GABRIEL Beckford and business partner Shari-lee Perrin, owners of Raks Sharki JA, are treading uncommon territory. The two are attempting to pioneer the movement of belly dance and Eastern style dances as alternative forms of exercise in Jamaica.

“We are both adventurous, and we wanted to be trendy and innovative which is why we decided to bring this unusual dance genre to Jamaica,” said Beckford in a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Raks Sharki JA is a year-and-a-half old Oriental dance organisation focusing mainly on belly dance (a dance of Egyptian origin involving intense movement of the belly and hips), Bhangra (a lively form of folk dance originating in Pakistan and India) and Chutney (an Indo-Caribbean dance style fusing traditional Indian dance and contemporary Caribbean dance).

Beckford said she learned belly dance four years ago while on vacation in Atlanta, and began teaching herself more intently using DVDs and YouTube instructional videos. When she felt confident enough, she approached Perrin with the idea of forming a business partnership.

Raks Sharki’s primary target market is women between the ages of 17 and 45. However, girls aged 14 and above, and pregnant women are welcome to participate. The owners say men too are welcome to join.

“We have a non-discriminatory policy,” Beckford said.

Like any other physical activity, belly dance raises one’s heart rate and tones muscles; in particular, the muscles in the abdomen, pelvis, trunk and spine. It also helps to maintain spine alignment and good posture, and aids digestion because of its emphasis on the muscles of the abdomen. It also opens the pelvic area which helps to prepare a woman for childbirth.

As part of Women’s Health Month in May, Raks Sharki JA is currently hosting a four-week Oriental dance and fitness workshop at Body Pro Health and Fitness Centre in Baron’s Plaza, Constant Spring Road, St Andrew.