Exclusive interview with Tae, a renowned belly dance instructor who transitioned from model to professional: Her journey of stress relief and body reshaping.

Tae usually gives off a quiet and elegant impression, but once she starts belly dancing, she transforms into a charming and sexy goddess! Her graceful and sensual movements, along with her natural expressions, must surely captivate the audience. How does this striking contrast come about? What is the allure of belly dancing that has completely won her over? Let's explore together! Even if you're heartbroken, a belly dance can instantly bring back your smile! (laughs)

-How did Ms. Tae become involved with belly dancing? Tae★ Originally a design student, she was very interested in Middle Eastern architectural styles. She saw her first belly dance show at the Turkish Culture Village in Niigata-it was this one! It was an electrifying experience. The next day, she went to a belly dance studio for a trial lesson and fell in love with the teacher's dance at first sight, becoming completely captivated. -How were your first belly dance classes? Tae★ Before that, she had absolutely no dance experience, so her body was very stiff. The day after class, her muscles were sore all over. The seniors in her class were already very good, and she always seemed to be holding them back. However, she was still very happy and practiced every day at home. During her modeling career, Tae was active in various fields such as television commercials, fashion shows, and cosmetic catalogs. Tae enjoys the tension of being on the fashion show stage.

-What changes have occurred since you started belly dancing? Tae★ First, it relieves stress. When I encounter unhappy things at work, just dancing belly dance makes me feel better, and I forget my worries. To exaggerate a bit, even if I'm heartbroken, dancing belly dance can instantly bring back my smile (laughs). -What about my figure? Tae★ I used to have a masculine figure, but thanks to belly dancing, I lost weight around my waist and became more curvy. I used to have a lot of fat on my back and flabby arms. After starting belly dancing, my weight returned to what it was when I was 20, and compared to before, all my muscles are toned. The usually very quiet Ms. Tae has transformed into a bold and daring dancer!

-What is the allure of belly dancing for Ms. Tae? Tae★The unique femininity of a woman has nothing to do with age. As a woman, there's so little time that truly belongs to oneself, especially after starting a family. I find the posture of belly dancers to be incredibly beautiful. Now, as a dance instructor, I feel genuinely happy whenever I see my students dancing energetically and joyfully, as if I draw energy from them. -Ms. Tae, your dance moves are truly enchanting! Tae★I'm a completely different person in real life compared to when I'm dancing. I transform completely when I start dancing (laughs).

Normally, I'm a carefree person who enjoys quietly cooking at home and playing with my pets. But when I dance, I become much more unrestrained, like, "Come on, everyone, let's dance happily together!" - Ms. Tae gets more and more engrossed in dancing. Tae★ During dance, you need to convey your inner joy to the audience, resonate with them, and connect the emotions between the stage and the audience. Then, you get another kind of joy from the audience's feedback. That's the true purpose of performance. So, I also pay attention to not getting too immersed in self-indulgence. - Ms. Tae, who is usually so quiet, were you nervous at first when you danced so passionately in front of others? Tae★ Honestly, I actually like that feeling of nervousness (laughs)! Even in modeling, many times it's a one-shot deal. My heart was pounding before it officially started, but once I stepped on stage, I just went for it. You can't do it without that kind of mental preparation.

-Can I become as charming and sexy as Ms. Tae just by belly dancing? Tae★Back in middle school, I was quite the tomboy, often mistaken for a boy (laughs). So, when people say I'm "feminine," I'm always a little taken aback. But, whenever I belly dance, my feminine awareness is amplified, leading to significant emotional changes. Among other belly dancers, there are women who are usually tomboyish and carefree, but once they start dancing, their expressions naturally change, suddenly becoming alluring, which really surprises me. -Does Ms. Tae ever experience conflicting emotions while dancing? Tae★Yes. The style of the music and the lyrics affect the performance, so sometimes I feel conflicted while dancing.

However, this kind of emotion certainly cannot be fully expressed outwardly; it can only be subtly shown occasionally. That elusive, elusive feeling is what makes belly dance so captivating. Reject excessive dieting, belly dance creates natural beauty!-This book's title includes the word "diet," so has Ms. Tae ever tried to lose weight? Tae★ When she was a model, she spent a lot of time and money trying various weight loss and slimming methods. She remembers before a competition, she absolutely had to lose weight. But in the end, she was just one kilogram short and couldn't lose any more. She thought she was doomed and felt extremely frustrated. Everyone around her was slim and beautiful, so she was never satisfied with herself and felt like she was just carrying excess fat.

Since I started belly dancing, I've not only enjoyed the fun of dancing, but I've also achieved my ideal figure without any hardship. I really should have started sooner (laughs). -What's the creative concept behind this tutorial? tae★This tutorial was created for women who want to become more beautiful quickly, and the movements used in the tutorial are mostly effective in a short time. I think that as long as you correctly master the basic posture and practice the basic movements correctly and properly, it can indeed have a toning effect on the body. -Actually, I've tried it a little bit and it seems to have a slimming effect on the abdomen. What kind of effect would I see after practicing for a week? tae★Although everyone's situation is different, the first change should be in the waist, and then the abdominal muscles will also become firmer.

In addition, it can relieve symptoms of coldness and constipation, and improve sleep quality. In short, you will definitely feel the improvement in your health. -Does Ms. Tae have any other advice for readers? Tae★ Please don't overdo dieting like I did before and then rebound. Please aim for healthy beauty and enjoy the fun of belly dancing. The dances introduced here are just examples. Once you master them, you can add your own choreography and dance more freely and spontaneously. In the performance at ZAKURO restaurant, Tae transformed into a bold dancer. Tae perfectly combined her gorgeous dance moves with the restaurant's atmosphere, bringing the performance to a climax. (Photography by Zhiren)