reverse undulation

[Ahava_Melantha]

are reverse undulations classical or unclassical in dance?

where did they come from if they're NOT a traditional move.

**I took a workshop with Morocco in which she said that its NOT classical oriental:naghty:, but I like to take from more than one person - so thought I'd ask around.

thanx.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

I'm no expert, but from what I've learned here, a lot of what we do in the West isn't found in classical Orientale, or Raqs Sharqui. There's very little floor work, if any, veils are only used as an entrance, then tossed aside (no "veil routine"), and snake arms also are not a part of classical Orientale (please, anyone out there, if I've learned wrong, correct me). Same goes for undulations. I'm not sure where all of the above moves came from, but I don't think it was from the Middle East. They're mainly a part of American Orientale (I still prefer the old term, AmCab), I believe. :think:

 

[Dunyah]

My Egyptian style dance teacher studied extensively with Raqia Hassan, Dina, Mahmoud Reda and others in Egypt. She teaches a reverse undulation, we were just doing it last night for a Shaabi style piece.

I've seen her do it in more classical raqs sharqi style pieces too.

Maybe it's a more recent addition to raqs sharqi? I remember doing it back in the 70s when I studied American Cabaret style.

p.s. AmCab is a name invented on the internet as an abbreviation for American Cabaret, it was not ever used back in the day, and I haven't heard anyone say it out loud, I've only seen it written on the Internet, mainly on forums like this one.

 

[Farasha Hanem]

p.s. AmCab is a name invented on the internet as an abbreviation for American Cabaret, it was not ever used back in the day, and I haven't heard anyone say it out loud, I've only seen it written on the Internet, mainly on forums like this one.

Yeah, I know. Sorry, I was in too big of a hurry to finish my post to spell it out properly. My daughter was in the same room, and in a crabby mood, so I was trying to finish.

 

[Kashmir]

Classical (traditional) belly dance has little or no upper body undulations at all (in either direction). There is a soft pelvic undulation. There is a chest heave.

Where did it come from? Not sure, Western Contemporary dance maybe? Yoga? We did a body undulation thing in jazz.

Yes, some teachers "over there" are now adding them to the workshops they take for western students. If they get picked up and used by the majority of dancers over there in 50 years they'll become "traditional".

 

[Shanazel]

Deep in my heart I prefer the term American Cabaret to American Oriental, too, Farasha. There's a different flavor to 1960s-1970s American Cabaret than modern American Oriental has- it was smoother and relied less on pops and locks, was less theatrical and precise, and incorporated far fewer gimmicks and props. It was closer to the earthiness and ease one saw on the dance films of the forties and fifties- not nearly so slick and rehearsed as what one sees now.

Hmm. If anyone wants to pursue this line of thinking pro or con we should probably move it to a different thread before we get too far afield. :think:
.
PS the first time I heard the term AmCab used in oral conversation was about 1988.

 

[Ahava_Melantha]

when I took a workshop from Morocco recently she said, the classical undulation or camel or whatever you wanna call it mostly pelvic, and it doesn't include ribs or upper chest at all. and that the reverse undulation is new, not classical, but older dancers include it in their workshops because "the Western students like it".

Was just wanting to know where it came from. thats all.

 

[Zumarrad]

FWIW my Lebanese friend who is not in any way a trained dancer does a lower body reverse undulation whenever she dances.

 

[MizzNaaa]

there is very little info documented about the history of Bellydance. I do know however that the camel walk/normal undulation is common here and has been since the golden era of bellydance in Egypt. The newer moves like reverse undulations, pops, locks...etc. are all relatively new, what would be considered classical or not is kind of a moot point, since there really isn't much written down about the history of Bellydance.

 

[Yame]

I don't ever remember seeing the vintage belly dancers "over there" do reverse undulations. It doesn't mean the move wasn't used at all, since footage of them is limited, but it was definitely either was not used or was not very common.

However, belly dance isn't and shouldn't be limited to just the things that were done 40 or 50 years ago. Belly dancers in Egypt today do use reverse hip undulations. It's not as common as the regular undulation, but it's done.