Moves affected by size of dancer?

bopeep

New member
I don't know if I'm being overly sensitive or if I ought to adjust what I'm doing - but I'd like to nip any bad habits before they become too established! I am a newbie and just starting to get some of the moves, but I have noticed that some of them look very different to me, depending on weather the dancer is thin or fat or somewhere in between.

I'm fat - I take a size 14 (American size) and I find hip circles look too big when I do them, but hip drops look good. Shimmies with the knees look better than shimmies with the hips. Other things like that.

Do you more experienced people find that there are some moves that don't work well or need slight variations with a larger dancer, and some moves where the fat is a bonus? Or am I just being nuts? :lol:

BP
 

jenc

New member
EVENTUALLY you will have enough moves to have a preference for those moves which suit your body and your style of dancing. For now as a beginner, you need to try harder with the moves that do not come so easily to you. It may be that those end up being some of your better moves!!

And they ALL count towards gaining more flexibility and fluidity
 

Marya

Member
I don't know if I'm being overly sensitive or if I ought to adjust what I'm doing - but I'd like to nip any bad habits before they become too established! I am a newbie and just starting to get some of the moves, but I have noticed that some of them look very different to me, depending on weather the dancer is thin or fat or somewhere in between.

I'm fat - I take a size 14 (American size) and I find hip circles look too big when I do them, but hip drops look good. Shimmies with the knees look better than shimmies with the hips. Other things like that.

Do you more experienced people find that there are some moves that don't work well or need slight variations with a larger dancer, and some moves where the fat is a bonus? Or am I just being nuts? :lol:

BP

Unless your teacher's body type is exactly like yours, your moves will look different. As jenc mentioned you will eventually adopt your own dance vocabulary that suites you, but that is aways down the road. Focus on properly executing the moves and you will be fine.

Marya
 

Gia al Qamar

New member
Unless your teacher's body type is exactly like yours, your moves will look different. As jenc mentioned you will eventually adopt your own dance vocabulary that suites you, but that is aways down the road. Focus on properly executing the moves and you will be fine.

Marya

Perfectly stated.
Your body is unique as is the story of your life...you aren't supposed to look like someone else...you're supposed to celebrate YOUR self it all it's glory.
Size 14, 16, 18 isn't 'fat'. It's normal and average and I'll bet that you look gorgeous dancing!
Gia
 

bopeep

New member
OK, thanks - I will just worry about getting the moves right, and worry about how they look later.

My teacher is very slim, and has never said anything negative about being larger (actually, she is very plus positive, and encouraging). I got to see her troupe dance this weekend - three of the girls are on the large side, one my size, one bigger and one slightly smaller, and the rest of the girls are slim. They all did similar moves without adjusting for size (much) and I thought that some moves looked better or worse, deping on size.

I think what I really need to work on here, is my attitude. I have been a victim of the 'thin' brainwashing for far too long. It affected my will to dance, and I am trying to shed it so that I don't get lost again, but it's hard to be completely rid of 20 years of defeatist attuitdes overnight!:lol:

During the show where I saw the troupe dance, I got to do two dances that were very simple choreographies (it was a show for dance students, to 'show off' what is possible with a few months or a few years of training). It felt soooo good to do it and I didn't really care how I looked, I was in heaven, but I'd also kind of like the 'victims/viewers' to enjoy it too! :D

So I'll take your advice, practice my buns off some more and figure out how to please the audience when I am good enough to make that a possibility! :lol:

BP
 

Sayyadina

New member
Fabulous isn't the number inside your jeans. It is what you become when the music starts to play. And, that has nothing to do with body size. ;)

Though, I will say health should come first.
 

FatimaS

New member
Perfectly stated.
Your body is unique as is the story of your life...you aren't supposed to look like someone else...you're supposed to celebrate YOUR self it all it's glory.
Size 14, 16, 18 isn't 'fat'. It's normal and average and I'll bet that you look gorgeous dancing!
Gia

wonderful comment---size 14 is a great size..you will have a great "shim" in your shimmy:dance:
 

Kashmir

New member
Yes, different body shapes and sizes will affect how movements look and once you are on your own you can select those that make you look best.

At this stage however, it is possible the moves look different because your technique isn't the same as your teacher's. I'm a size 16 (and don't consider myself "fat" by any yardstick) but "proper" waist driven shimmies look best on me.
 

bopeep

New member
Please don't think I am being negative when I call myself 'fat'. :lol: I say that with tongue very firmly planted in cheek .:lol: I actually don't feel truely fat, largely because I have lost 20 pounds in the last year from working out - I was a size 18 and had just tipped over into the 'obese' category on the BMI index (yeah yeah, I know, I don't take that thing seriously, but it did give me a shove towards getting healthier). I really did feel fat then. I felt tired, heavy, and very out of shape. Now, I feel like I could fly! Or at least dance! :lol: And I do feel really good about myself, partly because I have lost some weight I needed to lose, and partly because belly dancing has made me more comfortable in my own skin.

A large part of my questioning about how weight affects moves just comes from my lack of familiarity with how a specific move looks, or rather, should look. When I do something and I don't like the way it looks, a lot of that comes from the fact I'm not doing it right yet. I know that not all moves will be as suited to my taste, shape, size and build as others, and that that will be partly my decision and partly be something I figure out from feedback from others. I am trying to follow my teacher's technique, but I know I will be putting my own stamp on it no matter how close I get - I am built differently than she is and I will never be like her (I don't want to dance exactly like her anyway - I want to dance like me :D ).

I am not overly concerned about this, just curious. I am at the point where I have just learned how much there is to learn! I don't know what I need to worry about now, and what I can let go until later, but you guys are helping me to figure this out!. I'm in this for the fun, but I also want to improve and have more fun ;)

Thanks!

BP
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Lots of things determine how a movement looks, from expertise to waist length to thigh strength to how many fused discs a dancer may have in her back. I have been a thin dancer and I have been a thick dancer, and in my opinion, weight is the least of what affects a dancer's performance.

I'm happy you began dancing and I'm happy you have joined the forum, BP.:dance:
 

Sita

New member
Do you more experienced people find that there are some moves that don't work well or need slight variations with a larger dancer, and some moves where the fat is a bonus? Or am I just being nuts? :lol:

I have found generally that no dancer very looks the same everything tends to have a particular essence to their own style .. brought about by their own strengths and weaknesses, fav moves, body types, interpretation of the music.
After all a large part of bd is interpreting the music, singing it through your movement, and that's an individual thing.. one reason why the dance is best solo. So in many ways this is just the way bd works.. everyone finds there own unique style (look at all stars of the dance Fifi Suheir Dina all very different).
While size may seem at first like it causes a major difference in peoples dance you soon come to realise that weight as Shanzel says has the least effect.
Your own opperation of each movement changes as you dance, becomes more fluid and comfortable .... besides when you dance the moves flow together rather than go from position A to B you just learn to respond to the music.. and the music will natural adjust your moves to fit it. When you get to a certain level it's not really about how one move looks on you so much as how you dance to the music and respond to it... there will always be favourite moves but your minds adjusts to wanting to do your favourite move to naturally picking the move that suits the music. Anyway tha's my oppinion and though I'm not an expert or anything...

Also have to say LOVE the avatar pic... so cute :)
Sita
 

Mya

New member
HI - you've gotten some really really good advice on this thread - i don't think i could add anything extra to it except that this is a very "accomodating" or inclusive dance - it works on everybody and every body.

Some moves that look beautiful on you, may not look so beautiful on an athletic body and vice versa, but it doesn't mean that you'll dance any worse for it!

Practise, practise like the ladies told you - get it right first and then your style and preferences will develop later.

Happy Dancing!!
 

bopeep

New member
I think I at last night's class I truely began to get it - The teacher had us working on a particular combo and I was at first following her, like usual, but then when I felt how the moves went to the music, I began following the music instead. Suddenly, it looked graceful and more proper on my body then it did when I was trying to do exactly what she was doing. I was still doing the same thing she was doing, but I moved bits of me slightly differently because I am built differently. It worked! The teacher gave me the thumbs up and said I am really getting this stuff. I love my teacher - I'm sure she isn't the best one in the city, but she is really, really encouraging me in this!

Lots of practice and the understanding will come! I felt like I was on cloud nine when I saw how I could change and adapt the move to me, to make it mine and make it work better.

Thanks guys - your feedback really helped me see things in a different way, and helped me 'get it' at least this once. :dance:

Also have to say LOVE the avatar pic... so cute :)
Sita

hehe - thanks. I like to think it's symbolic of me finally getting back on my feet :lol:

BP
 
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