The Belly Dance Chronicles Jan/Feb/Mar 2020 Volume 18, Issue 1 | Page 31

Backstage Fun Silvia Salamanca & Amaya Amaya & Kathryn Ferguson THE BELLY DANCE SISTERHOOD By Amaya “What do you and your sisters talk about for so long? What can you possibly talk about?” asks my husband. And the truth is that talking to my girlfriends or my sisters has its own special magic and healing powers and we never are at a loss for words. I always feel so much better after I get off the phone with them! Says Gale Berkowitz, “A landmark UCLA study suggests friendships between women are special. They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are.” Stress studies have historically been done mostly on men until recently. UCLA scientists were surprised to find out that women deal with stress differently. Men do their “flight or fight” response and then go off by themselves while women tend to gather with other women. “Tend and Befriend” is a term used to describe what happens to women when they are in a stressful situation. They nurture and take January 2020  The Belly Dance Chronicles 31