With all the new exercise programs featured at local gyms and athletic clubs, there?s one that, according to our experts, has been around since the dawn of time. Charm sat down with two local belly dance instructors to learn more about this workout craze.

Not what some may think

Melodee Hughey always saw belly dancing as a "hoochie mama's" dance. A self-proclaimed dancing snob, Melodee couldn't see how anyone could call belly dance an art form. It wasn't until she put on her first pair of finger zills and whirled her first veil over her head that she realized just what belly dance was all about.

That was years ago. Now Melodee prefers to go by her stage name, Damiana, or Dami for short. After studying belly dance for many years, she has opened Harvest Moon Belly Dance Studio in Longview, where she teaches women of all ages and stages the art of the dance.

"It's a paradox of femininity and physical strength," Dami said. "It was born as a spiritual and physical preparation for childbirth. It's dance, it's art, it's female, it's motherhood."

In the beginning

"A long time ago, when there wasn't a TV to watch or a stereo to listen to, people entertained each other with dance and music," said Debbie Anderson, or Eraday, a belly dance instructor for Longview Parks and Recreation. "The women would get together and dance with each other, and the older ones would teach the younger ones how to tone their bodies in preparation for childbirth."

The toned abdominal muscles and natural hip tucks, which are similar to the "pelvic rocks" taught during prenatal classes, teach the expectant mother how to move her pelvis to help the baby work his or her way out during childbirth.

"For women, these moves are very natural and beneficial," Dami said. "And the cool thing is, any woman can do it. It's unbelievable the wide range of women who come to dance — young, old, short, tall, skinny, big, medical techs to nail techs, doctors to waitresses. They're all belly dancers."

Other benefits

Aside from prenatal benefits that can be traced back years and years, belly dancing has many other health and fitness perks.

"Belly dancing isn't only a beautiful dance, it's also a fun and intense exercise," Dami said.

Stronger bones Dance or exercise that involves frequently switching from one foot to another can help build stronger bones and joints, which could prevent or slow bone loss.

Better posture It increases the muscle strength in your lower back, abdomen and legs, which will strengthen your postural muscles, resulting in less back pain.

Tighter muscles Of course you?ll tone your midsection with all the hip thrusts and undulations, but there?s more! Belly dance is a full-body workout that tones and shapes the upper body, obliques, glutes, calves and quadriceps, just to name a few areas.

Weight loss Depending on the intensity of the dance you?re performing, belly dance can burn between 300 and 400 calories per hour.

Digestion Once you learn the moves, you?ll see that you?re actually massaging your muscles from the inside. While exercising your ab area through belly rolls and undulations, you?re helping food move along the digestive system.

Firmer arms Belly dancing requires you to hold your arms up for long periods of time, and it takes quite a lot of strength to perform arm movements slowly and gracefully ... especially while you?re flying your veils overhead or twirling your cane by your side