Welcome to Beginners Bellydance! I am thrilled that you have decided to join us.This class will teach you the basic core moves common to all types of bellydance. We will also work on general fitness and flexibility creating body awareness that will enable you to focus on muscular isolations.
Posture
Before we begin I would like to inform you of the posture used in my classes. This posture is based on the tribal style posture, but you can modify it to your individual needs as long as the following concepts are adhered to:-
- Feet a comfortable distance apart, about hip width
- Pelvis tucked in to a neutral position with the lower abs engaged AT ALL TIMES
- Spine elongated and upper body lifted out of the hips
- Shoulders back and down
- Head up and neck long
It is especially important to engage your lower abs in order to protect your lower back. I will start every class with this position.
Bellydance FAQs
For those of you not familiar with the dance here are some Frequently Asked Questions,but feel free to ask any questions throughout the classes if a concept is hard to grasp.
1) What is bellydance?
“Bellydance” is an American term given to a form of dance that originated in the Middle East and North Africa millennia ago. Today the term encompasses many different genres of the dance, which can confuse some people. Bellydance started primarily as a social dance for women BY women. Very few female dancers danced for men. This is because the culture that is generally accepted for starting the dance in the Middle East is a segregated culture in which men and women have different circles. So women would dance for women, and men would dance for men (there are male “bellydancers”!).
The form of bellydance I teach is known as Tribal Fusion. This is a purely American form of the dance based on ancient folkloric dance roots from many countries including, but not limited to, Egypt, Lebanon, Spain, Berber and Tuareg nomadic tribes, African tribal dances, and even branching into Eastern Europe and Russia. In addition, various elements of modern dance forms such as ballet and jazz, are also fused into the dance. Hence the term “Tribal Fusion”. All bellydance forms share the same basic core moves.
2) Is bellydance related to “stripping” or other forms of exotic dance?
This is a common misconception, and the answer is a definite NO! Although there are many aspects of the dance that strippers and other exotic dancers borrow for their routines, bellydance itself has nothing to do with this.
3) Do you have to be a certain size or fitness level to learn bellydance?
Definitely not. All forms of bellydance are suitable for women of all ages, shapes and sizes and fitness levels. It is a great way to get your cardio vascular exercise, but also develops muscular and core strength and flexibility. Also, it is a great way to boost self-esteem. I incorporate elements of pilates and yoga into the class to help develop strength and flexibility.
However, it is best to consult with a physician before starting any form of exercise. Those with knee or back problems may have a little difficulty with some of the movements, but nearly everything can be modified to accommodate this.
4) Do I have to bare my mid-section?
Only if you want to. In a class setting it is beneficial to at least wear clothing that is slightly form fitting so that you can see what your body is doing, but this is entirely up to the student. When it comes to performance it depends on each dancers’ comfort level as to how much skin to bare. The Egyptian Cabaret costumes that are often associated with bellydance were designed in the 1920s when the dance was brought over to America, and are by no means the only costume available. Costuming depends on the genre in which you are dancing and your own personal preferences. Class wear can be whatever you are comfortable in.
The Basic Core Moves
Throughout this class we will be working with the following core bellydance moves:-
1. Shimmy
There are many different ways to shimmy! These are the following shimmies we will be working with:-
- Basic Egyptian shimmy
- “Washing Machine” or twisting shimmy
- Egyptian choo choo
- 1, 2, 3 And
- 3/4 shimmy on the up
The last shimmy on this list is a more advanced move, but it helps to start learning the concept of it as soon as possible.
2. Hip lifts
We will we working with two versions of hips lifts, one pushing out of the floor with your foot, and one keeping the feet flat and utilising the obliques, hamstrings, quadriceps and buttocks.
3. Hip drops
Students usually find these a little more challenging, so do not be disheartened if they do not come to you straight away. These are the opposite of hip lifts where we will be pushing the hip down towards the floor.
4. Hip slides
Here we will be sliding our hips from one side to the other, keeping our hips flat and parallel to the floor (no twisting or lifting allowed!). Hip slides form the basis of many moves including Figure 8s and Circles.
5. Hip circles
There is more than one way to circle your hips. In this class we will be working with the following:-
- Medium hip circles
- Large hip circles
- Small hip circles, also known as Omi’s or interior hip circles
6. Figure 8s
We will be working with four different figure 8 movements. Some of these will feel natural to you, others may be more difficult.
- Horizontal 8 backward
- Horizontal 8 forward
- Inside vertical 8
- Outside vertical 8 also known as a maya
7. Ribcage slides
These are the same as the hip slides, but in this case you will be sliding your ribcage from side to side. It is important to keep your head and shoulders, and your hips and lower body, as still as possible and avoid bending or twisting. You will be sliding your ribcage sideways over your hips.
8. Chest lifts and drops
We will be isolating the movements here to lift and drop your chest using the upper back muscles and your upper abs.
9. Chest circles
There are two chest circles we will be learning:-
- Horizontal circle : circling your chest around your stationary hips
- Vertical circle : circling your chest up and in front of you
10. Arms and shoulders
We will spend time developing strength and flexibility in the arms and shoulders so that we can learn to put strength and fluidity into our arm movements.
We will drill the break down of the snake arm move
Improvers Bellydance
Welcome to the improvers bellydance class!
Let me take a moment to explain the concept behind this class. It is a progression of my beginners classes. I recommend that everyone takes at least 6 weeks of beginners classes before moving onto the improvers level. This is because I will not be teaching the basic moves but will be focusing on more complicated movements, layering, adding turns and spins and walking with the movements. We will learn combinations, choreography and we will also become familiar with improvisation and performance. Before you panic at the word “performance” let me assure you that you will be in no way pressured to perform! We will however be encouraging each other to perform in the classroom setting both with your fellow classmates and as individuals. This class will be taking the idea of bellydance as fitness and turning it on its head and developing bellydance as an actual dance. And dances are generally performed! For those of you interested in eventually joining the student troupe (or even the main troupe “Storm Troupers Bellydance” this class will be an ideal way to get to grips with being on stage. It can be daunting, but it is also extremely good fun!
My aim is to host a student social on a regular basis where you can play with costuming and perform to other students, all in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere. Further details on this will follow in due course.
What Will Be Covered in Class
1. Layering
2. Moving
3. Turning
4. Creating combinations
5. Improvisation
6. Learning Choreography
7. Dancing in formation
8. Using props :: veils, zills, swords etc …
9. Dancing solo
10. Performance
Above all else it is important to relax and have fun! Try not to tense your muscles as this will prevent you from executing the moves correctly.
I hope you enjoy these classes!
Victoria Whitecotton
