TFBD Fall Series : The real notes for the final class

Hi Ladies!
Sorry this post is so late. It's been a super busy couple of weeks.

Thanks to Allison, Amy, and Subina for their responses. Here is the real notes...



Arabic with Vertical Arms:

• Walking undulations, traveling to the back, body facing left for 4 counts. Right arm pushes down as the left arm pulls up (vertical opposites).
• 1.5 turns over left shoulder, bring arms to chest level, hands at sternum for 4 counts. You should end facing right.
• Walking undulations, traveling to the front, body facing right for 4 counts. Left arm pushes down as the right arm pulls up.
• 1.25 turns over left shoulder, bring arms to chest level, hands at sternum for 4 counts. You should end facing right.

ATS Camel Walk:

• Step with the right foot onto the balls of the feet as you press down with the right hand and raise the left hand overhead. 4 counts.
• Keeping all your weight on the right foot, bend your right knee and extend the left foot to the side. Right arm goes up and left hand reaches toward extended left foot. 4 counts.
• Straighten your right leg as you draw the left foot in, and start a small torso rotation starting left to bring you back to center. 8 counts.
• Remember to flow through the 3 sections. Connect the dots!

Pencil Turn with pose:

• Extend the left arm up and the right arm down as you cross the right foot over the left. 4 counts.
• On counts 5 and 6, unwind yourself with a quick turn over the left shoulder to face front. The ball of the left foot will be the pivot point. Your feet, if left on the floor will be in left jazz 4th position at the end of the turn (left foot about 4 inches forward of the right foot).
• On counts 7 and 8, curve the left arm at shoulder height, palm facing chest. Pull the right arm up and back, keeping space between the right arm and the right ear; keep a slight curve in the right arm, palm facing towards head.
• The key here is to make this a continuous and seamless 8 count movement.

Here is the timing:
3:54 (16 counts) - Arabic Arm Push

4:05 (16 counts) - ATS Camel Walk


4:17 (8 counts) Pencil Turn



By popular demand, the Azure choreography is available for download here (right-click and select 'Save As' to your computer).


Remember to sign up for the mailing list so you can stay up to date. Coming soon in the next issue:

• Preorder my first instructional DVD!
• Belly Fusions Festival in Paris
• January 2010 belly dance series

Enjoy!
Lily
www.LilyBellydance.com

TFBD Fall 2009: Class 6 (Final class) Notes!

Wow! What did we do in this last class?

If you email me with class notes for Class 6, you get 2 free entrances to the next Sahara Nights. You have until October 22nd to submit. I will post notes after the 22nd. Come on ladies... give it a shot!



If you are not on my mailing list, sign up now! To read the October issue, click here!

I'm posting this blog entry from the Bay Area. We just finished filming today, and I can't wait to see the first cut tomorrow!

Have a great week everyone!
Lily

TFBD Fall 2009: Class 5 Notes

Wow! We are almost there with the choreography to "Azure". Here is what we covered in Class 5.

1. Warm-up... because it's getting chilly out there!
2. Posture - with a heavy bean bag on your head! Basic hip singles in place and walking. Undulations in place and walking. All with a bean bag on your head. Try this at home.
3. Continuing on with the choreography:

Time - Description
3:01 - Using a back-to-front shoulder roll to move us into diagonal. Start with left shoulder to bring us to right diagonal. Follow the drum accents in the music. There are 4 bars of 8 counts:

• L Shoulder roll (counts 1-6), Shimmy (count 7), Left hip drops 2x (counts 8, +).
• R Shoulder roll (counts 1-3), Right hip drops 2x (counts 4, +), elbows lift (counts 5-8).
• L Shoulder roll (counts 1-4), Shimmy (counts 5-6), hip singles (counts 7, +, 8).
• R Shoulder roll (counts 1-2), Right hip drops 2x (counts 3, 4), elbows lift to shoulder height.

3:22 - Combo 4,2,1: Right arm at second position, left arm at fifth; feet in releve, right hip singles, traveling to the right for 4 counts. Repeat opposite for left. Repeat right for 2 counts. repeat opposite for left. Repeat right for 1 count. Repeat left for 1 count. Chest circle, start right, going counter clockwise.

3:34 - Hip Twists & Grapevine: The hip twists are essentially the basic egyptian but with the arms at shoulder height; drop the arms down to hip height, cross, and lift up to shoulder height again for the grapevine step. Start the first grapevine traveling to the left, then back to starting point, etc.

It's been a busy few weeks, so I haven't had a chance to upload a video of the choreo. But it looks like most of you have it. So thanks for being present to class and giving it your all.

Remember next week, October 15th is our LAST CLASS! See you there.

If you missed the October 3rd Desert Passion show, here is a little clip:

Stay warm and dry,
Lily
www.LilyBellydance.com

TFBD Fall 2009: Class 4 Notes

You guys must be waiting for these class 4 notes... I know it!

Here are the new movements:
1. Sidewinder arms - keeping the range of motion for the arms from shoulder height and above, start with the right arm bend with the back of the hand close to your right ear, push the hand away from you ask you lean your torso to the left, at the same time the left arm is drawing up. Once the right arm is close to being fully extended, pull the right arm up and towards to the top of the head as you push the left arm away from you and as you lean towards the right. Continue in a smooth manner, keeping the movements and transitions comfortably slow.

2. Back to Front Figure 8's - press the right hip towards the back right corner, curve the hip towards the front right corner, then pull back in towards center; continue with the left hip pressing back towards the back left corner, curve the left hip towards the front left corner, and pull back in towards the center. Continue in a smooth and comfortably slow manner.

3. Torso rotation - imagine as if you were drawing a heart on the floor with your chest. Start with the chest at center, press towards the front left diagonal, then curve to the back left; keeping the lower abs engaged, round the torso to the back, then curve to the right, and round up to the front right corner, then pull in back into center. Finish with an up to down undulation. Repeat to the right.

See you all next Thursday, October 8th!
Lily