Bellydance Basics Class 7

Thanks everyone for a fantastic last class of the year! I'm really honored to have been able to share this dance with you. Hopefully you've been inspired enough to keep dancing. Whether it's with me or someone else, just keep dancing!

In this last class, we covered undulation and choo choo shimmy.

An undulation can be broken down into 4 parts:
- upper back contraction
- upper ab contraction
- lower ab contraction
- release
Note that a typical undulation will start in the upper back, but really, you can start at any part of this 4-part movement. Crazy isn't it?! For the purpose of our choreography, however, we will work on the typical "up to down undulation" which starts in the upper back.


A choo choo shimmy is defined:
Fast hip singles on the balls of the feet. Meaning, right ball of the foot steps and the right hip is up; left ball of the foot steps and the left hip is up. The faster you go, the more important it is to stay centered. Make sure your hips stay right under your ribcage.

Here are the new sections to this drum solo piece:

3:08 Undulations up to down
- facing left diagonal
- facing right diagonal
- facing left diagonal
- facing right diagonal

3:17 Locks Combo:
Shoulders RLRLRLRL
Chest UDUDUDUD
Hips RLRLRLRL
Pelvic FBFBFBFB
Alternatively, you can vary the four body parts. Here is an example:
Chest squares 2x
Hip squares 2x

3:25 Choo Choo Shimmy in place for 16 counts

Finale Choo Choo Shimmy for 8 counts turning around yourself.
Pose!

I hope you had fun ladies. It's amazing what your body can do when you train it!

Keep an eye out on this blog for the announcement of the January classes.
Enjoy the rest of the year and hope to see you joyful as ever in January!

With lots of shimmies,
Lily
www.LilyBellydance.com