The art form of belly dancing has myriad potential origins but has strong ties to the Middle East, specifically Egypt. This art form has been practiced for many centuries but only in the past decade, has it come full circle in Muncie, with Carenza's Caravan putting it on the map for central Indiana.
Carenza's Caravan, located on the south side of Muncie, is home to the professional dance troupe of the same name; the troupe and business are led by Diana Eckart, who is known as Carenza bint Asya, and is the leader of the troupe.
She began dancing six years ago via the Society for Creative Anachronism, where she was given the choice of being a Viking women or a belly dancer.
"My husband's in the SCA and when he introduced me to it they were like, 'Do you want to be a Viking woman?' And I was like, 'Well, what do they do?' They said, 'Cook and clean.' I do that every day so I asked what else was there. Sarcastically they said I could be a belly dancer. I said I would do that, having no idea what it was. And then six years later, here I am."
For others in the troupe, belly dancing has only recently entered their lives.
The spokesperson for the troupe, Elizabeth Carr, has been dancing for three years, but said she recalls becoming inspired by belly dancing from one of her mother's friends many years ago.
"Back in the 70s belly dancing had a huge revolution," she said. "One of my mom's hippie friends was a belly dancer."
Carr said she remembered she wanted to be a belly dancer when she was young, and was inspired by her mom's friend who told her belly dancing was about the empowerment of women.
Carr took lessons for a year in Anderson, before she joined Carenza who was then teaching at the YWCA in Muncie.
"I taught at the YWCA and the Cornerstone," Eckart said. "But they started imposing all these restrictions on where I could perform and I just got tired of all the politics. So I opened my own place so I can do what I want to do."
Carenza's Caravan gives the dancers that place where they do what they want to do by not only offering classes in belly dancing but also in other types of dance and fitness.
"We have lots of classes that Ball State [University] students can partake in," Eckart said. "Besides belly dancing and body toning, we have yoga, Indian dancing, salsa, hip hop and ballet."
Each of the women said belly dancing has shaped not just their bodies but their lives.
Carr said since she started belly dancing she has become a healthier person.
"When I first started I was 45 pounds heavier," she said. "I've lost 45 pounds not just because of belly dancing but because I started eating healthier, but I remember feeling unworthy and so horrible and my self esteem was horrible."
Society today portrays girls in such a way that if you aren't stick-skinny you aren't pretty, she said.
"Why can't I have a body like Cameron Diaz?" she said. "But let's face it, I'm short, I'm curvy, there is no way I am ever going to be tall and skinny like Cameron Diaz, but I wanted that so bad, and so I started belly dancing; next thing I know, I'm feeling okay to have my belly out."
For Eckart, many of the same things are true.
"Ever since I started belly dancing," she said, "I have became more comfortable with my own body."
"Belly dancing... it is so good for my soul," Carr said. "That's what I love to say. It's good for my soul."
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