Thanks you for a great first class of this new session. With a mixed-level class, we will always have some review to do. It is a great time to check in on your foundation, posture, and technique. For those who are just starting their journey in bellydance, welcome! I hope you'll find what you're looking for in these classes and also continue on to learn more... because there is always more to learn!
In our first class, we started with a mild warm-up, checked our posture, reviewed our arm positions and went right into the hips. With this session offering basic belly dance techniques and American Tribal Style (ATS) movements, I try to use an expanded vocabulary when talking about these movements. For the basic belly dance technique, I tend to use the vocabulary from the "Suhaila Salimpour Format" and when referring to ATS movements, I use the ATS vocabulary.
Here is a general breakdown of what we did:
- Hip Singles
- hip singles with down beat on the right (right hip up on the down beat)
- hip singles with down beat on the left (left hip up on the down beat)
- With body turned to face the left diagonal, hip singles with down beat on the left. (These look like drops)
- With body turned to face the left diagonal, hip singles with down beat on the right. (These look like "bumps")These are also known as "Hip Bumps" in the ATS vocabulary.
- With body turned to face the right diagonal, hip singles with down beat on the right. (These look like drops)
- With body turned to face the right diagonal, hip singles with down beat on the left. (These look like "bumps")
We add flamenco arms to the hip singles down beat on the right with body turned to face the left diagonal while traveling forward and get the ATS Choo Choo.
- hip singles with down beat on the right (right hip up on the down beat)
ATS Choo Choo - Starting with the hip singles down beat on the right with body turn to face the left diagonal position and traveling forward, every time your right hip is up, your weight is on the right foot in releve. When your right hip is down, your weight is on the left foot. By transferring the weight between your feet you can shuffle your feet towards the right.
Adding arms and a turn, we get the ATS Choo Choo Arc Turn (also known simply as the Arc Turn).
ATS Choo Choo Arc Turn - An 8 count movement in total. Choo-choo to the front 2 counts, then bring left arm down to meet right arm in front 2 counts. Slightly raising both wrists, then for the next 4 counts, pivot around to the left, bringing both hands to the left hip as you turn to the back. Sweep arms around and overhead to complete, ending with arms in starting position. Land back on the starting position on the next count 1.
For our class, we're going to use the ATS Choo Choo Arc Turn with a slightly different counting, adjusting to the music we're dancing to.
modified ATS Choo Choo Arc Turn - An 8 count movement in total. Choo-choo to the front 4 counts, then bring left arm down to meet right arm in front 2 counts. Slightly raising both wrists, then for the next 2 counts, pivot around to the left, bringing both hands to the left hip as you turn to the back. Sweep arms around and overhead to complete, ending with arms in starting position. Land back on the starting position on the next count 1.
Lastly, we have some hip lock combinations. Use gentle muscle contractions to create a sharp quality to the hip singles for the hip locks right and left. Be sure to release the muscle contraction in order to continue and be back at center for the next movement.
We then add in pelvic locks front and back. For pelvic lock front, use the lower abdominal muscles. For pelvic lock back, use the lower back muscles.
So, the entire hip lock combination is: right, left, front, back. Very quickly!
By adding punctuated hips and arms, we create what we're calling the "Double-Down Combo" to be used in the choreography:
- Double-Down Combo
- Slowly lift arms to flamenco position. Facing right corner, left hip double-down on count 4.
- Facing center, right hip on count 5 + left hip on count 6 + pelvic lock front on count 7 + pelvic lock back on count 8.
- Slowly lift arms to flamenco position. Facing left corner, right hip double-down on count 4.
- Facing center, right hip on count 5 + left hip on count 6 + pelvic lock front on count 7 + pelvic lock back on count 8.
- Slowly lift arms to flamenco position. Facing right corner, left hip double-down on count 4.
The music we're dancing to is called "1000 Eyes", from the album "Satya" by Solace. You can find it on iTunes!
See you all next week!
Lily
www.LilyBellydance.com
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