shimmies

[Midnight Siren]

Hi,

I've only been belly dancing for 4 months and wondered if anyone could give me any tips for shimmies whilst moving, walking, turning, hip circles etc. Does it just require a lot of practice or is there a way to make it easier. I can almost do it whilst going side to side but my hips just wan't to give up and if I start walking It just doesn't seem to work out! Please

 

[sedoniaraqs]

I think the best thing to do when you can't execute a movement is either 1) slow it WAYYYY down or 2) break it down in to pieces, or both.

For layering shimmies with circles, undulations, and figure 8's , I have overcome many obstacles by slowing down the shimmy to a slow bobble of the hips, then execute the other layer very slow. Think about what the desired movement would look like in slow motion, then try for that. Drill it slow every day for some period of time, then you should start to be able to speed it up. It doesn't come over night. 4 months isn't very long to have studied the dance, so be a little patient with yourself.


For walking with shimmies it seems to me that most of the time the dancer is using some variant of a 3/4 shimmy -- or at least that is what its called in the U.S. I'm assuming you are not American because we don't say "whilst" over here...

Sedonia

 

[Midnight Siren]

Thanks for that.

I think it's a case of where I'm trying to run before I can walk but I will do as you say and hopefully I will start to get somewhere

Oh, I'm not American I'm English or British I think is the correct way to say it these days and I think "whilst" was just bad grammar. oops :think:

 

[sedoniaraqs]

Oh, I'm not American I'm English or British I think is the correct way to say it these days and I think "whilst" was just bad grammar. oops :think:

Oh, I didn't think it was bad grammar; I think its just one of those little differences between English and American English. Like learnt vs. learned -- both are correct but the latter is the prefered over here.

Sedonia

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Hi Midnight Siren, I agree with Sedonia, give yourself some time to enjoy all aspects of the dance. The stop stars of today have put in a lot of practice and hard work to accomplish some of the amazing moves they do.
Yasmine

 

[Gabi]

Hi,

I've only been belly dancing for 4 months and wondered if anyone could give me any tips for shimmies whilst moving, walking, turning, hip circles etc. Does it just require a lot of practice or is there a way to make it easier. I can almost do it whilst going side to side but my hips just wan't to give up and if I start walking It just doesn't seem to work out! Please

Seriously, what they said and if you've only been doing it four months and you can even shimmy you are doing great. Take your time, it'll be worth it

 

[miss_shimmy]

hi there midnight siren,i am british too,best of luck with your shimmies,
i start each morning with a shimmy to bring in good energy for the day,just 15 minutes.
you would be surprised at how quickly you start to improve!!

 

[Ariella]

If you're having trouble layering a shimmy, your problem may be that you are having trouble transferring your weight while you shimmy. Try standing and shimmying. Once this feels comfortable, try leaning to one side, and then to the other, allowing one leg to bear all of your weight, and then the other. Once moving your weight around while shimmying feels okay, start with a little hip slide.
Additionally, I agree with Sedonia's comments. Make sure you are completely comfortable with turns and figure 8s before you start trying to layer a shimmy, and when you do - start out slowly.

 

[sstacy123]

Midnight, it wasn't too long ago I was trying the layering myself (specifically shimmying and walking/grapevine)...I think I also was trying to like you say run before I walked...I decided to just work more on my shimmy endurance a bit longer before trying the layering although every once in a while I still try the layering...haven' t worked on that too much lately though. I need to!

 

[Aniseteph]

Our class have all been dancing one or two years minimum and we only started trying to layer a shimmy on hipslides, horizontal 8's and hip circles last term. Most of us haven't really got it yet.

(note use of the word "yet", denoting positive expectation of getting there one day.... :lol: )

 

[Midnight Siren]

Thankyou for all your replies.

I am going to concentrate on the shimmies for a while before I try to layer again. Thankd for all the advice!

 

[charity]

proper shimmy

hi. i've been doing hip arc shimmies (swing hips side to side like a pendulum) or a fast side hip hit shimmy.

the difference in the two shimmies is weight distribution.

with the arc shimmy, i keep equal weight on both feet and do not use my knees at all.

with the side hip hit shimmy, there are two ways i do it. one where i keep knees soft and use side contractions, no knee pumping at all. the other way i pump knees and push through heel.

just wondering which is the right way to do it and which one gives more dramatic results for traveling and layering?

 

[Marianna]

I agree with the "slow it way down" concept and with the "break it down in pieces".

You probably tried this when you were little - hit the top of your head while you're rubbing circles on your belly )
This is to realize how coordinated or uncoordinated we are. The first time you try it and can't do it, you'll probably start doing the circles on your belly, and then when you get it going, you'll start tapping your head. First doing it slowly , then you're able to do it faster.

Same thing with the shimmies: first you get the shimmy going, then you'll add the layer. I always tell my students to get the shimmy going nice and fast and add the layer slowly (chest circle or hip figure 8s, whatever it is if the layer is fast on the fast shimmies, the whole thing it lost)
It does take a lot of practice and if you've been only dancing for 4 months, don't worry, you'll be ahead of others

good luck

Marianna

 

[charity]

shimmy problem

my question is which shimmy should i be using for speed and layering and traveling? do i pump with my knees, squeeze my glutes, do the rocker shimmy (which i previously referred to as the hip arc shimmy), or contract my obliques? i dont know which technique i'm supposed to be practicing for a fast shimmy. can someone please advise?

 

[Marianna]

I think you will hear different options from others.

You can do the straight legged shimmy or the up/down shimmy. Lot of dancers say that the straight legged shimmy is better for layers and for moving around, because you're not using your knees.
In my opinion, you should use whatever shimmy you are comfortable with. I have been using the up/down shimmy, and can do it really fast for a really long time without loosing the beat and can do layers quite well on top of it: chest isolations, hip circles, slides, 8th, twists, etc. I haven't done the straight legged shimmy as much, I just use it for something different to switch to. So if I try to layer moves on top of it, it's much harder, because I am not that much used to it.

I know my next goal is to try to master that, but to answer your question, to get the concept of layering and getting good at it, you probably want to start with whatever shimmy you are best at.

I hope this makes sense.
Marianna

 

[charity]

...you probably want to start with whatever shimmy you are best at.

I hope this makes sense.
Marianna

oh that made me laugh. cause i'm not good at any of the shimmies

i just started and need a lot more practice. i'm working on the shimmy suggestions in other threads- shower shimmy, 5 minute shimmy practice...

is this the up/down shimmy you refer to:
Cassiopeia's Belly Dance How To - Rocker shimmy/locks - Google Video

this is what i'm trying to perfect for now.

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Hi, There are so many types of shimmies within the Middle Eastern realm as well as outside of it. If you are watching an established dancer no doubt he/she is using a shimmy that best suits their style. The best advice I can give is to connect the shimmy to the MUSIC! Malfuf and 3/4 shimmies work very well together, melodic strains i.e oud, quanoun work very well with Egyptian style shimmies, earthy Saidi and Kashlimar is visualized with hip shimmies etc. Is the music layered? Then layer the shimmies.
Shimmies by their very nature uses a lot of muscle energy and regulated breathing a shimmy that is controlled using these two elements will look effortless and smooth. Practice, practice and practice.
Yasmine

 

[charity]

what do you mean "regulated breathing"? i guess thats for high speed shimmies. mine are slow but i'm working on muscle endurance for now.

i know it takes practice but it seems there is a more logical pattern for learning shimmies. for example 3/4 shimmy came almost naturally. so it seems this would be the shimmy to learn first.

and the rocker shimmy is easy slow but if i add speed it morphs into a rocker shimmy with hip hits. i dont know if this is the same shimmy or if its a matter of not controlling the shimmy? does that make sense?

i have no way of knowing if i'm doing any of this right. thats why it is so frustrating to "learn" on your own.

though i do start classes on monday.:dance:

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

what do you mean "regulated breathing"? i guess thats for high speed shimmies. mine are slow but i'm working on muscle endurance for now.

i know it takes practice but it seems there is a more logical pattern for learning shimmies. for example 3/4 shimmy came almost naturally. so it seems this would be the shimmy to learn first.

and the rocker shimmy is easy slow but if i add speed it morphs into a rocker shimmy with hip hits. i dont know if this is the same shimmy or if its a matter of not controlling the shimmy? does that make sense?

i have no way of knowing if i'm doing any of this right. thats why it is so frustrating to "learn" on your own.

though i do start classes on monday.:dance:

Hi Charity, Regulated breathing is not a specific term, but active part of any physical exercise. Have you held your breath while you were concentrating so hard to learn a move? We all do it, but in order to sustain any active movement from running, to dancing etc. Yoga teaches several ways to breathe so that the body remains relaxed, have enough oxygen for muscle work and to blow of the carbon dioxide which is the result of most aerobic activity. Easiest way I do it, is to inhale at the beginning of a move and exhale at the end. During fast shimmies this becomes important so you don't tire yourself, but you can work up to it while practicing the slower shimmies. Although I haven't heard of 'rocker shimmy', the control you want will come from all parts of you and just the hips or shoulders.
Yasmine

 

[Gabi]

Hi, There are so many types of shimmies within the Middle Eastern realm as well as outside of it. If you are watching an established dancer no doubt he/she is using a shimmy that best suits their style. The best advice I can give is to connect the shimmy to the MUSIC! Malfuf and 3/4 shimmies work very well together, melodic strains i.e oud, quanoun work very well with Egyptian style shimmies, earthy Saidi and Kashlimar is visualized with hip shimmies etc. Is the music layered? Then layer the shimmies.
Shimmies by their very nature uses a lot of muscle energy and regulated breathing a shimmy that is controlled using these two elements will look effortless and smooth. Practice, practice and practice.
Yasmine

I'm finding that I can layer some things over the shimmy (let's say basic Egyptian shimmy) easier than others, like hip slides, lifts and drops, circles are pretty attainable - undulations and upper body circles *eek*. Yes, having a distinct layer to the music helps soooo much!