Hi!
I've been to Starkville many times - my Grandmother lives there. Unfortunately, I think the closest city with anything belly dance related at all would be Atlanta. People in Starkville are very reserved and religious and they don't like belly dancing at all. In fact, my Grandmother refuses to support me about it at all.
I hope she can find something! It has been a couple of years since I've been there, and I know bellydance has sprung up in the South since then.

Well guys...we are taking over even in Mississippi. The postings made me look it up...hee hee. There are a few belly dancers in Mississippi including Starkville...I do not know them but just became curious after the postings so looked on a site that I knew had a pretty extensive list of teachers:

us.bellydanceclasses.net/mississippi/
Looks like you can find a contact there for some teachers ... do keep dancing.

Oh and I must admit that Ziva's posting made me laugh. I am from the south -- my grandmother (very religious) just cannot understand that bellydancing is not the same as other forms of dance where the clothing is removed. Yep.....it is interesting....luckily she is the only one that needed the explanation. Well...I say explanation but really it was catching her admiting something I am sure she did not mean to.....she stated she "went to club once and saw the girls dancing and taking their clothes off"......after laughing out loud I said "you went where!"....hahaha. So far the subject has not come up again in a few years!

So...anyway.....we crazy dancers have to stick together...good luck!

I replied to Shamsi personally some time ago, but for all others who might be interested: yes, there are bellydance lessons in Starkville, more specifically at the Mississippi State University, Sanderson Centre.