While the rest of Cheshire settles into autumn's cold, dark nights, Frodsham is once again coming alive with the colours and sounds of the Middle East, as its Belly Dancing group shimmy and spin into action.

Complete with tinkling coin belts and bright silken scarves, the Tuesday evening class is a great way to have fun and meet new people, all at the same time as learning a new skill.

I went along to try it out, and as I shuffled and stumbled my way through the routines, Sian and the other belly dance ladies were quick to offer encouragement and guidance, creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere.

As group member Sonia says, "We just come for a wiggle and a giggle!"

In a normal year, Frodsham's belly dancers would also perform at a range of local and not-so-local events, raising money for charities such as the Teenage Cancer Trust.

As a low impact form of exercise, belly dance is known to be highly beneficial to your physical health. The repetitive, fluid movements help to relieve joint pain, while the controlled hip drops, rolls and twists strengthen your core and improve your posture.

The Frodsham Belly Dancing ladies point out that this style of dance also has a positive impact on participants' mental health and wellbeing.

The artistic nature of the movements helps to boost a dancer's self-esteem and confidence, and the flowing transitions have often been described as a sort of dancing meditation, which serves to reduce stress levels.

"I absolutely love it; it's just such a fun thing to do," enthuses Debbie Ashcroft, who has been belly dancing for over a decade.

"It's something for all ages. I'm 62 and I suffer with sciatica, but I don't feel my age or the pain when I dance. The music just takes it away. Once it starts you've just got to dance!

"It's good for your physical and mental wellbeing, as well as your memory! You have to remember the choreography of the dances, which is quite difficult at times.

"My favourite thing about being part of Frodsham Belly Dancing is being able to perform and raise money for charity. It's a nice feeling knowing you're doing something good...And I just love all the costumes. I've got a wardrobe full, it's becoming a problem!

"We're like magpies: we've all got the lot!"

Debbie also enjoys visiting the annual Jewel of Yorkshire (JoY) belly dance festival, where groups can spend a weekend attending classes led by teachers from all over the world, as well as watching amateur and professional dance shows.

"There's a fantastic belly dance world that no one knows about," Debbie says, telling me about haflas, evenings full of food, dancing and chatting, that are the highlight of Frodsham Belly Dancing's social calendar.

So, says Debbie, if belly dancing piques your interest, but you feel unsure about trying it out, "Just come and give it a go!

"It's a really friendly community and good exercise. And when you grow in confidence a bit, you must go out and perform because it's great fun!"

[I]Frodsham Belly Dancing is open to men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities.

Now is also the perfect time to start, as class leader Sian is offering a four week beginners course, running from Tuesday 6th-Tuesday 27th October, 7-8pm. Here, you will learn some of belly dance's core movements, before putting them together in a full routine.

Classes take place at Frodsham Community Centre, which is a Covid-19 secure venue with plenty of space for social distancing.

If you wish to attend, please fill out this google form beforehand.

Those who cannot attend in person can join in via video link. Please contact Sian at [email protected] for further details.

You can find out more about Frodsham Belly Dancing here