Floor work
- Thread starter Shanazel
- Start date
Amanda (was Aziyade)
Well-known member
The tribal fusion gals (and guys) are keeping it alive. I think it fits in with the hip-hop/breakdance/funk groove that they go with.
I always wondered how much of the demise of floorwork was due to the costume:
- Egyptian dresses and bedleh have for the last decade or so been slim cut, which allows little freedom of wide movement for the legs.
- The lower part of costuming now is heavily appliqued or beaded, which makes it practically a crime to drag that lovely beading on the ground!
Tribal-esque styles don't usually wear this kind of costuming, so the above concerns are minimal. Plus they have adopted the use of pants, which accent the legs and make some floorwork more dramatic and dynamic when you can see the legs moving.
Just a thought ...
I always wondered how much of the demise of floorwork was due to the costume:
- Egyptian dresses and bedleh have for the last decade or so been slim cut, which allows little freedom of wide movement for the legs.
- The lower part of costuming now is heavily appliqued or beaded, which makes it practically a crime to drag that lovely beading on the ground!
Tribal-esque styles don't usually wear this kind of costuming, so the above concerns are minimal. Plus they have adopted the use of pants, which accent the legs and make some floorwork more dramatic and dynamic when you can see the legs moving.
Just a thought ...
Yame
New member
Really? I still haven't been seeing much if any floorwork...
The only people I really see doing it are Vintage American dancers. You know, the ones that were already dancing in the 70's and 80's. And even that's rare, because many of them feel they are now too old to be "writhing around" on the floor...
The only people I really see doing it are Vintage American dancers. You know, the ones that were already dancing in the 70's and 80's. And even that's rare, because many of them feel they are now too old to be "writhing around" on the floor...
Amanda (was Aziyade)
Well-known member
Just about every TF performance I've seen in the Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee region seems to involve a strong backbend dropping to the ground (a la modified Turkish Drop style) and then some type of knees-to-floor style floor dancing. It's floor work, but different from the Vintage American Oriental style.
Greek Bonfire
Well-known member
I've seen goth and fushion dancers do more floorwork. But they wear those Melodia pants and that helps tremendously when performing floor work and the Turkish Drop. I too don't see how this could be done unless the dancer is wearing these pants or a full flowing skirt.
Amanda (was Aziyade)
Well-known member
:lol::lol::lol:
Sirène
New member
You're cracking me up :lol:
Thinking back to the Saturday performances of Spring Caravan last May, I recall seeing only one dancer do floorwork. Very petite, elegant lady in a green outfit. Sadly I didn't catch her name, and her video isn't on YT, but hers was the only non-tribal performance that I recall having that element. (Though it's possible others did some while I was shopping in the back of the hall.
)
Yame
New member
LOL! I can't say for every person, but my teacher does say she leaves the floorwork for the hot young things, she says no one wants to see an old lady writhing around the floor. And trust me, she can get back without any help... much more so than us spring chickens!
She isn't OLD, and she's still pretty hot, and I don't mind seeing her writhe around the floor at all, but I do understand what she means.
Yet very few of us are interested in floorwork at all. I like watching it when done well, but when I am dancing there are very few times when I am inspired to get down on the floor. I do small little tidbits once in a blue moon at haflas, but during long restaurant sets which is when, musically, there are more/better opportunities for it, I just refuse. Those floors can be yucky!
Sherezade
New member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't this require lots of flexibility and therefore something you should have started doing when you were 3 or 4? I'm 31 and not very flexible and though I think I can perform some hip and arms' moves I think I'd just fall with my bum on the floor if I ever tried floor work. :lol:
LilithNoor
New member
My teacher put a little bit of floorwork in our last class choreography- only some very simple kneeling hip circles and figure eights, but it made for a nice change when we performed it.
Floorwork is not massively popular among cab dancers in my area. There's a Turkish dancer who often does floorwork, and a couple of folkloric dancers who do it occasionally, but generally, as Aziyade says, it's a TF speciality.
Sherezade- you would be surprised at how quickly you can improve flexibility! I (29, plump, unfit, bendy as uncooked spaghetti) have been on a Tribal fusion course for the last six Sundays, and my level changes and floorwork skills have improved beyond measure thanks to all the dance-focused Pilates and yoga we've been doing.
Floorwork is not massively popular among cab dancers in my area. There's a Turkish dancer who often does floorwork, and a couple of folkloric dancers who do it occasionally, but generally, as Aziyade says, it's a TF speciality.
Sherezade- you would be surprised at how quickly you can improve flexibility! I (29, plump, unfit, bendy as uncooked spaghetti) have been on a Tribal fusion course for the last six Sundays, and my level changes and floorwork skills have improved beyond measure thanks to all the dance-focused Pilates and yoga we've been doing.
Sherezade
New member
Thought we'd really need to be 100% fit... In my class we sometimes do floor work, but not while bellydancing, it's when we're doing salsa or burlesque. I feel like a 90 year old lady!! All my bones hurt. :lol: Anyway, thanks for explanation. Will talk to my teacher, maybe she'll come up with ideas for floor work choreographies.
Greek Bonfire
Well-known member
Occasionally, I've done floor work but I cheat in that I don't stay down too long. As Yame said, some of those floors are really yucky!