Sisters woman finds expression

Aligning herself with a more harmonious and enlightened path, Jennifer Heiden Smith has taken an exotic direction in her life, one filled with the slow rhythms and hypnotic movements of the ancient art of bellydancing.

Dancing under the stage name Nalia, Smith teaches at COCC and performs at various events, fairs and functions in Central Oregon, entertaining and educating anyone fascinated with the mysterious traditions of one of the oldest artistic expressions known to man.

"Fifteen years ago I moved to Sisters from New York and took a bellydance class through COCC in Bend, and loved it," she said. "Little did I know I'd still be doing it years later."

Smith continued learning her craft, starting a troupe of dancers in Sisters in 1998 called Raqsafara, exhibiting her techniques at showcases and craft fairs in Bend. Her mother, Nikki Heiden, owns Ear Expressions here in Sisters, where she still works part-time in between brewing up batches of vivid veils.

"The number-one thing about bellydancing is that it's fun and it's also a great workout," she explained. "It's a chance to socialize and make a connection to an ancient culture, something that has been a living art form for centuries, going back to the beginnings of civilization."

One thing she emphasizes most is that it's much harder than it looks.

"In our culture we're so used to moving our body in a linear fashion and in belly-

dancing you're doing a lot of different, wiggly type of movements you don't normally do in daily life. It's great to strengthen your core muscles and your posture so you can gain a better rage of movement in your upper thighs and your hips. My kids love watching it too, they're pretty young, so it's normal to them. As far as they know, every mommy bellydances."

Another key aspect of bellydance is its ability to realign one's body image.

"We're all conditioned to believe we're not the right size or the right weight or the right shape, and the bellydancing community is very supportive of all body types and skill levels. It teaches you to have more respect for your own form and gain self-confidence in your appearance."

The transformative effect bellydancing has on women cannot be denied, according to Smith and countless other enthusiastic testimonies.

"Women sometimes feel they're too old to dance or too fat or say my belly can dance on its own," said Smith. "In bellydancing you get to dance with the body you have right now. You get to dance and feel beautiful and be appreciated by other dancers without any fear of criticism or judgment."

A new venture for Smith has been the exploration of a retail enterprise emerging from her dancing called Fancy Pants Belly Dance, hand-dying silks and supplies for use in the sport, hobby and industry.

"I have an art degree and thought I could make them better than what was offered on the market, so I started making dyed veils to give my students a good starter kit, with a hip scarf, finger cymbals and a silk veil," she said.

She uses acid dyes in all her colorful creations with a Japanese shibori technique, which is another word for tie-dye, employing binds and folds.

"I do the basic color and mix dyes and bind the silks and put them in a pot for up to an hour and keep it hot. A little vinegar acts as the acid. It creates different gradations of color so it's not one flat color. I love the texture."

When it cools she takes it out and rinses it and often, not completely satisfied by the hues, does it all again with a different color.

"I've painted a little bit and I love to draw, but my artistic sensibilities are so focused now," she said. "I fell in love with the silk material, it's so luscious and dreamy when it moves. What I've learned in art school I finally get to use. I'm doing meditation cushions as well as veils and smaller scarves."

There exists a very dynamic bellydancing community in Central Oregon, with a guild, meetings and a wild quarterly showcase. The next big event will be on Sunday, July 22, at Mirror Pond in Bend. Smith will also be performing this Friday, July 20, in Sisters at the "Fresh on Fridays" Farmers' Market at Barclay Park from 3 to 6 p.m.

"Our Raqsafara troop is coming, and also some dancers from Bend," she added. "We love people to come by and ask questions and enjoy the visual treat. I'll be doing the silk veils if it's not too windy. There's a magical thing about bellydancers. You don't have to be conventionally beautiful to have this particular charm beyond beauty, and that's what I love about it."

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