Question for Male and Female Dancers/Performers

[edavis2]

Hello Everyone,

During your drills or practice, are there moves that you're amazed your body can do that are difficult, but mad that there are moves that are much easier to do and yet your body gets "stupid" when trying to do them?

Here's what I mean:

I can shimmy while doing horizontal figure 8's, hip circles, and hip slides (I just need to keep practicing to make them smoother and continuous). I can even do a chest circle or square while shimmying (still trying to make it smooth), but I can't shimmy with a maya . I can walk with a 3/4 shimmy (hips on up or down), but not continuously and forget about it with a 4/4 shimmy. I can shimmy in place, but can't do the one where you shimmy and on the left-right-LEFT, stick your hip out like in a hip slide (Does this make sense?). I tried it with feet flat and in releve, but it just looks awkward . Sometimes I look at my hips and think, "You'll all that other stuff, but you won't do THAT ?" And my hips seem to say, "YUP! Deal with it ."

Another Example:

I can do Lotus Hands, but I can't seem to do those BEAUTIFUL floating hands like Ansuya or those awesome "Climbing the Air" Hands like Rachel Brice, Mira Betz, or like the other tribal dancers. I tried using flamenco as a base, but it hasn't happened yet . My hands and fingers look stiff and unsure. However, in the belly dance classes I HAVE taken, special focus on hands wasn't covered as in depth as say, chest and hip work. So, I have been studying it on my own, but it's not there yet. It just surprised me that I can get Lotus Hands, which can be more confusing to learn than how to undulate your hands and going tentacle-like with your fingers.

All in all, DUDE, WHAT GIVES?! Please tell me I'm not the only one noticing this phenomenon .

edavis2

[Kashmir]

There can be lots of reasons - getting tense, tired, lack of flexibility, strength or control, or wrong technique.

The most common problem I see is people using their leg muscles to drive hip moves. Then when you ask them to do something else with it they have these big hard to control muscles trying to do fine work - and wait until you try and walk with them. With few exceptions most moves need to be driven from the abs.

The other one is people don't realize how long it takes to lay down new neutral pathways. When you do a move you are firing a bunch of muscles - and they all have to do it in the right order. This need to become automatic - hence drilling. But you have to drill the right move - so do it slowly until you can do it 100% corrrectly when you sped it up - otherwise you are just teaching yourself to do it wrong.

[Outi]

With few exceptions most moves need to be driven from the abs.

You lady of my hart. Muscels! That's the only way to do it.