SeSe Geddes, Santa Cruz County Stories: Live Oak resident sees belly dancing …

By Anthony, on February 7th, 2012

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It doesn’t matter if you’ve just given birth or are in the midst of a teenage growth spurt. It doesn’t matter if you’re 15 or 75. Belly dancer SeSe Geddes has a message for all the ladies out there.

“Everyone has the potential within them to be an artist,” said Geddes, 49. “We all have something interesting to say.”

This year marks Geddes’ 25th teaching the age-old dance form. While there are movements to rename “belly dancing” to terms including “danse du ventre,” the literal French translation, Geddes thinks it’s fine as it is.

“I like the term belly dance,’” said the Live Oak resident. “It’s about the body, the belly. It’s about our sensuality, our creative reproductive capacity.”

It’s symbolizes the fullness of life, she said.

“I think it’s very appropriate, especially in our time when there’s so much focus on abs of steel and buns of steel,” she said.

In a world of armored bodies, belly dancing celebrates the softness, roundness and vulnerability of our bodies.

“That’s why I was interested in belly dance,” she said. “It was a place where a woman could be voluptuous and beautiful.”

As a young woman, Geddes suffered from an eating disorder. Luckily, her family and friends quickly intervened

“It never took a hold of me,” she said. “I did have a drive to love the body I had.”

Born in Southern California’s Panorama City, Geddes — born Suzanne — picked up the nickname “SeSe” from her older brother, who had

trouble pronouncing her name.

Her family relocated to Half Moon Bay when she was in high school, and she moved to Santa Cruz in 1981. She met her husband, Troy, the following year.

Geddes was studying psychology at San Jose State when she realized she wanted to take a different path and teach belly dancing instead.

“I just jumped in. Sorry, psychology, belly dance is winning,” she said. “I embarked on my foolish, wonderful journey.”

That journey has included helping women, and some men, tap into their creativity and use their bodies to express who they really are.

“We believe artists are these people who are these special, rarified beings,” she said. “I loved the idea of helping people become artists and create art with the found material of their own body.”

Dance has been the joy of Geddes’ life, and she wants people of all ages and abilities to know that it’s never too late to start moving those bodies and creating their own art.

Honor the things that you love, she said.

“Who knows? Maybe they’ll become a main dish in your life.”

Getting to Know

SeSe Geddes
Birthday: May 31, 1963
Birthplace: Panorama City
Family: Husband Troy, co-owner of Comicopolis. ‘I get to be around words and cartoons and images and art,’ she said of her husband’s store. ‘He’s always bringing me home books.’
Belly Dancing Basics: Geddes holds classes at the Dancenter in Capitola, DanceSynergy in Aptos and through the Capitola Parks and Recreation Department. More information can be found at her website, www.bellydancebasics.com.
Belly dancing aside: Geddes’ first job was in in-home support services, a job she held for 20 years. She’s a personal stylist, helping people express themselves through their clothes, and also teaches creative journal writing. ‘I’m fascinated by creativity.’
Music: Geddes loves a little rock ‘n’ roll. ‘Right now I’m obsessed with X Japan. He’s very creative, very driven.’ She’s also a big fan of local performer Pipa Pinon of Dreambeach. ‘She’s just a magical creator.”

Article source: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_19901504