There's always that one move...

hikari_no_yami

New member
There's always that one move that I can't seem to get no matter how hard I try or how many times my teacher has explained or demonstrated it to me. That move would be....3/4 shimmy and the Arabic. Okay, two moves. I'm beginning to get irritated with them because I just don't seem to get it. Any advice? :confused:
 

chirel

New member
Try finding different ways of demonstrating and explaining. Obviously the way your techer teaches these moves doesn't help you. You need a different approach to them.

I'd suggest trying to find instructional videos on Youtube or if you have any DVD:s where the moves are explained, then use those too. Ask other students how they would explain the moves and if you have a chance to go to workshops ask the teacher there. You can also try to take the moves apart yourself and try to imagine what muscles to use for different parts and then experiment with music.

Just make sure to stop collecting different approaches before you get swamped by them and become confused. I'm sure there is the right way to explain these moves to you, the task now is to find it. (And sorry, I'm still not advanced enough to explain any moves.)
 

Kashmir

New member
One problem with the 3/4 shimmy is that it refers to a whole family of moves and has two distinct (ie different) timings. I'm sure there have been a number of threads on it.

I start my students by doing the movement slowly so as to engrain the muscle sequence. For instance, for a 3/4 down as they step the hip goes down, up, down and keeping the hip down they step on the other leg and repeat. So, for me, the 3/4 refers to the hip moving three quarters of the time ie and-a-one (step) and-a-two - only that isn't quite right as the down and the step happen at the same time.

Other variations include up/down/up and up/down/out and twist/twist/twist and drop/drop/drop etc. So you need to define which 3/4 you are doing.

Next walk it slowly. Then speed up. I sometimes use a metronome. At full speed you are doinga chugga-chug.

Which Arabic?

I'd suggest trying to find instructional videos on Youtube or if you have any DVD:s where the moves are explained, then use those too. Ask other students how they would explain the moves and if you have a chance to go to workshops ask the teacher there.
Please don't! I had a student ask another who knew less than she did the other day. Once I had a whole class go off and learn something totally wrong because a student offered to "teach" them how to do a move. We then had to unlearn the bad technique and relearn the good one.

A 3/4 shimmy is especially fraught as different people mean totally different things by it. Ask your own teacher. Further, if the workshop is at a level where a 3/4 shimmy is to be taught - it will be taught. If it is at a level where a 3/4 shimmy is expected to be able to be done then a request to go over basic technique will annoy participants who are at the correct level - and probably the teacher as well.
 

hikari_no_yami

New member
The Arabic I'm talking about is like a mix of an undulation and grapevine walk while on your toes. I didn't realize the 3/4 shimmy was so varied O.O The way my teacher taught it was up/down/up. I can isolate the movements just fine, but walking...no. I tried doing up/down/out but it didn't look right.
 

Kashmir

New member
The Arabic I'm talking about is like a mix of an undulation and grapevine walk while on your toes. I didn't realize the 3/4 shimmy was so varied O.O The way my teacher taught it was up/down/up. I can isolate the movements just fine, but walking...no. I tried doing up/down/out but it didn't look right.
I'll (mostly) steer away from the Arabic then. The ones I know are Arabic I - flat, ball; Arabic II - flat, ball, ball, ball; and Arabic III with a twist. I have often seen an Arabic II with an undulation. Can you do an undulation without the footwork? It is vital that you get that down first before trying to layer it with footwork. And how long have you been learning? A layer like this is not a beginner move.

Wrt 3/4, the thing I would first check is how are you moving your hips? ie what muscles are you using? Can you do it lying on the floor on your back for instance? If not, I would suspect you are using your legs to move it. You should be using your waist muscles. Then you can leave the legs to do the walking.
 

hikari_no_yami

New member
I've been taking lessons for about 3 months now. Yeah, it's the Arabic II of your description. I think my teacher is trying to shift us into intermediate moves because around 3 months is when you typically go intermediate at this studio. And it's pretty much been the regulars lately, no newbies. Also, I have coordination issues, so it could be me making it more complicated than it actually is. I think my issue with the 3/4 shimmy is that I rely on my legs too much. Since I put all my focus on them for hip movements, it makes it hard to walk when you combine them.
 
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