December 2011 Newsletter

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LilyBellydance December 2011 Newsletter

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 6 Notes

Thanks for a great last class of the year!
We reviewed all the movements and combos from this series and added on Figure 8's down to up. Drilled our Figure 8's down to up while walking and in a 3/4 pattern.

Lastly, we each were assigned a movement family (hip singles, twists, undulations, hip slides, figure 8's up to down, and figure 8's down to up) to come up with our own 16 count combo using movements of that family. Finally dance your 16 count combo 3 times in a row to ensure you didn't just get lucky the first time!

Hope you enjoyed it!

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 5 Notes

It's a little late, but here are the notes from class 5.
By special request, we started with 3/4 shimmy on the down.
Then, we moved on to today's class plan...

Focus: Figure 8's up to down

- in place
- in place in 3/4 pattern
- walking
- walking in releve
- walking in releve in 3/4 pattern (both hips and feet)

After drilling these, we put together a combo:
- lift Right knee and arms up (cts 1, 2)
- Right half of the figure 8 up to down as you place the right foot down (cts 3, 4)
- exterior 1/2 chest circle starting L (cts 5, 6)
- interior chest circle db Front, clockwise (cts 7, 8)

Interlude step: 3/4 Figure 8 up to down walking, same timing feet

Then figure out the "left" side of this combo.

Finally, dance the "right" side, then Interlude, then the "left" side, then Interlude for a 32 count combo!

Fun stuff Ladies!

Austin dance events Dec 1-3

For those looking for some dance activity this weekend, there's lots to choose from! Here they are:


Dance Events this weekend!

* Dec 1-3 (Modern Dance): http://www.facebook.com/events/305645692796138/
Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company premieres FlashDance, but Flashier: 30 More Dances in 60 Minutes!

When: December 1-3, 2011, Thursday-Saturday 8pm,
Saturday Matinee at 2pm

Where: Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Road, Austin, TX

Tickets: $17 Adults, $12 Students and Seniors. Available at www.kdhdance.com and at the door.

Information: www.kdhdance.com, 512.934.1082

* Friday, Dec 2: http://www.facebook.com/events/275089032511716/
Typsy Gypsys at Tailgatorz First Friday Bellydance Show! Come early and stay late! Happy Hour from 3-7pm and bellydancing from 730-930pm! No cover; tips appreciated! Great food and wine/beer specials, free parking! After 7 pm, additional free parking at Breed Hardware on 29th St.

If there are enough hungry and thirsty supporters, we can continue to dance at this venue on select First Fridays!

Join Sahhira, Sonya, & Liora, plus special guest dancers Jamie Lynn, Stacey Lizette, and Stacey Lizette's Tekatek Dance Ensemble!!

* Saturday, Dec 3 in Buda, TX: http://www.facebook.com/events/250058181716770/

Desert Passion show in Buda tomorrow night at 8:00 at Dance Unlimited! Featuring recorded and live electronic music from Patrick Gergaud's cd ElitrickKids - West East! Lovely dancer friends Alana Shea, Alexis Garcia Asjah, Alyssa Akasha, Chloe Vanderhaven, Erin Gillespie, Gillian Roos, Jamie Lynn Shelton, Kisaya Rayne, Melissa Bailey, Sonya Taft, Valerie Aguirre, Z-Helene Christopher and her students, and Drakon BarAbba with DPMEDC. It's gonna be a fun, creative, fantastic night!!!

* Saturday, Dec 3: http://www.facebook.com/events/163071847079388/
Come and see what's on the menu with Baharat at Café Shimmy! Join us for a monthly performance at this fun, family-friendly venue. The evening will feature fabulous Middle Eastern fusion cuisine, exotic and entertaining local vendors, and of course beautiful belly dancing! All under the stars on Hot Mama's fantastic patio.

Hot Mama's is BYOB and there's no cover to attend the event. Vendors will be kicking things off at 6:00, and belly dancing performances will begin at 7:00.



* Saturday, Dec 3: http://www.facebook.com/events/114401468671096/
Amaya's "The Girl Effect" Belly Dance Show
When: Saturday, December 3
Where: El Sol y Luna Restaurant, 6th St, Austin, TX. Dinner Reservations: 512.444.7770
Time: 7 pm
Fee: $5 suggested donation. (Dinner reservations highly suggested! Seating at 7:30 pm)

Featuring dance stars.....Amaya, La Nita, Bahaia, Jeanette, Melissa Amira, Juliana, Pat Taylor, Nisaba, Amara, Mila, Stacey Lizette, Sin & Satisfaction, Sisters of Isis!
 

Hope to see you at some of these events!
Lily

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 4 Notes

We only had one week off, but seemed so much longer! That being said, after a holiday feast, it's always to good to get some cardio and stamina training in... for our bodies and our brains! Here's what we did:

1. Warm up which included some core strengthening.
2. Practice of chest slides and hip slides:

• chest slides right and left
• 3/4 chest slides: right-left-right, left-right-left
• hip slides right and left (also while walking)
• 3/4 hip slides: right-left-right, left-right-left
• hip slides with accent down (also while walking on releve)
• hip singles on the down and hip slides with accent down, alternating (also while walking on releve)

Remember that you should hit your maximum distance for the slide at the down beat. For the hip slides with accent down, the accent down is at the max distance out and should be down on the down beat.


Here is our combo, starting with feet at hip distance apart, hips neutral, and torso facing left diagonal:
ct 1 - hip slide right
ct 2 - pause 
ct 3 - side step to the right starting with the left foot but down beat on the right (which means you start stepping the left foot before ct 3). leave body facing left diagonal and body weight on the left foot.
ct 4 - chest slide right
ct 5 - undulation down to up while pivoting torso to right diagonal. shift body weight to the right foot.
ct 6 - pause
ct 7 - cross turn left foot over right
ct 8 - land facing front

We then add a "interlude" movement of hip slides with accent down while walking on releve.

Thus we have a 16 ct combo.

Now, mirror the combo and add the "interlude" movement. Thus, another 16 ct combo.

Put the two together and we have a 32 ct combo.

Next, we split up into groups of two and stagger the start of this 32 ct combo by 8 counts... It looked so cool!

Finally, we worked with our partner: one person starts the combo and the next person starts 2 counts after (starting on count 3). That was tough! Imagine if we continued this with another person starting 4 counts after (starting on count 5)... and so on. That would look awesome. BUT it does mean you have to know the combo so well that the movements of others don't confuse you.

Hope you had fun!

Lily

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 3 Notes

Today's theme was ATS Arabic movements and variations. Here are the movements we practiced:

ATS Arabic
ATS Arabic Hip Twist
ATS Arabic Hip Twist quarter turns
ATS Arabic Hip Twist half turns

Combos:
1. ATS Arabic + starting with both arms up, windmill the right arm back and down (4 cts).
ATS Arabic + turn over left shoulder with left elbow lifted (4 cts).

2. ATS Arabic + facing stage left, hands at chest level and gradually raise the left hand up while lowering the right arm; traveling backwards (4 cts).
ATS Arabic Hip Twist half turn to face stage right.
ATS Arabic + facing stage right, hands at chest level and gradually raise the right hand up while lowering the left arm; traveling forwards (4 cts).
ATS Arabic Hip Twist half turn to face stage left.

3. ATS Arabic + start by facing stage left with both arms up (cts 1, 2), lower right arm down to shoulder height (cts 3, 4), then down beside hip (cts 5, 6), and back to shoulder height (cts 7, 8).
ATS Arabic Hip Twist half turn to face stage right (4 cts).
ATS Arabic Hip Twist half turn with arms up over head during the half turn (4 cts).

Our creative section of the class is a little more challenging today... Create your own (solo!) 16 count combination, then dance it for the class. Next, we partnered with someone, taught the partner our 16 count combo and danced our two combos together for a 32 count combo. Finally, we had to figure out the "other" direction of our combos. Meaning, if you were turning right, now turn left, etc.!!!

Hope you had fun.
See you in two weeks! Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

Lily

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 2 Notes

In this second class of the 6-week series, our theme was twists!


Here are the movements covered:
ATS Basic Egyptian
ATS Basic Egyptian half turn
ATS Basic Egyptian full turn
ATS Reach and Sit    
Flamenco   
Washer Woman   

After practicing these movements, we created a 16 count combination using as many of these twist type movements that also incorporated some traveling.

Then we created another 16 count combination that included at least one movement from the first class.

TFBD Nov/Dec Series: Class 1 Notes

Here are the movements we covered today:

Singles
Doubletime singles
3/4 shimmy on the up
3/4 shimmy on the down
ATS Turkish
ATS Pivot Hip Bump
ATS Choo Choo
ATS Choo Choo Arc Turn
ChooChoo Shimmy

That seems like a lot! Well, most of these movements are review for you. The challenge is creating our own combinations using these movements. This being the first class, we went easy: create a 32 count combo with your group.

TFBD Sep/Oct Series: Class 8

Hello!

For this last class of the 8-week series, we took the choreography and staged it. Pairing up, we created little duets that spawned from the group piece, then we would come back together as a unit.

I'm really looking forward to performing this piece with the class on November 12 at Sahara Nights show. Come support your classmates!

Sahara Nights hosted by Sabaya Bellydance Collective
November 12, 2011 at Copa Bar & Grill
Doors open 7pm. Show starts at 7:30pm
$8 Entry


Don't forget, the next session starts November 3rd! We will be working on fast movements and improvisation. It's time to work on stamina and put some cardio in our dance... A great way to prepare yourself for the holidays!

Register now: http://www.lilybellydance.com/registerTF.shtml

TFBD Sep/Oct Series: Class 7

Sorry for the late post. In short, we worked on the Sidewinder Arms and Creature Comfort combo... and drilled those two movements.


Here is the choreo written out.

Choreography to “Mission”
Music by Beats Antique
Length: 4:20

Time	Movement	Music	Bars
0:03	Entrance
0:24	Hip Singles	Prep beats	2 x 8
0:28	Progressively fast walking	Crescendo	8
0:32	Half Hip Circle Lateral Body Wave Body Wave Body Wave	Intro theme	4 x 8
0:48	Basic Arabic (ATS) + Arabic Hip Twist Combo	Fast theme	2 x 8
0:56	Bodywave  (8 cts) + Back lunge (4 cts) + cross turn (4 cts)	Theme B	2 x 8
1:04	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:11	Bodywave + Back lunge + cross turn	Theme B	2 x 8
1:21	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:29	Float arms up while walking to stage left	Transition	2 x 8
1:36	Moonwalk Undulations - Undulations modified so that chest goes forward instead of up and hips travel back. Feet are quick steps following the undulation.	Slow snaps	4 x 8
1:52	2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to right diagonal. 8 cts. 2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to left diagonal. 8 cts. 4 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; walking forward (1 circle per step). 8 cts. hip circle + undulation down to up. 8 cts.	Q+A	4 x 8
2:08	Hip slide + Hip Circle (opt. undulation layer)	Violin	4 x 8
2:23	Torso rotation to face back		2 x 8
2:33	While facing upstage, turn head over right shoulder on count 1, turn head to face upstage on count 3, turn whole body to face downstage on count 5, then fast walking to left diagonal.		8
2:36	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)	Theme C	2 x 8
2:44	Camel Walk (ATS)	Theme B	2 x 8
2:52	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)
2:59	Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo: Basic Egyptian (4 cts ) Basic Egyptian Half Turn ( 4 cts) Corkscrew half turn to front (8 cts) Figure 8s up to down: Right (4 cts.) + Left (2 cts.) + Right (2 cts.) + Step out to Left (6 cts.) Back turn right (2cts.)	Cello	4 x 8
3:15	Repeat Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo with your own partner variation	Cello	4 x 8
3:31	Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo	Cello	4 x 8
3:47	Sidewinder and Creature Comfort Combo: Sidewinder arms (16 cts) Creature Comfort (8 cts) Walk to face back and arm raise	Violin	4 x 8
4:03	Sidewinder and Creature Comfort Combo facing back	Violin	4 x 8
4:20	Sidewinder and Creature Comfort Combo variation	Violin	4 x 8
End	Pose	Finale

TFBD Sep/Oct Series: Class 6

Hello!
Thanks again Gina for the class notes. I've added to it... so please read below.

Lying on back:
• Undulations - lifting lower abs, upper abs, and upper back up
off the floor, then lowering them back down onto the floor (upper back, upper abs, and lower abs). Essentially, this is the yoga bridge pose performed slowly and consciously. Also, practice alternating between upper abs and lower abs.
• Hip twists- with hips lifted off the floor, right and left hips alternate pressing up to the ceiling.

Pointers for choreography

For Half Hip Circle (at 0:32):
• Accentuate hip slide to the right for exterior hip circle

For Body Waves (at 0:32, 0:56, 1:11):
• Hold elbows up
• Keep chest open (don’t drop chest too low)
• Lead from the crown of the head

For Basic Arabic (ATS) + Arabic Hip Twist Combo (at 0:48):
• Mirroring or variations with partner

For Back Lunge (at 0:56, 1:11):
• Lift front arm and front foot together before cross turn

For Moonwalk Undulations (at 1:36):
• Feet up on releve
• Quick steps back on count # 4 (after snap)

Here is the choreography so far …

Choreography to “Mission”
Music by Beats Antique
Length: 4:20

Time	Movement	Music	Bars
0:03	Entrance
0:24	Hip Singles	Prep beats	2 x 8
0:28	Progressively fast walking	Crescendo	8
0:32	Half Hip Circle Lateral Body Wave Body Wave Body Wave	Intro theme	4 x 8
0:48	Basic Arabic (ATS) + Arabic Hip Twist Combo	Fast theme	2 x 8
0:56	Bodywave  (8 cts) + Back lunge (4 cts) + cross turn (4 cts)	Theme B	2 x 8
1:04	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:11	Bodywave + Back lunge + cross turn	Theme B	2 x 8
1:21	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:29	Float arms up while walking to stage left	Transition	2 x 8
1:36	Moonwalk Undulations - Undulations modified so that chest goes forward instead of up and hips travel back. Feet are quick steps following the undulation.	Slow snaps	4 x 8
1:52	2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to right diagonal. 8 cts. 2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to left diagonal. 8 cts. 4 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; walking forward (1 circle per step). 8 cts. hip circle + undulation down to up. 8 cts.	Q+A	4 x 8
2:08	Hip slide + Hip Circle (opt. undulation layer)	Violin	4 x 8
2:23	Torso rotation to face back		2 x 8
2:33	While facing upstage, turn head over right shoulder on count 1, turn head to face upstage on count 3, turn whole body to face downstage on count 5, then fast walking to left diagonal.		8
2:36	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)	Theme C	2 x 8
2:44	Camel Walk (ATS)	Theme B	2 x 8
2:52	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)	Theme C	2 x 8
2:59	Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo: Basic Egyptian (4 cts )  Basic Egyptian Half Turn ( 4 cts) Corkscrew half turn to front (8 cts) Figure 8s up to down: Right (4 cts.) + Left (2 cts.) + Right (2 cts.) + Step out to Left (6 cts.) Back turn right (2cts.)	Cello	4 x 8
3:15	Repeat Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo with your own partner variation	Cello	4 x 8
3:31	Basic Egyptian, Corkscrew, and Figure 8 Combo	Cello	4 x 8

Thanks again for a great class! We'll be finishing out the choreography in the next class. Then, in the last class of the series, we'll finalize staging and do some fine tuning.

See you soon!
Lily

TFBD Sep/Oct Series: Class 5

Thank you Gina for submitting the class notes!

Practice of movements

Laying on the floor:

• Undulations - Isolated contractions of upper abs and lower abs

Standing:

• Interior Hip Circles - Standing on one foot with other foot to the front/side/back.

Here is the choreography so far...


Choreography to “Mission”
Music by Beats Antique
Length: 4:20

Time	Movement	Music	Bars
0:03	Entrance
0:24	Hip Singles	Prep beats	2 x 8
0:28	Progressively fast walking	Crescendo	8
0:32	Half Hip Circle Lateral Body Wave Body Wave Body Wave	Intro theme	4 x 8
0:48	Basic Arabic (ATS) + Arabic Hip Twist Combo	Fast theme	2 x 8
0:56	Bodywave  (8 cts) + Back lunge (4 cts) + cross turn (4 cts)	Theme B	2 x 8
1:04	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:11	Bodywave + Back lunge + cross turn	Theme B	2 x 8
1:21	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation (opt. shimmy layer)	Theme C	2 x 8
1:29	Float arms up while walking to stage left	Transition	2 x 8
1:36	Moonwalk Undulations - Undulations modified so that chest goes forward instead of up and hips travel back. Feet are quick steps following the undulation.	Slow snaps	4 x 8
1:52	2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to right diagonal. 8 cts. 2 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; pivot body to left diagonal. 8 cts. 4 int. hip circles + undulation down to up; walking forward (1 circle per step). 8 cts. hip circle + undulation down to up. 8 cts.	Q+A	4 x 8
2:08	Hip slide + Hip Circle (opt. undulation layer)	Violin	4 x 8
2:23	Torso rotation to face back		2 x 8
2:33	While facing upstage, turn head over right shoulder on count 1, turn head to face upstage on count 3, turn whole body to face downstage on count 5, then fast walking to left diagonal.		8
2:36	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)	Theme C	2 x 8
2:44	Camel Walk (ATS)	Theme B	2 x 8
2:52	Int. Chest Circle + Undulation up to down (8 cts.) + Int. Hip Circle + Undulation down to up (8 cts.)	Theme C	2 x 8