Renee‘s Magical Belly Dancing
PROFESSIONAL BELLY DANCER and TEACHER
"Bringing this ancient art to modern life"
Copyright 1996-2001 (all rights reserved)
EXTRA HELPFUL TIPS VOLUME 3
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not copy the videos. If you need more copies for your friends, e-mail
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TIPS - Belly Dance volume 3
All relevant instructions are on the DVD or video tape
These tips are extra and very useful for students and teachers.
Renee is a Professional Teacher and Performer who is dedicating her
latter life to the beautiful ART of Belly Dance.
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Place a mirror next to the TV, so that you can see and observe your
self. Use the mirror as a tool, look at your reflection in the mirror
to guide your movement. By observation you will soon see and correct
yourself. Also remember it will take lots of practice.
Learning good basic techniques, as a beginner, is the best gift you
can give yourself. These basic movements are the foundation to all
other complex techniques.While learning and practicing the basic
movements, you will also become more flexible and co-
ordinated.Dancing the basic techniques over many times will help your
muscles remember them automatically. This in time will help smooth
technique transitions. For example, dancing with a rib lift, smoothly
alternating into a hip or pelvic circle.
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Opening Intro - Veil dance
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SEGMENT 1 - revising and warming up
Warming up with a practice dance, revising beat, rhythm and techniques
learned in vol. 1 & 2.
Starting off with a 3 step turn, foot in front pose, isolating arms
crossing up.
Learning to progressively utilize the varied side hips and hip tilts
to the music.
½ time, single time, double time and ¾ time. These are
the basic to all complex shimmies variations.
Practice hip techniques first, then as you feel comfortable add the arm movements. For some students, filling in arm movements to correspond with hip techniques will take longer to master.
Good progressive learning is to use familiar techniques in many different combinations, sequences to varied music or rhythms. This will, in the future, allow you to understand free dancing or creating your own choreography's, also help you to hear the music, and know which movements to choose.
SEGMENT 2 - New techniques, Isolating Rib Slides (or side ribs) & Isolated hip movements
Learning to slide your ribs from side to side.
The rib slide needs lots of practice, so go over this segment many
times.
Learn and make sure your shoulders are relaxed by resting or "anchoring" your hands on thighs, is very important. Beginners need to learn good habits while working with ribs. Later this will come automatically and make your dance look and feel elegant, graceful and artful.
If you are finding that your ribs are stiff and immovable (as mine where) and you do not quite know where the movement is coming from. Then place your hands on either side of your rib cage and gently push and guide your rib cage from side to side.This mechanical action will get you to "feel" the action. Once you have the feel of the rib slide continue practice with anchored hands on thighs, with relaxed shoulders
DO NOT place your hands on Hips.
All rib work is danced with relaxed shoulders. It is badpractice if
shoulders are allowed to become tense, tight and haunched while
executing a rib slide. So at this stage do not place hands on hips.
Instead persevere with anchored hands on thighs. This will take some
time, to feel the sliding movements of your ribs. Learning to relax
the shoulders will also take some time.
SEGMENT 2 will become a practice sequence that teaches you to slide your ribs in isolation and then alternating into an isolated hip technique.
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SEGMENT 3 - all New techniques, The Camel walk, Toe Circle, Toe taps, Hip lift.
The Camel walk is achieved by utilizing the lower undulation, as
learned in volume 2. This need lots of practice.
Firstly you may want to start with the walking only, to get the timing
of the rhythm which has a slow hypnotic beat. Once you have the
timing, add the rounded lower undulation with tummy pull ins to create
the camel walk.Once you have the camel walk down pat, add the arms,
toe taps, toe circles and hips.
Go back to volume 2, if need be, for more basic practice of slower
scoop and lower undulations.
Please note - There are a few ways of learning a camel walk. A belly
roll or undulation is almost impossible for beginners to execute, this
in turn can frustrate the student. I have chosen a beginners version,
where the camel walk comes from the lower scoop and lower undulation
with pull ins (pulling in muscles just above the navel). From
students in my classes, and my own experience, once you master the
Lower and Upper undulations the Belly rolls are easily mastered there
after. The camel walk derived from the lower undulation gives a much
better camel walk movement roll or lithe.
Important Note - a younger or slimmer student will be more flexible
than a mature (older) or bigger bodied student. However with practice,
a mature (over 40 years) or fleshier student can develop a beautiful
camel walk lithe. If you carry a lot of weight around your tummy area,
you may wish to emphasise the rounding scoop and tummy pull ins as a
preferred method. The lower undulation camel walk will take lots of
practice.
Note - Upper undulation learned in volume 5
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Segment 4 -- NEW - Hip lift travelling - Serpentine arms
Practice the hip lift traveling with the "slow motion" instructions,
often, on their own.
Practice the Serpentine arms also on their own.
The traveling steps are - step to the side and bring together.
Adding the hip lift - step to side while lifting other hip all in one
go,then let the hip fall into neutral (which can feel like a drop)
while stepping together.
This little piece is quite tricky as it makes you listen to the music
to get the timing. Remember you can practice this dance with family or
friends.
Enjoy, relax your mind and learn to "Hear and Feel" the music
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SEGMENT 5 -- NEW - Isolated rib lift alternating with isolated hip techniques
Use the same breathing techniques as in the "rib slide" (segment 2).
Learn to master this technique as it will serve you well when you
progress into more complex rib or upper body dancing. As with the rib
slide - Practice the technique first, relax shoulders and anchor hands
on thighs. Then as you can manage it alternate with hip movements.
Once you are comfortable with alternating, pretend that you are now
dancing it. Get arms sorted out and feel the emotion (as the music is
very beautiful with Indian influence)
Important Hint - Lift ribs towards ceiling. Do not push ribs out to the TV screen. Release the ribs and pull muscles in towards your spine, located just above navel (waistline), this pulling in will later help you with the rib circles (and many other techniques). Direct your eyes to my waist, on screen, you can see my tummy pulling in.
Once you become more familiar with the rib lift, learn to smooth it out. Smooth lift, followed by a smooth release and pull in. Also smooth transition into hips, circles and figure eight.
Turning ribs Right to Left will later be referred to as "rib rotation". Once you master the correct "breathing" and "pull ins" (volume 3) you can develop wonderful tummy flutters (taught in another volume).
I point out to students, in class, that you want to feel the dancing through the ribs not the chest. Therefore I fleetingly, if necessary direct attention to the chest area. Once the student understands what the movement is all about, we always refer to it as a rib lift. Keeping your minds eye (or reference point) on dancing with the ribs, rather the chest, will in time result in a much more elegant dance result. This becomes more crucial when more complex rib techniques are developed.
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SEGMENT 6 -- Progressive learning - Lower Undulations at a faster pace and temp o to varied counts.
This is a very useful practice dance as it teaches you to comprehend the varied ways one can dance the lower undulations with neat and elegant transitions from one technique to the other. The instructions on the video are self explanatory.
Including - Toe circles and toe taps, traveling hip lifts alternating, palm up and palm down, undulating around,plus figure eight with toe circles. Toe circles will teach you to dance with neat feet, toe pointing down.
With the faster tempo continue breathing continuously, as if you are going for a walk. Do not hold your breath. Often students in class hold their breath while intensely concentrating. Remind yourself often to "keep breathing", until you remember to breath automatically.
Toe tap to the beat. The toe tap helps to mark time, keep you steady while learning to balance correctly through the centre of your torso. Use your third eye, nose, navel or pelvic as your centre line, running down between your knees.
As a beginner, learn to dance centered. This means that you do not lean heavily over one hip or foot. But keep body gracefully erect while executing the techniques. Thus centering your weight equally between your hips or knees.
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SEGMENT 7 -- Vertical Rib circles - New
A good basic and lovely practice segment homing in on isolated rib lifts and rib circle alternating with isolated hip movements including the lower undulations. Practice and more practice is the key.
Remember it is a vertical rib circle, NOT a horizontal rib circle. Learn to smoothly transit from upper body to hip techniques by changing your arm position. The art is to make the rib circle look smooth and elegant. Not jerky. Also keep the circle small, do not over exaggerate. Relax shoulders and keep your chin up. Do not look down. Take note where my eyes and chin are held.
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SEGMENT 8 -- 3 step turns - Progressive - Undulations - Arm Arcs ( faster tempo)
A good basic practice dance combining movements from volume 2 with new techniques
Keep your upper body tall and centered. The tempo is faster so do not slump. You are now in flight or flee mode. It is very important when executing a faster tempo to be light on foot and weight centered.
Leg stretch - Keep weight centered, evenly distributed between stationary foot and stretched leg. Do not lean heavily over any one foot, when executing a faster tempo.
Flight or flee mode - means that you are flighty or fleeing. Most faster tempos are danced in this mode. You do not have time to lean heavily over one particular foot or hip. Also keep light on foot, not heavily into the earth. Don't plod heavily, no stomping. This also means keep your chin high, think high and think light, on foot. Flight or flee applies to all styles of fast dancing e.g.. Egyptian, Lebanese, Turkish, Arabic, Gypsy, Baladi, Veil, Stick Tribal etc.
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SEGMENT 9 -- Hear and Feel the Music -
A completed dance using most techniques learned from volumes 1, 2 and 3
Learn the sequences of movements first including the arms, hands and feet. Once you know the techniques
- let your mind relax
- hear the music
- feel the music
Music Tips - There are slow and very slow passages of music
1 2 3 4 Slow (single time or normal time) is dancing
one technique to one beat.
1 and, 2 and, Very slow (1/2 time) is executing one movement to 2
beats. Slowing your tempo.
1 and 2 and, Very, very slow (1/4 time) is executing one
technique to 4 beats. This slows the movement down even further. This
method also enables you to slow down fast music. e.g. one complete
pelvic circle to 4 beats.
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contact Renee by Email or phone (02) 4325 4593
Renee's Magical Belly Dancing, Gosford, NSW 2250. Australia
Happy learning the wonderful art of Belly Dance
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