Dancer's Arms

C

charity

New member
yes i have some suggestions.

military presses
forward arm claps
overhead arm claps
and reverse flies (i think this is the name)

military presses
hard to describe, perhaps a search will reveal a pic

forward arm claps
arms shoulder height straight out to side, palms facing to ground
bring them forward in front of chest

overhead arm claps
same thing, arms straight, elbows soft
but bring them overhead, like clapping at a rock concert

reverse flies
you lie on your belly on a bench and drop your arms down to the side, lift them up and out to side with slight bend in elbow, the movement is initated by pulling shoulder blades together(i think)

the new guy will probably be able to help you find something more effective.
this is something i do, it seems to work for strengthening the same area.
 
Moon

Moon

New member
Bend forward in a 90° angle stretch your arms forward (so they are parallel with the floor) and try to keep them that way for a while. We have to do that sometimes at yoga and I think it's horrible. I always lower them as fast as possible :redface:
 
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Moderator
KuteNurse said:
I like working on my finger movements also. I have been doing it in the car whenever possible. (Addict) lol I think I am going to try out my new zills tonight while I am doing laundry. I have a hard time with snake arms because my arms get tired and sore from holding them up. Does anyone have suggestions on how to strengthen your arms so they do not get tired?
Click to expand...
Arms? You should see some of my beginning BD students when they have to hold their arms in basic position for more than a minute...they look as if they are lifting weights.:D Miss shimmy and Moon has some good suggestions. Additionally I would suggest that you make sure your shoulders are down and not lifted up as you raise or lower your arms. Instead move your arms from your ribcage and upper back as these muscle groups are larger and stronger and they cn support the weight of your arms. I lift weights, plain and simple. No more than 10 lbs and I do several reps with each arm(I work my left arm twice as much) Over time your arms will develop not only stamina but it decrease that tricep 'jiggle' too. I found that when I use swords,veils and Isis Wings, I have greater lift and extension. Of course consistent pratice of any arm movement doesn't either:)
Yasmine
 
Reen.Blom

Reen.Blom

New member
What is "nile, and the falling leaf, and the waterfall ", Charity? I suspect that Nileis a wavelike move, butr what are the others?
 
Mya

Mya

New member
i don't know the nile, but i've learnt the other two.

The falling leaf as i learnt it is a travelling hand undulation. Basically it starts over your head, palm facing a wall and a gently bent arm. As you undulate your hand you also bend your arm so that the hand travels down almost along the side of the face until it reaches about chest level.

the waterfall i find harder to describe. It's travelling hand undulations as well. Starts over your head, both hands facing each other in prayer position but as you start the hand undulations the hands cross each other and as you move the hands down the front of the body you change the direction of the cross - left over right then right over left and so on.
 
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Moderator
Hi Ladies, I learned the waterfall as forward facing snake arms except the elbows do not bend. Start by raising one arm up with fingers pointing down , at about shoulder height flip the hand so the palm faces outward and fingers are pointing upward and then bring down the arm. Alternating arms to resmble painting a wall. Nile hands are another term for snake hands(hand undulations)
Yasmine
 
Amulya

Amulya

Moderator
Reen.Blom said:
Please come and share your thoughts on the importance of good armwork in belly dancing!
Click to expand...

I think armwork is the finishing touch to the dancing, it accentuates things or frames movements. I am not a fan of floppy armwork, like the type that is comon in Egyptian style (I call it chicken wings) where the dancer holds the arms too relaxedly. It's hard to describe what kind of armwork I prefer, but I think tribal arms are nicer.
 
Mya

Mya

New member
Yasmine Bint Al Nubia said:
Hi Ladies, I learned the waterfall as forward facing snake arms except the elbows do not bend. Start by raising one arm up with fingers pointing down , at about shoulder height flip the hand so the palm faces outward and fingers are pointing upward and then bring down the arm. Alternating arms to resmble painting a wall. Nile hands are another term for snake hands(hand undulations)
Yasmine
Click to expand...



i learnt that one as mermaid arms =)
 
Reen.Blom

Reen.Blom

New member
Thank you girls for the explanations! Charity this is a great site! Thank you!!!!

Thank you Mya I think I know the moves you are talking about, just had no clue about their names!!

Yasmine's waterfall sounds more complicated though :)

You girls are awesome!
 
Reen.Blom

Reen.Blom

New member
Thank you Charity for a nice link! Here are some move descriptions I found there:

Other Arm Movements:

Heart
[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]This is a pose you do when you want to emphasize how much you love something. You can accomplish it simply by cupping your hand under your left breast.[/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Soul
This is a pose you do when you want to emphasize how much somthing touches your soul or moves you in a spiritual way. You can accoplish it simply by cupping your hand over your lower abdomen (generally closer to your side as opposed to the center).

Lebanese Headache
Using the same basic position of Indian hands, place your pointer finger in the middle of your forehead with your palm up.

Pointing
Simply point where you want to draw attention.

Turkish Head Frame
Place the backs of your hands together so that your palms are facing out now keeping hands facing the same directions place palms together. Then raise arms over head.

Head Frame 1
Place palms together and raise arms over head.

Head Frame 2
Place left arm out in front of you creating a horizontal line in front of your chest and curve your right arm over your head.

Head Frame 3

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Clasp your right elbow in the palm of tour left hand and keep the right arm in a fairly straight vertical line. Keep the left arm in a fairly horizontal line.

Pyramid Head Frame

Touch the tips of your middle fingers toghether and then touch the tips of your thumbs together. Your hands should now resmble the outline of a pyramid or triangle. Now, raise your arms over your head.

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif][/FONT]

How often any of you actually use any of these in your dancing?
[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]


[/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]
 
C

charity

New member
well the head frames we use for head slides.

all the other moves seem like something more for improv. i would not use such heartfelt and soulfoul moves in a rehearsed choreography, it feels a bit contrived...to me that detracts from the depth/meaning of such moves.
 
C

charity

New member
...well as far as cupping the breast and the abdomen and the pyramid head frame. those are very open and honest moves.

the thinker pose, as i call it (head frame 3), i cannot imagine where to incorporate that except in a spot where one is trying to be coy by overting the eyes upward.

oh btw,

i have stopped trying to mimic my teachers arms. we dont have the same body, length, what looks right on her does not look right with me.

i am experimenting with my own "designs". it looks a bit more natural now, i think.
 
Last edited:
M

MyCapoeira

New member
I'm no expert, but I think the movement of the arms is a key element in making the dance what it is. The fluidity of the motion can make or break the dance.
 
Reen.Blom

Reen.Blom

New member
charity said:
the thinker pose, as i call it (head frame 3), i cannot imagine where to incorporate that except in a spot where one is trying to be coy by overting the eyes upward.
Click to expand...

You can use that one if you forget your choreo...LOL:D

I struggle to remember if I have seen a lot of 'head frames' except for belly twins dvds...LOL. I think the "temple arms" might be the one I recall I have seen a few times but not with head slides as belly twins teach but with snake hips or similar, suppose it creates elongated bodyline....

Actually the thinker one I have seen a few times with emotional, almost "painful" expression and sort of swaying the head, suppose if it goes in the music to convey suffering or love far away or something....
 
gisela

gisela

Super Moderator
I love the heart move. It's nice to cup your hands under the breast and then spread your arms out and up like you're sharing your love or showing the world your heartache, depending on the music. Combine the arm spreading with some lower or upper 8's and it feels very emotional.

And it accentuates your boobs :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top