Lyndsay Perry and Krista Vandermeulen with the 25 dancers who will be performing with them in a Bellydance Odyssey. - SUBMITTED PHOTO Lyndsay Perry
reporter@medicinehatnews.com
Krista Vandermeulen and Lyndsay Perry are sisters who tried bellydancing together back in 2003.
Both fell in love with it.
“When you are in the studio it an indescribable feeling. It is welcoming, empowering yet indescribable,” said Perry. “We were performing within a year and both of us fell in love with the stage. Being on the stage is one of my favourite things in the world. It makes me feel like a different person, gives me confidence I don’t have in my everyday life. I love the bright lights, loud music and being with other people and moving together.”
The sisters own Tone Fitness and Dance Ltd. and are currently working on A Bellydance Odyssey, which will be performed at the Esplanade. All the work is original from start to finish in the show, including 16 choreographies, teaching the 25 dancers, lighting package, and making costumes.
“We are proud of it as we are all local and it’s true to our hearts,” said Perry.
In addition to dancing, Perry works full-time and Vandermeulen works and is a student. Both also have two children.
“We are very busy but work hard to make the time for bellydancing because it is such an important part of their lives,” said Perry. “The pandemic showed us that, when we couldn’t do it anymore it was crippling to our mental health, relationships suffered and everything was terrible without dance in our life and we are happy to have it back.”
Classes are taught out of the Big Marble Go Centre. Beginner classes are not choreographed but teach basic movements, such as hip circles or snake arms. The classes are full, with all registration done online. Sessions run from September to December, January to March, and then March to June with a break in the summer. The classes build from one week to the next and one must register for an entire session to attend.
Perry added, “the show, the women performing, 25 of them, are all local and they are diverse, passionate, strong and beautiful and we are proud to share our creativity with them. They work so hard on their costumes and props, everybody is working hard to make this happen and I’m proud of that and them. I hope the community comes together to support us.”
For more information, visit toneit.ca or the Tone Bellydance Facebook page. Tickets are now on sale for A Bellydance Odyssey at the Esplanade on Dec. 3 for $35 each. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and will run for about two hours.
