Hi, my name is TerriLynn and I’m a bellydance-aholic!
I first started bellydancing when a friend of mine from college asked
me to sign up for classes with her. We hadn’t been in touch for awhile,
so I thought it would be a great opportunity to reconnect with her.
Little did I know, she would be the one responsible for one of the
greatest things I’ve ever done in my life!
When the Strays asked their students to participate in an event
called Dancing On The Edge in May 2008, I thought, “Nah, there’s no way I
can get up and dance in front of people!” As much as I loved
bellydancing, I never thought I would perform. That was until a group
of girls from class who I became very close with, convinced me to do
it. “We get to dance the dance we love and dress up in all of our new
shiny, sparkly bellydance outfits,” they said. How can you say no to
that! But I convinced that I was going to be sick right up to the
second I went on stage. And the minute our performance was over, I
thought, “When can I do that again!” And that was the moment I knew I
was a bellydancer for life!
Bellydancing makes me feel alive! I’ve never had any sort of
training in dance and I’ve been clumsy all of my life. But once you
take the time to dedicate yourself to learning this beautiful dance, you
realize that anyone can do it! I love the way bellydancing makes me
feel and I’ve learned to become confident in myself as a dancer and as a
person.
On May 11th, 2009, those same girls who convinced me to do my first
performance and myself, officially became Neighbourhood Strays, after
being known as Baby Strays for 6 months. It was one of the happiest
moments of my life! I had admired the Strays from the minute I first
saw them perform as a troupe. They were beautiful, graceful, and
dignified and how I wanted to be like them! So to be asked to join this
amazing and inspiring group of women, was a dream come true! It is
truly an honor and a privilege to be a part of this troupe.
“To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.” ~Hopi Indian Saying
