AS people all around Worcestershire polished off the last pigs in blankets and turned their thoughts towards taking the festive decorations down, thousands of New Year resolutions were being made.

If ‘try something new’, ‘get fit’, ‘make friends’ or just ‘shimmy more’ featured anywhere among yours then you need look no further than a belly dance class.

But trying any type of dance class can be scary, especially if you’ve never danced before in your life, apart from those solitary moments in the kitchen after a glass of wine or two.

Elizabeth Summer, who runs Bellysimmo Belly Dance, said she stumbled upon the world of belly dance when looking for something new to try and ‘fell in love’ instantly.

She said: “I started belly dancing just over 10 years ago, when my friends and I were looking for something fun to do. We were very lucky as there was a class running in the cafe where I worked at the time so it was easy to pop down and give it a go after work.

“As it turned out, I fell in love with it immediately as it was so much fun and far more technical and diverse than I had expected.”

After learning all she could about the dance in all its forms, Elizabeth made the leap and set up her own dance group. Since then, she has seen people of all abilities join her for a shimmy at her classes in Worcester and Stourport, many having no dance background at all.

She said: “Some of the girls have previous experience of some form of dance but some are completely new to it all. What I love most about belly dancing is that it’s a safe, supportive, fun activity for women to gather together, forget about all the stresses and strains of everyday life and have the best time, learning something new and having fun each week. It’s a vibrant community with so much going on and is a great place for friendships to grow.

“My students are always making me laugh and it’s a pleasure to teach such great groups of women who want to get out, have fun and who love learning belly dance. I love seeing them enjoy the dance as much as I do and conquer new routines, whether they’re an absolute beginner or a more advanced dancer.”

Jessi Lambert, aged 27, started belly dancing in 2013 as a fun way to get fit. She said: “I wanted something that would help improve my co-ordination and flexibility but what I didn’t expect was the awesome friendships I would make, and that I would actually perform and fall in love with belly dancing.

“I’ve found such a welcoming and diverse group of women of all ages, abilities, sizes and lifestyles. We have a lot of fun and lots of giggles and shimmies and every week, no matter how I feel, I leave class feeling better.”

For those who want more of a challenge, there are numerous chances throughout the year to perform, whether it’s at a village fete or a bigger event.

“My performance group, The Severn Sirens, work on complex choreography and costuming to perform at a wide variety of events throughout the year, from corporate and charity bookings, to national belly dance shows and local fetes,” Elizabeth said.

“There’s no pressure to perform but it’s always fun. Our highlight of 2016 was the Worcester Show where we’ve performed for the last two years to huge crowds. It’s such a wonderful family day out and it’s great to see the whole family enjoying our dancing.

“We’ve also performed at various other local events in all weathers and the funniest one we’ve had in 2016 was dancing in the rain at the Alfrick and Lulsley Show. All of us were dancing in big boots to protect our feet from the mud.

“We also had a tricky moment while performing at the Ladybird Garden Party at Spetchley Gardens. We were performing a cane dance and balancing canes on our heads when a big gust of wind came along and they all ended up at funny angles - we carried on dancing and we couldn’t stop laughing in front of the crowd. The perils of performing outdoors!”

Camille Lee, from Warndon Villages, Worcester, took up belly dancing seven months ago as an additional dance style.

She said: "I'd wanted to try belly dance for a while after watching dazzling performances on holiday in Egypt. I come from a varied dance background of ballet, tap, modern and disco but belly dancing wasn't as prevalent then as it is today.

"After seeing belly dancers perform locally at the Worcester Christmas Fayre, a friend and I searched for classes online. When I found out there was a class so close to home I had to give it a go.

“I joined with a friend who had no previous dance experience and we both really enjoy it. The group is really friendly and while some people might be apprehensive about the thought of getting your middle out you don't have to - there's no pressure.

“If you've danced before it's a really interesting additional style to learn, but it doesn't matter if you've no dance experience."

From traditional Egyptian, Turkish and Arabic belly dance to modern cabaret and Tribal styles, belly dance is a dance form that has expanded hugely across countries and cultures since its origins in the Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa.

Although its roots are in folk dance, belly dance has evolved to become as much about the dance as the performance element, which often involves elaborate and colourful costumes, often using props such as candles, canes and veils.

“There is so much to throw yourself into and getting to wear the costumes, jewellery and makeup and perform at local and national events is an incredible experience,” Elizabeth added.

“For anyone considering giving it a go, I’d say just come along and try it. It’s always scary trying something new, but the groups are fun and friendly and the physical and emotional benefits of belly dance have such a positive impact on health and well-being.

“Not only is it great for developing strength, losing weight and toning up, but it’s also great for improving flexibility, balance and co-ordination, increasing confidence and decreasing stress. You can also build lasting friendships which contribute enormously to a sense of well-being and happiness in the long term.”

For more information about other gatherings and workshops, email liz@bellysimmo.co.uk or visit www.bellysimmo.co.uk.

Taster sessions for newcomers will take place on Monday January 9 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm at Hallow Parish Hall in Hallow, at Stourport Sports Club in Stourport on Wednesday January 11 from 6pm until 7pm or at County Hall in Worcester from 5.45pm until 6.45pm on Tuesday January 10 (open to council employees only).