrier




Events by Ritambhara Sahni
HIP-NOSIS --- OUR GRAND EVENT


Belly Dance classes in mumbai by ritambhara sahni
OUR BELLY DANCE KHAR BATCH


Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni - Our Centers :

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - COLABA

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - BANDRA

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - KHAR


Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - ANDHERI

To know more on Belly Dance Institute Mumbai and Ritambhara Sahni - Do click on the following Links






You Tube - Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - Ritambhara Sahni

Ritambhara Belly Dance 

Ritambhara Belly Dance Classes in Mumbai - centers

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - COLABA

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - BANDRA

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - KHAR

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - ANDHERI

RITAMBHARA BELLY DANCE - NEWS CHANNELS

Ritambhara Sahni on Zee News

Ritambhara Sahni on Star News - Her interview on Star News When Katrina Kaif was injured

INDIA'S FIRST FLASH MOB - choregraphed by RITAMBHARA SAHNI

INDIA'S 1ST FLASH MOB by Ritambhara Sahni

RITAMBHARA SAHNI BELLY DANCE - TRAINING CELEBRITIES

Ritambhara Sahni trains Jacqueline Fernandes in Belly Dance and Tribal Belly Dance Fusion

RITAMBHARA SAHNI - PRESS

Ritambhara Sahni's Institute

Ritamhara Sahni - interview in Afternoon News Despatch and Courrier

Ritambhara Sahni of Belly Dance Institute Mumbai in Hindustan - Times - Mumbai's 1st belly dance show with 200 Indian belly Dancers

Ritambhara Sahni - Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - write up in idiva

Ritambhara Sahni in Bombay Times - interview on Sh'bam Fitness

BELLY DANCE INSTITUTE MUMBAI - PRESS
Belly Dance Your way to A Flat Stomach - write up in Bombay times

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai in Harmony Magazine - Senior Citizens Belly Dancing

BELLY DANCE INSTITUTE MUMBAI BY RITAMBHARA SAHNI - PRESS

Belly Dance and Garba in the Bombay Times - belly dance institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni - in DNA NEWS- Belly Dance in South Bombay

RITAMBHARA SAHNI BELLY DANCE INSTITUTE MUMBAI - PRESS

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni - interview in Afternoon News D & C

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai in Times Of India - Belly Dance Now Getting Popular in Weddings

Ritambhara Sahni - Bombay Times - Belly Dance Awareness

About Ritambhara Sahni and her Articles-click on the following links to read

Ritambhara Sahni's Institute







20 reasons to belly dance today by Ritambhara Sahni

7 Things About Your 1st Belly Dance Performance by Ritambhara Sahni

Belly Dance And its Health Benefits by Ritambhara Sahni

Belly Dance and Yoga - Interesting Article by Ritambhara Sahni

5 types of belly dance styles by Ritambhara Sahni

Ritambhara Sahni - A Brief Self Profile

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai Reviews

Click on the following links to view

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai Reviews

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai Review -- by student Purvi

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai Reviews - by student Dr. Suchitra

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai Review ---by Dr. Bela

Belly Dance Institute Mumbai reviews --- by Valencia

Ritambhara Sahni Review
Review by Students - click on the following links to read


Ritambhara Sahni Testimonial
Testimonial by Students - click on the following links to read

RITAMBHARA BELLY DANCE CLASSES IN MUMBAI

All The Information a Beginner needs to know

Our Beginner's Course at Belly Dance Institute Mumbai

Frequently Asked Questions by Students at Belly Dance Institute Mumbai


Some more Blog links to Ritambhara Sahni and Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni












Ritambhara Sahni on Belly Dance Belts , 

Accessories, Costumes and Props

Ritambhara Sahni -  Belly Dance Belts Mumbai



Ritambhara Belly Dance 

Ritambhara Belly Dance Classes in Mumbai 

- centers

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - COLABA

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - BANDRA

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - KHAR

Ritambhara Sahni Belly Dance Institute Mumbai - ANDHERI

INTERESTING - DID YOU KNOW
Ritambhara acted in T.V serials - here are a few links -

Ritambhara Sahni in TV serial - Thief Of Baghdad

Ritambhara Sahni in TV serial - Alif Laila - Scene 1






8 comments:

  1. This is a great belly dance school. A lot of my friends recommended that my sister join here who really wanted to learn belly dance for the longest time. My sister is really happy and she has won many prizes as well. Thanks to al your struggle to popularise belly dance in India. Just read your wonderful story so too the opportunity to write this. Thank you.

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  2. Wow ... A great story. the viewpoint of belly dance aha come a long way I agree. It has definitely changed over the years and in the right light. When I joined your institute there was no problem as I guess belly dance is telly well accepted these days. But yes I know about how it was earlier. It's great u popularised it nd brought it to Mumbai.

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  3. Ritambhara Sahni , I have been your belly dance student and been in your class for several years and I know how difficult it has been for you to change the viewpoint of belly dance. I remember once upon a time when you just started out , I remember one of the girls who had joint had created a big fuss at home to join the belly dance class that you conduct at bandra Mumbai. Though her mom had allowed her to join and came herself to pay the fees, she somehow created so many hurdles for that girl to attend the class even after paying the fees. She would come to pick her up early and would discourage her to stay at class. She would make excuses and not let her teenage daughter come for class simply because she looked at belly dance in a bad light. She could not hold herself back from paying for the love of her daughter but it took you so much to make her mother realize that belly dance is infact used for child birth practices and is a very sacred dance. I remember how you took time out and explained her the history of the dance and also told her how any dance can be presented in a bad light if need be. You also made her realize how unhappy her teenage daughter was with the restrictions on her after joining. Her mother finally realized the same and I guess that made all of us happy too. Its not just about you learning belly dance all over the world and teaching the females in your city and bringing belly dance to Mumbai, its also about how at each point it was difficult for you to explain the reality of belly dance to so many who were unaware and were a victim of such a similar situation. Salute you Ritambhara Sahni for your never dying spirit and the faith and love you have for this dance form – belly dance and also for your students. Belly dance institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni is my best dance class and according to me the best belly dance class Mumbai can have.

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  4. Ritambhara Sahni mam- great to learn about you here. I had wanted to learn belly dance in my teenage days and when I expressed to my family my father dint speak with me for a while and then explained me it’s a very bad dance and is done by women only for men. So same here, since my parents had created that impression and that’s really what I thought and believed until a few years ago. Have been reading articles on belly dance and also watching Shakira dance. Watching her was so amazing but I also use to think that its ok to belly dance abroad but in India it’s still taboo to belly dance but watching it is always an acceptance. Confused about accepting it and not wanting to do it at the same time made me talk about the subject with many people and everyone said the same thing that it’s so amazing to watch it but considered demeaning to actually learn or perform it. But on reading this, I feel good because I kinda always felt the same that this dance form is so mesmerizing to be considered bad. If I would learn this dance form I would actually feel proud of being a woman. So very happy reading this article and so very happy to know and read that it really has taken this long for belly dance to not only get accepted buy appreciated in such an overwhelming way. And so i have visited your classes and seen the positivity. Met the trainers and your place is amazing. Looking forward to be your student Ritambhara Sahni. Also have friends who are a part of your institute and they have wonderful things to say about you. You truly are a great motivator, I have been told. Im so glad you popularized belly dance in Mumbai. So I guess belly dance is and has been a dream which I was not aware of and I’m looking forward to fulfill my beautiful realization.

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  5. Ritambhara Sahni mam- i so agree with you and loved the fact that you created and launched belly dance institute Mumbai. Proud to say Mumbai's 1st ever belly dance class.. My review on belly dance and its view point from my point of view is that Belly Dancing is truly about being a woman, artful expression, and most importantly, technique! To further prove this, many dancers don't just use their bodies. They use props, like zills, canes, swords, wings, tamborines, fans, and even snakes! [learnt so many props from you mam] Looking at belly dancers all over the world i notice them in a different way as i have gained so much knowledge from you mam! I make sure to note her skill at working the cane, her percussive movements at the end as she skillfully keeps the drum in her drum solo, and no belly button! It's not considered proper ??? If a man is entertained in a wrong way by this simple display of skill an ability, then he is weird and has issues only God can help him with! I feel the whole, " Women are entertaining 'only men'!" thing is just a sorry excuse for men who would rather blame women than control themselves. I can think of all the men that have hit on me and whistled and hollered and honked and every other thing that desperate men do, and not once was I Belly Dancing! So yes Ritambhara Sahni mam this sure is a great great article and i loved every word of it. i have been your student for years and seen your struggle to bring belly dance to Mumbai and teach it to all your students who had dreams to learn it just like you. Belly dance institute Mumbai is heaven for me- my home.

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  6. The vibe of this belly dance class in Mumbai is just awesome. The skill levels are across the board, from a newbie in belly dance to advanced level belly dance students, and everyone is there to have fun at these belly dance classes in Mumbai - belly dance institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni. I've yet to feel judged or get self-conscious in Ritambhara Sahni mam's belly dance class. It's definitely my post-work midweek dance relief to get me to the weekend at the bandra khar center at belly dance institute Mumbai. This surly is an amazing belly dance class in Mumbai you don’t want to miss. Ritambhara Sahani mam is an extremely knowledgeable teacher, and she’s more than willing to help you with steps and variations. She also says that we as students should come to other centers and practice for adding more grace to our belly dance form.. I have practiced at all her centers be it Colaba, Bandra , Khar or Andheri. I would like to add in my review or testimonial here that It’s also a great cardio workout, and the students at Ritambhara Sahni's belly dance institute Mumbai are always fun and supportive. I would definitely recommend it to people of all skill levels, because the biggest element of this belly dance class in Mumbai is to enjoy yourself. I also am so passionate about my belly dance belt that i actually keep it safely in a pouch and keep it in my bag at all times. The moment i get a moment, i just grab my belly dance belt and start to belly dance. Belly dancing belts i feel make you happier belly daning in them as thats really how i feel. Also,Belly Dance Institute Mumbai recommends you to watch a video before you join that helps you know what you would acheive in one month with them and that really happens and they guarantee that as well. I have witnessed it with all the students here , no matter what age , shape and size. Belly Dance Institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni is the place to learn belly dance in Mumbai.

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  7. Amazing mam, Loved reading this. I am so proud to be a part of Belly Dance institute Mumbai and i would love to write my experience with you'll here in the form of my testimonial or a long review as i do see many reviews and testimonials of your students here. So i must say that I am really enjoying Belly Dance classes in Mumbai at Belly Dance institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni- Belly dancing has given me confidence, enjoyment, exercise to music and good company with a great teacher - Ritambhara Sahni. We learn such a variety of dances that the hour flies by. Ritambhara Sahni is a gifted teacher! Even when I felt totally dorky and inept, she somehow framed things in ways that made me feel capable. I was amazed at how I kept learning things without even knowing it was happening. I had to stop for a bit, but I am here to stay at belly dance institute Mumbai. Besides that, Ritambhara Sahani mam creates a real sense of sisterhood and it is heartwarming to be in her space and in her belly dance class in Mumbai. We laugh so much! And play and just enjoy being human together. In those first classes with Ritambhara's belly dance classes in Mumbai, I laughed at myself—a lot. After class, I couldn’t wait to go back! Class is always a blast. Nine months later, the physical, mental and social activity of dancing is the food that fuels everything else in my life. I am closer now to my own strength and grace. And yes, I am still laughing. In Ritambhara Sahni's belly dance classes, in fact we are all laughing and sharing and discovering our own skill and power and joy! One more new discovery and new found love is my belly dancing belt. Yes, not just me but we are insane about belly dancing with our belly dancing belts. Belly dance belts make you feel you are actually belly dancing. I am totally in love with my belly dance belt. As a part of Ritambhara Sahni's institute I learned that Belly dance is an art form, a true celebration of the human form. I have enjoyed so many beautiful connections with other dancers, and it has been a healing experience for me to be silly, play and just have fun! I have felt this at all her centers, be it Colaba, Bandra , Khar or Andheri. Dancing at Ritambhara Sahni's Belly Dance Institute Mumbai has given me a new outlook on living as a woman and honoring my body. I am so thankful to have the sisterhood and opportunity of expression that dancing at this belly dance class in Mumbai - belly dance institute Mumbai has given me.

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  8. Loved this . I love to read about you always mam. You are an inspiration and you inspire me in ways i would have never known. I am going to write here my experience with you and i hope a lot of people do read this as they have only to gain from you. So guys this is a testimonial from my side for my belly dance guru - Ritambhara Sahni and her institute - belly dance institute Mumbai. Belly dance institute Mumbai by Ritambhara Sahni is an important part of my life and Ritambhara Sahni has played a significant role in my life as not only a dance teacher but also as a sister and a role model. I'm glad my friends had joint her as they gave us the best reviews and testimonials on this institute and so i joint. Throughout the years that I had come to visit her at her belly dance class in Mumbai at Ritambhara Sahni's institute, she has maintained her vision for us as her students and has kept us focused. The love and compassion that exists in the relationship between Ritambhara Sahni and us, as her students, exceeds that of a student-teacher relationship. She is the perfect embodiment of a teacher: caring and compassionate, but at the same time strict to correct errors and set us on the correct path. Every year with Ritambhara Sahni mam -I come to visit her at her belly dance classes in Mumbai, our relationship grows and my love for her persists. She will forever be a person with a large impact on my life and a person whom I respect and care about. Not only me but whoever meets her after long , she treats them like family and we can attend at all her centers , be it colaba, bandra, khar and Andheri. Noone knows this but i must say here in my review that Ritambhara Sahni is extremely talented and she has been a powerful bridge between belly dance, so many other dance forms Yoga, and Martial Arts. She is just amazing at everything and i have learnt so much under her guidance at her belly dance institute Mumbai. Ritambhara Sahni is a complete artiste, deeply involved in her art. Much remains to be done by all of us to celebrate this great artist.Also, in my testimonial on Ritambhara Sahni belly dance institute Mumbai i have to say that I'm so glad we were able to see Ritambhara Sahni belly dance and perform. Her performance - it was beautiful. Ritambhara Belly Dance on her own is inspiring and magical. She glows and glows even more when she wears her belly dancing belt at class. Watching her belly dance i so wanted to have my own belly dance belt.We all wear our belly dance belts and have to practice our isolations with her. We all loved her isolations and our belly dance belts. Her movement with the music is fantastic and I love her, loved what she and we were doing. I could see the true emotion she was feeling for dance and the music when she was belly dancing. Ritambhara Sahani - she was dazzling! I enjoyed her beautiful shamadan piece so much at her performance! Wow, live flame, cymbals, and floorwork, plus that gorgeous gold paillette dress with her belly dancing belt on her waist. Ritambhara Sahni's belly dance institute Mumbai is the best belly dance class in Mumbai.

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