MATTOON - Women of all sizes, body types and ages meet at a class on Tuesdays to learn or hone their skills in belly dancing.

The women also have a variety of skill levels, with some just beginning and others belonging to a group of belly dancers from the Mattoon-Charleston area.

With a husband and baby to care for, Mercy Grant of Charleston said she doesn't have a lot of time for herself, and this is something that gives her a reprieve.

"It's something fun to do, time to get away," Grant said.

Some of the women wear costumes. Others come in skirts or pants. The dancers choose an exotic name to use while dancing.

Dance instructor Lacy Warfel of Villa Grove dances under the name of Benazir. At a recent class, she wore a skirt and a bra-like top, while a guest dancer, Agnija from Champaign, dressed in a long skirt and T-shirt, with a blouse tied in front in a knot.

"I dance for fun. I train in dance all my life in India," said Agnija, who combines dances from her native country with belly dancing to create her own unique version.

While she doesn't give lessons, she dances for fun.

"I think it is cool to mix Indian with belly dancing," she said.

Warfel has been belly dancing for five years. She got her start by looking in a music store.

"I found a video in the bargain section of a music store, and I was hooked," she said. Warfel also studied the dance with a California native and others.

Cass Strong of Charleston dances under the name of Setarah and has been learning the art for 18 months.

"Empowering" is how she described the dance.

"It doesn't matter what size or age you are. Most women aren't Barbie dolls. It's bonding with other women," Strong said.

Kathleen White-Hay, who dances under the name of Mahjim, is the mother of eight children.

"We're beautiful women, and we can be any size or age," she said.

She also has been dancing for about 18 months. White-Hay has a medical problem and needs the exercise. "This is the most fun way to get it," she said.

She and daughter Rachel are American Tribal Belly Dancers. Their costumes have elements of various cultures. Most noticeable are the Afghan coins and Pakistani jewelry sewn on them.

Practice makes perfect

To begin this session, the dancers put zils - small finger cymbals - on their fingers and practiced clicking them to rhythm - left, right, left; right, left, right - then, following each other, walked in a wide circle. Next they added a little hip movement and moved around the circle on their toes.

Warfel, co-director of Bellyfusion, kicked up the movement by using a military beat as they practiced different clicks with the zils.

"Grab a veil," Warfel said.

Students held their veils behind their heads, using both hands.

"Get used to walking," Warfel said. "Twirl your veil, move your hips."

Agnija, an accomplished dancer, looked carefree and was completely caught up in the dance.

"Move your hips forward and backward. Walk with your feet flat, ball, ball, ball," Warfel said.

Next, the women stood with their arms stretched out and feet apart as they practiced moving the bottom half of their bodies.

"Move front, side, back, side. Round it out, keep it flowing. Swing your hips. Get a nice pull on your legs," Warfel said.

Following that, the group practiced moving the upper half of their bodies, including the arms, shoulders and elbows.

"It gets easier over time," Warfel said.

Next, Agnija took the floor to demonstrate technique and movements she invented.

"I want you to be comfortable, be able to support your weight on your thighs. Jut the chest out and be nicely balanced," she said.

Agnija said their eyes should always follow their fingertips, so when the dancers turn their heads left or right, the arm should be extended and the eyes following the fingertips.

"Make a nice, wide 'V' with your feet. Walk around in a circle, make a three-step movement more like a ballet," she said.

She said the fingers could be held in a "peacock position," making a circle with the index finger and thumb and extending the other fingers open or in a "lotus style," with the index finger pointing up and back and the rest of the fingers in a graceful position.

Agnija explained how to stamp the feet to help get back to an original position and how to bow low and regain balance and stature by making a figure eight.

But the dancer is always in control, she said.

"The dancers say, 'I know where I'm going.' "

The women learned some of the "snake" arm movements and how to do a proper "shimmy."

"The shimmy should be a supple movement, not from the hips, but from the knees and ankles and feet," Agnija said. "It looks like a shiver, not a shimmy."

When the class ended, the students rewarded themselves by letting loose with a "zaghareet."

"Zaghareeting is the loud trilling or ululation heard on TV from time to time," Warfel said. "It is often done in place of clapping and cheering.

"It is unfortunate that a lot of Americans were exposed to this celebratory sound when a tragedy had occurred in the Middle East.

"Bellyfusion hopes to change that perception by doing it in a positive light to celebrate a joyous occasion, such as the hafla."

The hafla

A hafla is a belly dance party geared toward the Middle Eastern dance culture, and everyone is welcome. People of all ages and backgrounds can participate in the event, which involves highly evolved art, music and costumes.

"Formal performances and classes are great, and good excuses for socializing and supporting each other. But the haflas are what sustain us," Warfel said.

A hafla was held in Charleston on June 18.

A bond forms when women, and sometimes men, do a social activity together that asks them to stretch their boundaries a little, Warfel said.

Haflas by nature are supportive environments where dancers at any level can try out new pieces, work on costuming, snack and discuss life without any pressure to be perfect, she said.

"I think it is a sisterhood thing, and women in particular thrive on it."

Sue Smyser at can be reached at ssmyser@;jg-tc.com or 238-6864.