whats next for a beginner

charity

New member
i'm still newbie, but i've quit class (it was ATS, dont like)and feel like its time to start combining/layering moves.

every move i know i can walk with. so i think i should incorporate layers. i dont know of any dvd that is in between beginner and advanced? so what do i do? how do i teach myself what comes next if i dont know what comes next?
 

catwomyn

New member
Jenna's Basics and Beyond DVD will help you see if you prefer solo dance. It's very comprehensive and includes some combinations. Available at Amazon, under $20

You could also try Neon's Instant Belly Dancer (technique)and Belly Dance Party (combos) series. Also available at Amazon around $10-$15 each

Ansuya's Lavish Layers dvd is great for layering practive. Kevin at Oceanstate Media on Ebay usually has it. He's a reliable vendor. Price is usually around $35

If you prefer tribal fusion, there are a whole bunch of recent dvds from Rachel Brice, Ariellah, Sharon Kihara that can be seen at Amazon. I haven't used any of these myself but I've seen good reports.
 
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adiemus

New member
I love Jenna's Basics and Beyond, it's very thorough and helps with layering too. The next one I like of hers is Heartbeat of Bellydance, which is about drums and has her fabulous shimmy drill, which really really makes you work hard.
Is there any way you can get to a class or a teacher that will take you beyond where you are at? It's really lonely dancing by yourself...
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
Another vote for Jenna's Basics and Beyond and the drum solo one.

If you're looking for more intermediate level instruction, have you looked at some of the combination videos?

Layering is just doing more than one thing at once. You can layer arm movements on top of hip movements, layer a shimmy with everything, layer finger cymbal patterns over hip movements, layer undulations with hip movements, layer pelvic or hip circles with chest movements, .... etc.

What styles of dance and music are you drawn to? That can help us narrow down specific vids for you :)
 

Reen.Blom

New member
I can almost swear Charity has most of the DVDs mentioned in this thread...lol and not just has but practiced inside and out.... :p

(Love both Jenna's DVDs though...)

The best would be to get to a teacher that teaches the style you like, concentrate on layering (there are some DVDs out there about layering and as far as I know Jenna also has one shedueled for the end of this year on layering and it is on my Christmas wishlist...lol ) and hey there is so much you can do- try to master choro's and changing them to suit you and trying to improvise!

Good luck Charity! Keep us updated!

*hug*
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
i'm still newbie, but i've quit class (it was ATS, dont like)and feel like its time to start combining/layering moves.

every move i know i can walk with. so i think i should incorporate layers. i dont know of any dvd that is in between beginner and advanced? so what do i do? how do i teach myself what comes next if i dont know what comes next?

Sheesh, our teacher was already trying to encourage us to experiment with layering by the second lesson!! :shok: She taught us the grapevine that week, and had us add snake arms to it---that was a bit soon for me. :rolleyes: I have to go more than 30 miles to buy my DVD's, and even then, the selections at the stores I go to are limited (even their online ordering has very few titles). I do have two DVD's, however, that are still beyond me: "Instructional Bellydance with Jillina, Level 3," and "Bellydance Fitness for Weight Loss---Too Hip featuring Rania." I don't know how they stack up against the others that were previously mentioned; like I said, I have a hard time finding DVD's, and online ordering is not an option for me.

Um, charity, I hate to sound like an idiot, but what does "ATS" stand for? :think:
 

Reen.Blom

New member
ATS= Americal Tribal Style

It is such a pity that you cant order online!!(This is the only source of DVDs for me)... I really dislike Rania, I have her 2 DVDS and they just get on my nerves... But if I had to choose just ONE dvd it would certainly be Jenna's Basics and Beyond followed by "Heartbeat"...
 

charity

New member
hm styles. egyptian. i know for those who have been following my threads this is a switch-up. yea i dont know what happened but right now i'm looking for egyptian influence.

and yea i have many many dvds. and i think i have practiced them inside out.

but i think reen is right. i should work on improv. because honestly i have a lot of moves down but i cant put them together. i always skim over the choreographies on the dvds. i need to watch some good dancers and try to become a good dancer because right now there is nothing connecting the dots. if i had to just dance, i couldnt, i wouldnt know where to begin. i know thats like putting the cart before the carriage :think:. learning moves and never learning chombo's, skipping over choreographies... yes its questionable dance habit from a newbie but i swear i'm not trying to go fast and go pro.

the only teachers i know in the vicinity- which is a 1 hour radius- teach ats. and once i got ariellah's dvd, i noticed so very quickly that my arms had begun to change. you know the traditionally tribal look, elbows back, tight across the shoulders.:mad:

yes it is very lonely dancing alone, which is why i lapse into periods of inactivity i think.

before i do anything i need to get some music. i have very little me pop music, and still nothing quite appropriate as dance music. that will be the first thing i need to accomplish i guess.

i dont have internet and that makes it even more difficult because the library isnt so close. so i dont know. i live in a place that is a bit too remote to get much accomplished.
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Egyptian

hm styles. egyptian. i know for those who have been following my threads this is a switch-up. yea i dont know what happened but right now i'm looking for egyptian influence.

and yea i have many many dvds. and i think i have practiced them inside out.

but i think reen is right. i should work on improv. because honestly i have a lot of moves down but i cant put them together. i always skim over the choreographies on the dvds. i need to watch some good dancers and try to become a good dancer because right now there is nothing connecting the dots. if i had to just dance, i couldnt, i wouldnt know where to begin. i know thats like putting the cart before the carriage :think:. learning moves and never learning chombo's, skipping over choreographies... yes its questionable dance habit from a newbie but i swear i'm not trying to go fast and go pro.

the only teachers i know in the vicinity- which is a 1 hour radius- teach ats. and once i got ariellah's dvd, i noticed so very quickly that my arms had begun to change. you know the traditionally tribal look, elbows back, tight across the shoulders.:mad:

yes it is very lonely dancing alone, which is why i lapse into periods of inactivity i think.

before i do anything i need to get some music. i have very little me pop music, and still nothing quite appropriate as dance music. that will be the first thing i need to accomplish i guess.

i dont have internet and that makes it even more difficult because the library isnt so close. so i dont know. i live in a place that is a bit too remote to get much accomplished.


Dear Charity,
If you are looking to learn the fundamentals of Egyptian dance, which are very different from ATS, I have a DVD that is focused entirely on fundamental movement in Egyptian style. My feeling is you can't do a good job of any dance from if you do not understand the basic things about movement that apply to the style. This video is very low key, very bare bones, not the least bit fancy and teaches a person 10 root movements that make up the Egyptian dance style. Movement is broken down to its basic elements and then out back together.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Reen.Blom

New member
hm styles. egyptian. i know for those who have been following my threads this is a switch-up. yea i dont know what happened but right now i'm looking for egyptian influence.

and yea i have many many dvds. and i think i have practiced them inside out.

but i think reen is right. i should work on improv. because honestly i have a lot of moves down but i cant put them together. i always skim over the choreographies on the dvds. i need to watch some good dancers and try to become a good dancer because right now there is nothing connecting the dots. if i had to just dance, i couldnt, i wouldnt know where to begin. i know thats like putting the cart before the carriage :think:. learning moves and never learning chombo's, skipping over choreographies... yes its questionable dance habit from a newbie but i swear i'm not trying to go fast and go pro.

the only teachers i know in the vicinity- which is a 1 hour radius- teach ats. and once i got ariellah's dvd, i noticed so very quickly that my arms had begun to change. you know the traditionally tribal look, elbows back, tight across the shoulders.:mad:

yes it is very lonely dancing alone, which is why i lapse into periods of inactivity i think.

before i do anything i need to get some music. i have very little me pop music, and still nothing quite appropriate as dance music. that will be the first thing i need to accomplish i guess.

i dont have internet and that makes it even more difficult because the library isnt so close. so i dont know. i live in a place that is a bit too remote to get much accomplished.

WOW Charity, this is the story of my life...LOL

I thought it was only me like that...

I am good with isolated moves but then it all comes to a stop because i dont seem to be able to do combos!!!!

I can do the chore from dvd, but it just does not feel like a dance.... just doing some moves like a robot trying to get into music.... I dunno how to break the barrier. But untill I can do combos- that is make up my own little choreos from the moves i know- as simple as they might be- i dont think I will really be DANCING and not just moving like a puppet...

This is quite discouraging...
 

Moon

New member
What helped (and still helps) me with learning improvisation is:
1) don't watch yourself in the mirror. Just let the movements come and don't worry too much all the time if it looks "correct".
2) dance with your eyes closed, so you don't get distracted and you can listen better to the music.
3) don't immediately dance the first time you hear a piece of music. Listen to it first, while doing something else for example, or try imagining yourself dancing to it.
4) watch other dancers, on youtube for example. I love Maria Aya's and Chryssanthi Sahar's improvised performances :D
 

charity

New member
WOW Charity, this is the story of my life...LOL

I thought it was only me like that...

I am good with isolated moves but then it all comes to a stop because i dont seem to be able to do combos!!!!

I can do the chore from dvd, but it just does not feel like a dance.... just doing some moves like a robot trying to get into music.... I dunno how to break the barrier. But untill I can do combos- that is make up my own little choreos from the moves i know- as simple as they might be- i dont think I will really be DANCING and not just moving like a puppet...

This is quite discouraging...


why do you think you have trouble improv-ing? i think its because i'm just not that creative. i dont know how to pour myself into the task. i guess i'm stifled emotionally too. i think back about the other things i've done and cant figure why this would be different or why it should be any more difficult when physically it is less demanding.

well its good that you try to do your own choreographies. i feel like if i had someone my age who i could dance with or even someone in town to practice with, i think maybe i could be drawn out of my shell.

moon:

thats a good idea. to close your eyes because that way i cannot be distracted by critiqueing myself in the mirror.

and do you know i wont practice my zills because the boys that live in this house with me are all talented musicians and i cant get the space or privacy to just let loose.

and then if i'm dancing the floorboards squeek and i swear they run to see if i have a boy in there with me. how lame is that? well point is it doesnt help me to become more comfortable with my dancing. actually i think that was a rant that just came out because i was so mad yesterday that they are so nosy in my business.:mad::mad::mad:
 

Moon

New member
Charity, just lock the door when your dancing. I always do that, even though most people here knock first.

I believe A'isha made her own dvds.
 

Reen.Blom

New member
I dont know what it is that stops me.... Just feels like a barrier... I try to improvise even to some pop music on the radio- if the tune is familiar i try to catch the rythm but it just feels like i use 2 moves over and over again and totally out of place....

As for emotional part... well suppose you just need to find music that you would find emotional connection with.... I love drum rythms, and Spanish rythms... I love watching pro dancers that express emotions.... lol maybe because i cant do it myself....
 
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adiemus

New member
I asked the same question a wee while ago - can you be taught to improvise? Well, the answers I got really helped. Someone suggested choosing two or three moves to use, listen to the music a bit, then using those few moves start to dance. Then you can add in perhaps another layer like a shimmy, then perhaps a different arm, or a change of direction. Eventually you can build in other steps. My teacher said she had a private lesson with one of the Egyptian greats who stopped her at the beginning of an improv and made her go from using 5 moves down to just 2, and layer over the top.
So - it sounds like you and Reen are doing the right thing - the emotion for me comes later, and especially when I am in front of an audience (not for dancing yet, I've performed only music and ballet in front of an audience- but wow! what a difference having them there made!!)
 

Reen.Blom

New member
(not for dancing yet, I've performed only music and ballet in front of an audience- but wow! what a difference having them there made!!)

I would die! LOL

Oh well I just think dancing on your own becomes a bit sad eventually.... would be nice to have a partner to share with if classes are out of question!
 

charity

New member
the improv thing, i personally believe this is what can distinguish a naturally gifted dancer from the rest. its one thing to be able to execute moves, its another to create something from what you know.

i think that improv can get better with practice...persistence pays off, but i think realistically if you have struggled with improv you probably arent a dancer by heart.

i know many people will probably disagree about that but imo improv is about what you feel and putting that feeling into an arrangement of movements.

i am working on it. in fact i watched queen of the damned and tried to do the snake walk thing. and i think i managed to learn that on my own, meaning no dvd or instruction, i just tried.

and i also have been trying to create some layered moves. for example doing more with my arms while doing hip 8's while walking. nothing is barred. i'm just seeing what i like and trying to make something creative. though i know creative is not necessarily going to reflect what is authentic belly dance.

and as far as music i just listen to what plays on the local stations, so pop or rock.

i dont know, i'll just keeping perfecting what i do know, keep trying to increase range of motion, etc., maintain flexibility...
 
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