Dominant Side

Wool

New member
I need a vast amount of help and assistance here, most needed are tips! I'm not sure if it's just with me or if this is normal, but I am struggling with furthering my moves in BD. I am hesitant on starting any further advanced moves because of one thing, one side of my body is less fluid/graceful/powerful then the other.

Do any of you know what I mean? The right side of me seems.. "weaker" (Less reactive.) Doing the glute squeeze exorcises only one cheek really seems to jump, only with weeks of concentrating on the other glute am I able to make it spot-on equal to the jump the other can give. With hip pops, it seems far more dramatic on one side then the other. I asked for outside opinions, they could not see a difference, however as a perfectionist.. I can. And it's driving me nuts! It takes a great deal of concentration to get the same amount of pop in the less dominant glute then the other, as if my brain doesn't even want to communicate with that side of the body.

Serpent arms are slightly less fluid on the other shoulder, when I do my stretches I can bend deep in one and not as deep as the other. The only solution I have so far is tackling the weak points and just attacking them, working them out more then normal and attempting to get it more flexible/strong/smooth. However I am finding it difficult..

Is there something wrong with me? Anyone else struggle with this? Desperate for feed back, I'm worried at this point. Will it inhibit my abilities to Dance? Or when I move to more advanced moves/classes will it be dramatically more noticeable? D:


~Wool
 

Salome

Administrator
Take a deep breath, it's going to be OK. Really. It's very common for a person to have a 'stronger side'. You are aware of it, and are developing the weaker side. Problem solved.
 

Wool

New member
Take a deep breath, it's going to be OK. Really. It's very common for a person to have a 'stronger side'. You are aware of it, and are developing the weaker side. Problem solved.

I'm just wondering if there are better techniques to developing and smoothing out the non-dominant side?
 

Jane

New member
I think most people are dominant sided; birds and some animals are too. Usually it is the side of the hand you write with i.e. right handed equals right sided. Of course there are exceptions like those ambidexterous folks! I'm so strongly right side dominant that I naturally do most of my movements on my right side. Now my waist on my right side is visibly smaller :lol: The only way to fix it is to do the same moves on each side with equal intensity and range of motion. I don't care too much, I just go with it.
 

Kashmir

New member
Relax, you are normal. If you can identify which bits are behind change your dance prep (stretching and strengthening) to work more on the weaker side. For instance, my right hamstring is less flexible than my left so I do twice as many stretches on my right as my left.

Also look at the other 23 hours a day. How do you stand? What arm do you use to pick up the phone? How do you get out of a chair? Start working on your daily non-dance habits and you will get a response in your dance as well.
 

Caroline_afifi

New member
I dont think I will ever get over mine.

I am left sided and just get into bad habits. I have not noticed any physical differences or one muscle bigger than the other etc.

When I was a student, we were told we would be deformed and one side with bigger muscles if we didnt balance out properly.

I have been dancing 15 years and do not look like the hunch back of Notre Dame yet.

I dont know anyone who does not get into 'bad habits' when not teaching.

It is a bit like when you learn to drive and you do everything by the book... fast forward a few years?
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Dominant side

Dear Wool,
In looking at all of the best ethnic dancers belly dancers, they all have a dominant side and they do nothing to correct it because they do not consider it to be a fault as many western dancers do. They go with their strengths!! My advice is that even if you are not doing this or that movement equally on both sides, you are doing other movements that are done with both sides of the body and everything sort of equals out in the end. It is nothing to be concerned about. In my classes, I do have my students practice movements on both sides of the body, really to find out where their strengths are more than to train the body to do everything equally well on both sides.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Eshta

New member
Practice on your weak side as well, and play to your strengths :lol:! As long as your weak side isn't so weak that it limits your ability to dance in the way you want to, then it's not that big a deal.

My brain melts down when I try to spin to the left. I just keep at it, and it'll never be as 'graceful' as to the right, but it's competent enough!
 

Wool

New member
A Big Thank You!

To Salome, Jenc,Tina: Thank you so much, you were the first relief I had in this subject. To hear these responses from those with experience is.. clarifying? I feel a lot less self conscious about it now.

+1
I think most dancers always have this to a certain extent - I'm right hipped, but left shouldered if that makes any sense!

It makes sense! I'm the same way, I'm right hipped but left shoulder is far more loose then the right. Possibly because I draw/paint quite frequently with my left hand?



I think most people are dominant sided; birds and some animals are too. Usually it is the side of the hand you write with i.e. right handed equals right sided. Of course there are exceptions like those ambidexterous folks! I'm so strongly right side dominant that I naturally do most of my movements on my right side. Now my waist on my right side is visibly smaller :lol: The only way to fix it is to do the same moves on each side with equal intensity and range of motion. I don't care too much, I just go with it.

Here's the kicker, left side is weaker but I draw/write with my left hand. As for the stronger side looking smaller, I completely get what you mean. My hip is slightly more curved on my right, and your the only one who notices! ask anyone else and they just snort and say your fine. It's crazy LOL, The way I do it is work out the weaker side till I feel that "same burn" work out on the other side, I just found I have to work the weaker side more. Do you mean something like that?

Relax, you are normal. If you can identify which bits are behind change your dance prep (stretching and strengthening) to work more on the weaker side. For instance, my right hamstring is less flexible than my left so I do twice as many stretches on my right as my left.

Also look at the other 23 hours a day. How do you stand? What arm do you use to pick up the phone? How do you get out of a chair? Start working on your daily non-dance habits and you will get a response in your dance as well.

That's a good idea, starting to work more with the less dominant side should help. And working out the weaker side a bit more, that's what I've been doing. I try to balance it to where I feel that nice "work out burn" equally on each side.


I dont think I will ever get over mine.
I am left sided and just get into bad habits. I have not noticed any physical differences or one muscle bigger than the other etc.
When I was a student, we were told we would be deformed and one side with bigger muscles if we didnt balance out properly.
I have been dancing 15 years and do not look like the hunch back of Notre Dame yet.
I dont know anyone who does not get into 'bad habits' when not teaching.
It is a bit like when you learn to drive and you do everything by the book... fast forward a few years?

That's what my fear is! That I'll turn out like that one character in Lady in the Water (likely no one will get that reference. :whistle: ). One side hugely bulky and noticeable, but to hear it from a fellow left hand user is.. quite relaxing. 15 years and still no change? At this point I think you're out of the woods of worrying within the first year, haha. But thank you for that wisdom, it's so relieving!


..>
 

Wool

New member
Deep Breath!

Dear Wool,
In looking at all of the best ethnic dancers belly dancers, they all have a dominant side and they do nothing to correct it because they do not consider it to be a fault as many western dancers do. They go with their strengths!! My advice is that even if you are not doing this or that movement equally on both sides, you are doing other movements that are done with both sides of the body and everything sort of equals out in the end. It is nothing to be concerned about. In my classes, I do have my students practice movements on both sides of the body, really to find out where their strengths are more than to train the body to do everything equally well on both sides.
Regards,
A'isha

So do you mean play on the strength and make the moves on the strong side more dramatic and flaring to draw attention away or keep the dance from looking flat? That's.. actually a good idea, I didn't think of that. I was worried that if I did dance like that people would notice right away and begin to think it boring, 'why is she only popping her one hip that high and not the other?'. But that's a good idea to do.. thank you!

Practice on your weak side as well, and play to your strengths :lol:! As long as your weak side isn't so weak that it limits your ability to dance in the way you want to, then it's not that big a deal.
My brain melts down when I try to spin to the left. I just keep at it, and it'll never be as 'graceful' as to the right, but it's competent enough!

Don't get me started on spinning or circles! I struggle with chest moves as is, so when it comes to going the less strong circle on the chest I do have a 'brain meltdown'. I feel like I'm a toddler learning how to walk, it's just completely foreign to me! But yeah, I just need to work-out the weak side as much as able.



This has been great feed back, very very comforting. Thank you all so much! I am still blown away on how helpful these forums have been to me and others in the past.


~Wool
 

Samira bint Aya

New member
In a workshop I took with Liza Laziza, she was telling us to practice both sides, but when performing use our dominant side more to wow the audience. ;)

I have also seen professional costumes that are designed asymmetrically. They might have a “shimmy side” (with more fringe elements) and a “circular movements side” (with elliptical patterns and cuts and such).

Personally, I take the time to practice my less dominant side for a little bit longer than my “good side’. It really gives you more freedom with things you can put in your choreos and improvisations, when you can use both sides well.
 

Aisha Azar

New member
Dance etc.

So do you mean play on the strength and make the moves on the strong side more dramatic and flaring to draw attention away or keep the dance from looking flat? That's.. actually a good idea, I didn't think of that. I was worried that if I did dance like that people would notice right away and begin to think it boring, 'why is she only popping her one hip that high and not the other?'. But that's a good idea to do.. thank you!




Dear Wool,
I mean more like do what your body does the most naturally in terms of how you would generally use it. Just like it is no big deal if you are not ambidextrous and can not write equally well with both hands, it also does not matter in this particular dance, (where much of the movement is supposed to be asymmetrical anyway), that your left and right sides can not do the exact same thing in many instances. For me it is less about looking dramatic or any of those other things, than following the body's natural clues about how we each move. I think this is one big difference between the Western and Middle Eastern outlook on the dance. They have an intrinsic understanding of the naturalness of the movements of the dance on each individual body. This is also why individual, live, close-up attention is necessary.
Regards,
A'isha
 

Wool

New member
In a workshop I took with Liza Laziza, she was telling us to practice both sides, but when performing use our dominant side more to wow the audience. ;)

I have also seen professional costumes that are designed asymmetrically. They might have a “shimmy side” (with more fringe elements) and a “circular movements side” (with elliptical patterns and cuts and such).

Personally, I take the time to practice my less dominant side for a little bit longer than my “good side’. It really gives you more freedom with things you can put in your choreos and improvisations, when you can use both sides well.

Huh, there's an idea. With the costume comment, was it obvious that there was more chimes on one side (but tastefully done) or was it fashioned in such a way to look still balanced if not concealed?

Ooh so only flash the strong side during performers, see that makes sense. I just love how I get all nervous about a certain flaw.. and all common sense goes flying out the window. :D
 

Samira bint Aya

New member
Huh, there's an idea. With the costume comment, was it obvious that there was more chimes on one side (but tastefully done) or was it fashioned in such a way to look still balanced if not concealed?

Ooh so only flash the strong side during performers, see that makes sense. I just love how I get all nervous about a certain flaw.. and all common sense goes flying out the window. :D

With the costume, yes it was obvious. The asymmetry was part of the design.

The way I understood Liza’s advice was that we have to develop both sides and work on both sides so that we can actually dance without being restricted to doing things on one side.

However, during a performance, it is understandable that a dancer will use more the side that she feels more confident with especially when it comes to intricate moves. A little bit of showmanship if you like…

For example, she told us to practice the cane on both hands, despite the fact that we will mostly use the right hand during a show, and especially when we want to execute difficult moves.
 

Wool

New member
Ahh.. I see.

Dear Wool,
I mean more like do what your body does the most naturally in terms of how you would generally use it. Just like it is no big deal if you are not ambidextrous and can not write equally well with both hands, it also does not matter in this particular dance, (where much of the movement is supposed to be asymmetrical anyway), that your left and right sides can not do the exact same thing in many instances. For me it is less about looking dramatic or any of those other things, than following the body's natural clues about how we each move. I think this is one big difference between the Western and Middle Eastern outlook on the dance. They have an intrinsic understanding of the naturalness of the movements of the dance on each individual body. This is also why individual, live, close-up attention is necessary.
Regards,
A'isha

See, now this is why I adore these forums. I get a lot of feed back, and different suggestions and it really gives a nice little boost of confidence knowing it comes from those with experience.

That's a perfect description of Bellydancing, I always attempted to explain why I was drawn to it with flimsy words like "earthy" But I have noticed the draw of the dance is purely natural looking movements, a girl could twist her back to an L in a back bend and still somehow make it look.. fluid? It does make sense, I've been watching the forums like a hawk to get the history and proper terminology. Comments and responses such as this are a great chunk of knowledge.

Thank you so much.
 

Wool

New member
With the costume, yes it was obvious. The asymmetry was part of the design.

The way I understood Liza’s advice was that we have to develop both sides and work on both sides so that we can actually dance without being restricted to doing things on one side.

However, during a performance, it is understandable that a dancer will use more the side that she feels more confident with especially when it comes to intricate moves. A little bit of showmanship if you like…

For example, she told us to practice the cane on both hands, despite the fact that we will mostly use the right hand during a show, and especially when we want to execute difficult moves.

I see, so it's not a matter of making the muscles and weaker side stronger and equal to the other but more of gaining a sense of familiarity to the less dominent side..?

As for making one side of the costume obviously (but tastefully) done, do you happen to have any examples? If not that's alright. Just thought it'd be nice to have a visual once I start getting into designing and crafting my own.

As for at least getting aware of the weak side, I can see how it'd help. My trainer told me to assist in my balance to stand on one leg with my eyes closed. At first it sounded easy, but as soon as I closed my eyes I toppled right over, no balance for this one. Haha.
 

Zorba

"The Veiled Male"
It makes sense! I'm the same way, I'm right hipped but left shoulder is far more loose then the right. Possibly because I draw/paint quite frequently with my left hand?
Beats me. I'm right handed, but am to a certain extent ambidextrious. I hold my fork in my right hand until I pick up a knife, then the fork's in the left and perfectly comfortable there. Maybe because I played French Horn (which is a left handed instrument) for 25 years, and play piano to this day.

I agree with everyone else, just practice both sides and "go with it". I tend to want to do hipwork on my right side, shoulder stuff with the left - but the years I've been doing this has led to being able to do stuff on either side, I just have to make a concious decision to switch to the "off" side. Spins too - I tend to spin/turn to the left for whatever reason, but can do it to the right if I make that decision. Then there's oumies - I tend to do those to the right. Just no consistancy with *this* body!
 
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