To celebrate the heart and soul of our dance school and community, we’ve been interviewing some of our ZeoT Zürich students. It’s our privilege to dance with so many different and wonderful women and we’ve loved finding out more about their lives, their passions and, of course, their love of dance.⠀
Hello, my name is Gabriela Kürsteiner Posadas. I am originally from Monterrey México. I came to Switzerland to assist my sister and what in the beginning was supposed to be only 6 months, has been already 22 years!
I met my husband here, who was my sister's neighbour and we got married in 2001. To say more about how come I ended up learning belly dance, I have to go back some years.
Since I was a teenager I had weight problems. I was trying and trying to lose weight and nothing happened until I came here to Switzerland and after I got married I started to visit so many doctors to find out why I couldn't lose weight. During 2 years I ended up visiting 21 different doctors and finally, two of my doctors found out that I had real metabolism problems and Polycystic ovary syndrome which made me gain and gain weight and had so many menstruation problems.
Three of my doctors told me that if I didn't lose weight, my expectation of life was going to be a maximum of 10 years because of my overweight. Three days after that, in November 2005, I had a gastric bypass operation and lost 82 kilos in 10 months. A year and a half after the surgery I decided to learn how to dance Mexican folklore and continue dancing until now.
“The doctor asked me if I was willing to quit dancing, and I said: No! I just can not live without belly dance ...”
How did you find your way to ZeoT?
Why did you start dancing? Why belly dance?
In December 2015 I went to Dubai and on one of our tours was a belly dancer who danced during dinner, but at that moment I didn't think about taking belly dance lessons because I had the idea that belly dance was only for a certain type of women, young and slim.
Then a couple of days after my trip, while looking at Facebook, I saw about the ZeoT Introductory course and I thought to myself: Why not? I should try and see how it goes, I don't lose anything! I already dance Mexican folklore, so I can try this new dance even though I have knee problems.
On January 4th 2016 I went for the 2 days intensive belly dance introductory course and I decided to take one lesson per week to see if I liked it and if I could learn how to dance belly dance.
I loved it so much that I decided to have the "abo" and ended up taking up to 12 lessons per week.
After 6 years of dancing belly dance, I had to settle down because my knee problems were increasing and then I finally decided to visit a sports doctor. After certain tests, they found out that I have arthrosis and also that my kneecaps are moved and I don't have enough cartilage in both knees. The doctor asked me if I was willing to quit dancing, and I said: No! I just can not live without belly dance which has filled me up with joy and especially because through belly dance my self-confidence grew and made me accept my body and myself how it is and so how I am.
I also learned that any woman can learn belly dance. It doesn't matter the type of body you have and the type of culture you come from.
Photo: Janet Schulz
“I just can not be without belly dance lessons! If I can do it anyone can do it! ”
Tell us about your experience with belly dance!
What do you like about it? What do you find challenging?
Photo: Janet Schulz
I can say that the best decision I made in my life, was taking belly dance lessons and especially in this great place that is Zeot Zürich.
ZeoT Zürich is like my second home, teachers are just fabulous and professional. Each of them has their own style and charisma. I am thankful to be in such a fabulous dance community. I have made such good friends in ZeoT that we organize once in a while a reunion to enjoy food, friendship and great conversations together.
Despite the knee pain, I am actually taking 6 lessons per week and I can say that I miss taking more lessons, but for now, I have to listen to my body. But I am now working on strengthening my knees with muscle training therapy and physiotherapy in order to continue dancing.
I have to mention that taking online classes during the pandemic was for me challenging because I had to concentrate more and listen better to the music, which I think was good for me and made me improve certain movements and also concentrate on coordination.
ZeoT teachers were so professional and still are, with the online lessons and I really appreciate the big effort they made to make online lessons as professional as in the studio. That is a sign of huge professionalism and dedication. I just hope that I can continue dancing at Zeot for many years.
I am managing right now my belly dance lessons, with my Mexican club on Tuesdays, the Spanish lessons I give and my private activities, but for me one thing is clear....
I just can not be without belly dance lessons!
If I can do it anyone can do it!
ZeoT Zürich and Zeot friends, thank you for being part of my life. You all inspire me to continue.