Shoulder shimmies, snake arms, and some fun combos!
Giving a little more focus to our upper bodies today, we touched upon shoulder shimmies and snake arms. I noticed some of you were "feeling the burn" in the middle of class as we practiced the snake arms. Note that "snake arms" are also called "arm waves".
Shoulder shimmies - the shoulders move in opposite directions forward and back. Keep the movement small. The shoulder should remain pressed down, moving forward and back. Lifting the shoulders would be a different movement!
We walked with the shoulder shimmy. We also used it as a transition between the hip drops on the left and right sides.
Snake arms / Arm waves - There are four parts to an arm wave: shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger tips. If we are starting on our right arms, the parts of the arm lift upward while the same part on the left arm presses downward. Again, it's this concept of opposition! Remember that when lifting the arm up, lead with the top of the wrist, but when lowering the arm, lead with the inside of the wrist. Practice just alternating the wrists in both left and right. Meaning, right wrist up (fingers down) and left wrist down (fingers up); then right wrist down (fingers up) and left wrist up (fingers down). What we find is that we can do each of these items just fine on its own, but when we put them together is where we have troubles. Practice each segment of the arm wave in opposites.
We walked across the room with the arm waves. We also used the foot pattern "cross touch" with the arm waves.
Figure 8 Arms - Paired with the horizontal figure 8 hip from front to back, we copied this shape with arms by drawing the figure 8 horizontally in front of us as if we were drawing it on the floor.
Then we put together a quick combination across the floor:
- Figure 8 Arms with horizontal figure 8 hips (8 counts)
- Full hip circle (4 counts)
- Arm waves while walking [optional cross touch feet] (4 counts)
Finally, we brought back two movements we learned in the previous classes:
Hip circle and Hip twists
Exaggerating the hip circle by stepping the right foot out to the right to initiate the movement, twists on the right hip as your shoulders remain over the left hip and your gaze is on your right hip. Round the hips back for a half circle over to the left side, so that now your shoulders are over the right hip and your gaze is on your left hip. Hip twists on the left. Round the hips front for a half circle. Pull the left foot in to meet the right to finish.
What fun and sassy ladies you are!
Thanks for a great class!
Remember that next week is our last class of the series. We will cover some new material and review all of which we have learned the past few weeks. We'll finish with a "Mandatory Dance Party!"
Lastly, registration for the next series is open. Bellydance Basics Classes will be held at
Flamencura Music and Dance Studio
7113 Burnet Rd. # 111, Austin, Texas 78757 (Behind Dallas Nite Club)
Cost: $84
Wednesdays, October 6 - November 17 (7 weeks)
http://www.lilybellydance.com/registerBB.shtml
We'll put together a fun little dance.
Hope to see you there!
Lily
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