Flamenco Dancer

Sender: Phuleshouse

"Flamenco Dancer" from an original mouth painting by Chris Opperman 

A stunning artwork done by the artist using his mouth to hold the brushes. Awesome, beautiful work!!

At the Dance Hall

Sender: Seropi
'D' is for 'Dance'

1960's dancing style.
The Historical Museum. Hameenlinna.

Belly dancing

Sender: Alienne

Oldenburg Live

'B' is for 'Belly dancing'!

I've only seen real belly dancing performance once, in a desert somewhere in Dubai. I was sure my mouth gaped open the entire performance as I saw how effortlessly the dancer moved. Sinuously,  ever so supple and agile. In one of her dance performances, she used a cane and twirled it, threw it, caught it, balanced it...it blended well with her dance routine. I was so full of admiration!! But when she invited any of us to join her and try, I was the first to scoot away and hide!! No need belly dancing trials for me...my belly even "dances" when I laugh or cough!! :D

I read that belly dancing has many health benefits:-

- Back and joints pains are relieved
- Bone density increases
- It is a low impact form of exercise
- It helps in losing weight (Aha!!!) (Double Aha!!!)
- It helps in preparing for childbirth
- Stress levels become lower
- It boosts self-esteem (maybe not if you are one of those uncoordinated beings, like me...!)
- It can help relieve PMS

I feel like asking Alienne cheekily...have you tried belly dancing, Alienne? :)

Tin Hau Festival

Sender: Ch3rryB3rry

I admire Ch3rryB3rry's photo-taking-postcard-making skills. Currently she is residing in New Zealand but this is a photo she took in Hong Kong, in the year 2005.

Tin Hau Festival, of Taoist religion, in Hong Kong, is one of its grand events, but is not a public holiday. Tin Hau in Cantonese dialect, or Thean Hou or Ma-tsu, is the Goddess of the Sea. She is worshipped as the protector of sailors/fishermen, and as time went by, also for health, career, farming, relationship, and all sorts of concerns. Her birthday-festival falls on the twenty-third day of the third lunar month of the Chinese calendar. 

Kronentanz

Sender: gerschjg