Belly dancer, 84, has navel approach to exercise

Tina Hobin says that dancing is the "most powerful" form of exercise

An 84-year-old belly dancer, whose twisting tummy was once frowned upon during a British midriff crisis, has urged people of all ages to keep active as she reflects on her career.

Tina Hobin, from Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, teaches a belly dancing class every week and says she is the oldest professional belly dancer in the UK.

"Life is precious," she said, taking stock of her art. "Exercise and dancing gives people a purpose... it's important because it improves muscle tone."

Ms Hobin said that too many people were sitting down and watching TV instead of moving, which could cause back pain and mobility issues. But can shaking one's hips really avoid creaking hips?

Well, according to Ms Hobin, her particular form of activity - a dance originating in ancient Egypt - has helped many of her students with physical health problems, including strengthening the upper back as well as boosting flexibility.

"It's changed my life," she said. "It's fantastic, it raises your energy levels and people can't believe my age, I've stayed slim since my 30s."

She said the dance emerged after women in labour were encouraged to concentrate on their pelvic and abdominal regions to avoid the pain of contractions.

"Women tend to fight against contraction, but through the movements [they went with it], it's just nature," she said.

But such undulations - when presented on stage - once confused Britain which, she explained, could not easily disassociate the art from sex.

Tina Hobin has been teaching dance classes for more than 50 years

Ms Hobin said there was a lack of understanding about belly dancing, particularly regarding sexualisation, whether that be through deliberate presentation or flawed perception, both of which she was against.

"I was doing a lot of TV," she said of her past, "and producers told me there hadn't been a belly dancer who had gone far [on screen]. That really, really annoyed me - they assumed [I was like] a stripper or prostitute.

"In this country, [the dance was mostly performed] in nightclubs [or by] strippers.

"I don't encourage people to come showing their bellies and boobs. I like to encourage women from all walks of life, all shapes and ages – there's not a particular image you have to emulate."

It's all meant that she somewhat struggles with the term belly dancing, although admits it's the one by which people most easily recognise the form.

She said she preferred to call it "the sacred dance of life", or at least "belly dancing for health and fitness".

'Blossoming self esteem'

Ms Hobin said she had seen women's confidence and self-esteem blossom after taking up the dance.

"I've seen women who have been divorced and their husbands left them for someone else," she said.

"They didn't think they were good enough anymore, but they do dancing and it's helped them get in touch with themselves.

"[I've also seen] people who have been abused and said it helped them get in touch with their body and sexuality again."

Ms Hobin said she was introduced to belly dancing in the 1970s.

After seeing a newspaper article about a class, she thought the dancer looked "elegant and lovely" and decided to become a member. She said she had never looked back.

She has been teaching her own classes since 1974 - with students including inmates at a women's prison - and has been invited all over the world to host belly dancing workshops.

And there are no plans to stop.

"I'll dance until I'm 120," she said.