M Magazine
Momma Movement
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By LAURIE ARENDT January 7, 2007
Stefanie Masters teaches belly dancing to expectant mothers.
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Mothers-to-be are often inundated with information on what’s right for baby before the bundle of joy arrives.
For the past two years, Stefanie Masters has been helping expectant mothers do something a little
unexpected that’s right for both mom and baby: Pre-natal belly dancing.
"A number of structural changes happen to a woman’s body when she is pregnant," says Masters, an
award-winning belly dancer and teacher with a background in holistic healing, massage and yoga.
"Unfortunately, most women aren’t aware of these changes."
In her classes and workshops, which are held at Destination Maternity in Brookfield’s studio, Masters
focuses on helping moms-to-be change their posture.
"As a woman moves through pregnancy, her lumbar area starts to curve and her uterus pushes up, making
it hard for her to take a full breath," she says. "As we inhale we bring fresh oxygen into the blood stream,
bringing nutrients into the mother’s body including the placenta, which feeds and nourishes the baby."
The typical "pregnancy posture" that many women exhibit can also be a factor in back pain, particularly
during the later trimesters of pregnancy. Masters teaches her students how to tilt their pelvis back into
place, which relieves the pressure on those muscles.
The movements found in the art of belly dancing naturally lend themselves to this work. "Beyond gentle
stretching and movement, belly dancing helps women build strength and endurance," says Masters, a Port
Washington resident. There’s a tremendous joy to be found in pregnancy, but it can also be difficult
emotionally because a woman’s body changes tremendously during this time."
Masters’ class, which was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine, is a gentle and
empowering class for expectant mothers.
"We don’t do a lot of ‘hard’ stuff; in that respect, it’s no different than any other exercise a woman would do
while pregnant," she says. "It’s more about getting to move while building dignity, self-confidence and
grace." Most importantly, pre-natal belly dancing can have a positive effect for a woman long after baby
arrives. "It’s an activity that keeps women fit, and statistically, women who start an exercise program while
pregnant are actually starting a pattern of health for life." For more information on Stefanie Masters’
classes check out her Web site at www.danceforthesoul.com.