I have already written about summer evening courses of oriental dances on Croatian island Pašman where women gathered and enjoyed our bodies.
After only 4 lessons as we were all finally getting relaxed, our teacher Mirjam surprised us with the news: we were going to have a public performance on the last evening. Smart psychological move, to tell us in the end of the lessons. If she had told us that the 1st day, half of us would have probably stopped attending.
First reaction of many of us was: »No, I am not going!« Mine, too, but not for long. Mirjam silenced our doubts down with wise words: »It is not about performance. It is a chance for you to open up, to express yourself, to dare. Here you have open-minded public who will be accepting and supporting you. It is a unique chance to get rid of shame and other unpleasant feelings about yourselves that you keep repeating to yourselves. Just the fact that you do it will change something in your life for the better. For sure!«
There was pure, subtle beauty in those husbands, in sparkles of their eyes, when they (after who knows how much time?) rediscovered feminine beauty of their wives.
Our performance was the most anticipated event of the last evening, especially for male participants of the camp. Not all of us came. Some bowed under pressures as: »What will my son say, it is ridiculous…« But most of us were there, happy, smiling, giving moral support to each other as a group. »We are in this together, women!« group spirit was giving us all incredible strength.
So we danced from our hearts, enjoying in the process. The technique didn’t matter anymore. We got spectacular
applause! Men were jumping around us flashing their cameras, my husband in the first row (proud of him!). But most eloquent were smiling faces of us – dancing women.
Long after our dancing act we were receiving praise and words of approval from our husbands and others.
There was pure, subtle beauty in those husbands, in sparkles of their eyes, when they (after who knows how much time?) rediscovered feminine beauty of their wives.
Looking at those satisfied husbands (how little it took!) I knew that Mirjam was absolutely right: something had already changed in our lives!