Amulya
Moderator
:lol: now that's an appropriate name for it!
I can do traveling shimmies, but I learned to do them without the very quick steps (it can be done with slow steps, big steps, whatever you want)
What was or is the hardest move for you?
- Thread starter Nebetmiw
- Start date
:lol: now that's an appropriate name for it!
I can do traveling shimmies, but I learned to do them without the very quick steps (it can be done with slow steps, big steps, whatever you want)
Jane
New member
I have this problem too, I'm still working on it! Mine tighten up into a freeze. So frustrating!
I've been working on a Fifi move that I want very badly. She is stepping toe-heel while swinging the legs around alternately in small circles; layering a hip shimmy over a front hip crescent, while in a very odd upper body posture. Looks fab and easy on Fifi, not so good on me yet.
Another movement concept that challenges me: being able to move different body parts at different tempos within similar movement families. Like a horizontal hip circle at a slow tempo and a vertical chest circle at a fast tempo.
Blech- It makes my brain hurt!
Amulya
Moderator
This is not a move, but it's hard for me: sticking to a choreography! I'm a real improvisation dancer and I dance what I feel at that moment, so when I do have a choreography it gets in the way. I do choreograph certain parts of songs, so I have a 'frame' to hold on to, but the rest is all improvisation. Also because that gives better opportunities to interact with the audience and to adapt to the stage or space where I have to dance.
onela
New member
For me, shimmy and shimmy variations (3/4, walking, etc), hip or shoulder TBH. I'm trying to practice at home too, a few times a week, but it's hard to stay on track and I can't tell if I'm doing it right, so I'm afraid to train a bad habit into me :/ I might start webcamming it and putting it up on youtube to solicit advice, lol. I also generally find it hard to not do belly dance like a ballet kid.
MissVega
New member
The downwards belly roll took a couple of months for me to get. I was so frusterated yet so determined.
Arms and hands have probably taken the most work and still require the most work. Although I feel all moves are always a work in progress.
And choreography. Even when I come up with one for students, if I don't video tape it and watch myself dancing it, I won't remember it to teach it to them. I actually had to dance with one of my student classes at the recital because it needed to be an even number of people and a student couldn't make it and it was ME, the instructor, that forgot the choreography at one part lol. It was pretty funny. :lol:
Arms and hands have probably taken the most work and still require the most work. Although I feel all moves are always a work in progress.
And choreography. Even when I come up with one for students, if I don't video tape it and watch myself dancing it, I won't remember it to teach it to them. I actually had to dance with one of my student classes at the recital because it needed to be an even number of people and a student couldn't make it and it was ME, the instructor, that forgot the choreography at one part lol. It was pretty funny. :lol:
Jane
New member
I can only do a sideways belly roll the cheater way. You do a very tiny bit of a hip/chest movement horizontally in opposition as you do the ab work. It makes it look bigger. Think about dividing your abs into three vertical rows, left/center/right, and pulling the rows in and pushing them out in order. I don't use it much anymore, it's more of a Am. Oriental thing. I learned sideways belly rolls from Saqra in Seattle.
Sahar of Santa Cruz California does belly rolls of several types really well. She can do rolls on the diagonal and fold bills with her belly. Crazy stuff. :shok:
Fun to try: Layering a flutter over your belly rolls.
Sahar of Santa Cruz California does belly rolls of several types really well. She can do rolls on the diagonal and fold bills with her belly. Crazy stuff. :shok:
Fun to try: Layering a flutter over your belly rolls.
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Daimona
Moderator
I did bellycircles once - didn't dance with them though.
Ooh! Must try! :lol:
Amulya
Moderator
o0oLaylao0o
New member
ahaha what is it with thoes 3/4 shimmies?!
I think its just you see...or when i watched my teacher.... i tried to mimic what i saw and it looked absolutley insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane, she then explained how to use your obliques and pulls and use your muscles...then i got it
thats the thing about belly dance there is a lot of "invisible" work going on, you cant see what your teachers muscles are doing ...
now my new challenge is a Turkish Drop, and a belly roll up, I can roll down but for some reason the roll up is just not doing it.
p.s.
I 3/4 shimmy around my office once you get it it wont stop
I think its just you see...or when i watched my teacher.... i tried to mimic what i saw and it looked absolutley insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane, she then explained how to use your obliques and pulls and use your muscles...then i got it
thats the thing about belly dance there is a lot of "invisible" work going on, you cant see what your teachers muscles are doing ...
now my new challenge is a Turkish Drop, and a belly roll up, I can roll down but for some reason the roll up is just not doing it.
p.s.
I 3/4 shimmy around my office
once you get it it wont stop
o0oLaylao0o
New member
oh that was my other toughie- arms, getting them to look fluid and not forced
Jeanne
Member
When I was first learning, I had a really hard time for the first six months or more with not just camel walk but any kind of undulation move. For "really hard time," you can substitute "couldn't figure out how to make my body do anything even remotely like that at all." It was very frustrating because until I started trying to learn this, I never had trouble getting any other move -- I was starting to convince myself that I was some kind of prodigy.
But this story did have a happy ending. One night I was hanging out at the home of some musician friends (not ME music, more sorta jazz) waiting for them to finish practicing before we went out to eat. I started doodling around with some moves while they were playing some slow stuff, and all of a sudden I had this flash of insight -- I'm doin' it!
It was one of those blissful moments that make you realize that not being able to do something at first doesn't mean you're never going to be able to do it. Just keep trying.
But this story did have a happy ending. One night I was hanging out at the home of some musician friends (not ME music, more sorta jazz) waiting for them to finish practicing before we went out to eat. I started doodling around with some moves while they were playing some slow stuff, and all of a sudden I had this flash of insight -- I'm doin' it!
It was one of those blissful moments that make you realize that not being able to do something at first doesn't mean you're never going to be able to do it. Just keep trying.
Azrael
New member
It's amazing how that happens, isn't it? You struggle for MONTHS and people explain it to you over and over and over again and you just can't get it and then one day when you're not really concentrating it happens!!
Bugsiebellydance
New member
belly flutter
I find it really difficult to do this - I'm getting better, but it's really slow progress...
Oh well, patience is a virtue!
More generally, I'm also trying to be more of a "performer" if you know what I mean. Sometimes I'm so nervous I don't always think about how I'm executing the moves, so I end up not doing them as nicely as I do in rehearsal.
I find it really difficult to do this - I'm getting better, but it's really slow progress...
Oh well, patience is a virtue!
More generally, I'm also trying to be more of a "performer" if you know what I mean. Sometimes I'm so nervous I don't always think about how I'm executing the moves, so I end up not doing them as nicely as I do in rehearsal.
Emma Rose
New member
the Maya thing definitely got me at first.... the "fish" and "hook" movements (my instructor has a wonderful way of explaining things :lol: ).... I remember working on it obsessively, because when my instructor does it, it's the most gorgeous thing!! I'm still nowhere near mastering it, but I think I've got the hang of it at least
o0oLaylao0o
New member
the Maya thing definitely got me at first.... the "fish" and "hook" movements (my instructor has a wonderful way of explaining things :lol: ).... I remember working on it obsessively, because when my instructor does it, it's the most gorgeous thing!! I'm still nowhere near mastering it, but I think I've got the hang of it at least
Mayas are one of thoes wierd moves, that teachers make look effortless, you kow, then just move it like liquid. one thing that helped me is Suhaila's explaining, up, out, down, in, to get the nice drop use your knees.
i hope that helps- its just one of thoes moves, i worked on it forever, and looked like a clown for a while, then one day I got it, my teacher adores it on me and now my "name" in classes is "Maya" haha