The right posture*sigh*

[Loula]

can anybody see the images? if not just google: posterior superior iliac spine

 

[Darshiva]

Point your tailbone towards the ground. That puts you into neutral pelvis. Then do a tuck/pushback(think timewarp without the knees thing for the tuck part, stop before your back starts to feel scrunchy with the pushback) combination & check that from that position you have equal movement in each direction. if not, correct until you find the neutral for you.

 

[Laya]

I've noticed when I don't tuck, some of the moves don't look quite as good as they do tucked, vertical figures 8's being one of them. Looked a lot better with my pelvis tucked, looks more vertical.

 

[Darshiva]

I think you'll find that that's your pelvis in neutral, as per my descriptions above.

 

[Laya]

That's def not my neutral position, I know my nuetral position from doing pilates when I was pregnant, which is in between the tuck and the tilt, leaving a natural curve, which I read the other day is the correct posture.. and no arch in the lower back is a sure way to wreck the lower back!

Aww.. my problem is I have a stick out bum, with more of a curve than the average person, when I walk it looks like Im sticking my bum out. In Sadie's dvd she really keeps the emphasis on tucking right under.. to really flatten the back and funnily enough, my lower back has been really sore since I started doing this

So neutral it is, just a little tug forward to lengthen and extend.. and it feels so much better than tucking the way Sadie explains.

 

[IsmailaGodHasHeard]

Think 'neutral', not 'tucked'. You want the posture that gives you the maximum amount of movement in any direction - central or neutral is the phrase that will give you that posture easily. If you think tucked you may end up too far forward.

I explain in my classes the issue brought up above about how it looks different on everyone and that you need to find the position that lets you move the most in all directions. Coincidentally, this is also the most healthy posture for us to dance with (and by that I mean bellydancing - other dance forms have different posture because they use the body differently)

Thank you for saying that.

 

[Lydia]

i just want to ad this to all the post already above....oriental dance is not classical ballet.....the posture is very important of course but make sure you don,t look stiff when you keep posture correct..i always tell my students this because this is what i do and it works realy wel....let your spine care you so make sure its strait my rib cage is always a bit lifted to help my spine,but the rest of my body is relaxed ...my sholders specially and trapezius muscle otherwise movements will not be ,,liquid,, or difficult to .....

 

[Amulya]

Nejme, how is it going now? I noticed you haven't posted for a while in this thread.

 

[Kashmir]

That's def not my neutral position, I know my nuetral position from doing pilates when I was pregnant, which is in between the tuck and the tilt, leaving a natural curve, which I read the other day is the correct posture.. and no arch in the lower back is a sure way to wreck the lower back!

"Neutral" is about the orientation of the pelvis - not the curve of the lower back. Neutral is measured by the position of the anterior vs the posterior superior iliac spine - the bumps front and back (the front one should be slightly lower). It has nothing to do with how much padding you have on your butt and little to do with the curvarure of the lumbar spine - other than a dropped pelvis will often exaggerate the curve.

Aww.. my problem is I have a stick out bum, with more of a curve than the average person, when I walk it looks like Im sticking my bum out. In Sadie's dvd she really keeps the emphasis on tucking right under.. to really flatten the back and funnily enough, my lower back has been really sore since I started doing this.

Over-tucked was the fashion when I started dancing. Apart from meaning you can remove that useful lumbar curve, if you tuck with your butt you reduce the flexibility of the hips. Don't even think "tuck" - if you have a dropped pelvis (and not every one has) soften your knees and use your lower abs to lift your pelvis into neutral (feel those bumps) - no further.

 

[Laya]

"Neutral" is about the orientation of the pelvis - not the curve of the lower back. Neutral is measured by the position of the anterior vs the posterior superior iliac spine - the bumps front and back (the front one should be slightly lower). It has nothing to do with how much padding you have on your butt and little to do with the curvarure of the lumbar spine - other than a dropped pelvis will often exaggerate the curve.

Over-tucked was the fashion when I started dancing. Apart from meaning you can remove that useful lumbar curve, if you tuck with your butt you reduce the flexibility of the hips. Don't even think "tuck" - if you have a dropped pelvis (and not every one has) soften your knees and use your lower abs to lift your pelvis into neutral (feel those bumps) - no further.

I had to stop dancing for a few days because I started to get little shooting pains in the bottom of my back, specially when I made any quick movements. Practised for an hour last night with just liftng my lower abs like you said and what a difference, Ive been totally over tucking, but that's what Sadie tells you to do, she says over and over tuck that bum right under.

I am soooo scared of grinding my bones, specially with how my Nan and Mum are with spondalitis(sp) because once the damage is done, that's it. It's totally put me off, I keep getting this image in my head of my bones grinding as I dance.. aww it's freaking me out.. never realized how much of a phobia I have about my back!

Do you know anyone that has damaged their back from Belly Dancing? how would you say your back is after years of dance?

 

[Lydia]

Over-tucked was the fashion when I started dancing. Apart from meaning you can remove that useful lumbar curve, if you tuck with your butt you reduce the flexibility of the hips. Don't even think "tuck" - if you have a dropped pelvis (and not every one has) soften your knees and use your lower abs to lift your pelvis into neutral (feel those bumps) - no further.

so treu....remember we have all differant body,s what is good for somebody perhaps very wrong for another body......listen to your body.....

 

[Kashmir]

Do you know anyone that has damaged their back from Belly Dancing? how would you say your back is after years of dance?

No - but sounds like another reason not to buy Sadie's video. However, I did damage my back from incorrect stretches when I did jazz - we were encouraged to "stretch" standing and bending over (you cannot stretch your hamstrings this way). I was very enthusiastic and got all the movement from my lower back. Could have been worse - one teacher would leap on students doing flat backs at the barre!

 

[Ariadne]

Do you know anyone that has damaged their back from Belly Dancing?

I know of a few who strained their backs but they had a teacher who learned from videos and didn't teach correct posture. Listen to these ladies and you'll be fine.