Those Deep Standing Backbends

[shiradotnet]

I love standing backbends. Rachel Brice's popularity really brought them into fashion in the Tribal community, though there are plenty of examples of dancers from the Middle East doing them as well. (Nadia Gamal, for example.)

I encourage dancers of ALL belly dance styles to join in. <wink>

Over the years, I've had emails from Shira.net users who have asked for tips on how to do them without injuring their backs, which is why I have an article on my web site with instructions and recommended exercises to build the appropriate muscles. And I do know of some actual dancers who have injured themselves by doing these backbends.

So I thought it might be good to explore some questions surrounding them. Here goes:

1. Did your teacher actually include exercises in class designed to build the necessary strength and flexibility to do them and tell you that was the purpose of those exercises, or did she just tell you to do a backbend without any such guidance?

2. Do you feel confident that when you do a backbend, you're doing it safely, or do you wonder if you're putting yourself at risk? Or maybe you just haven't thought about it, one way or the other?

3. (This question is for belly dance teachers.) Do you use deep backbends in your classes and choreographies? What do you do to ensure that your students won't experience injury when trying to do them?

4. For those who feel confident that you're doing backbends safely, what tips would you offer to other people who want to learn?

5. Have you ever experienced pain after trying a backbend? Or have you injured yourself trying to do one? Do you know anyone who has?

 

[alosha]

My current teacher has told me not to do them until I build up some strength and flexibility. I'm excited to be able to do one someday, but right now it's barely a 'layback'. :lol:

Great thread Shira!

 

[Reen.Blom]

I was told to rely on the leg muscules and take off the pressure from the back until the muscules are gradually developed and stretched. Oh and was recomended yoga.

 

[maria_harlequin]

I was told to rely on the leg muscules and take off the pressure from the back until the muscules are gradually developed and stretched. Oh and was recomended yoga.

I was recommended yoga too...the bridge pose to be precise.

 

[nightdancer]

I bend pretty deeply. I use the gluteal for stability, and the abdominals for control. Almost nothing comes from the back itself, other than the flexibility, which a yoga ball helps with immensely. I just hang out, rolling back and forth. Though, right about the time I start rolling over my own hair, it's time to stop.

 

[Amulya]

Thanks for starting this topic, I started one a while ago but there wasn't much feedback.

I used to teach backbends in my classes, but not the Rachel ones, snce I can not do them myself. I only thought the ones Egyptian style dancers do and those aren't that deep.

When I do that type of backbend it doesn't cause me trouble, unless I do it too much, but I have tried to learn the Rachel Brice type and that caused me a neck injury that lasted for 6 weeks. Don't think I'll try that again...

 

[shiradotnet]

I used to teach backbends in my classes, but not the Rachel ones, snce I can not do them myself. I only thought the ones Egyptian style dancers do and those aren't that deep.

Really? What about this one, about a minute and a half into the clip?

YouTube - Egyptian Belly Dance - Ni'mat Mukhtar ??? ???? ???? ?????

 

[Amulya]

LOL . I meant the one that they sometimes use while doping hipdrops. It's a slight backbend, but not a dramatic one.

 

[Hypnos]

LOL . I meant the one that they sometimes use while doping hipdrops. It's a slight backbend, but not a dramatic one.

I know which ones you mean...I've seen it a lot in Saidi cane dance, where they spin the cane at their side, bend back slightly and do hip drops with a little kick.

 

[chiaroscura]

shira, thanks for the "how to..."info on your page! as backbends, belly rolls and walking shimmies are moves i love but i am far from realizing them...
i was also told to try backbends only after beeing warmed up properly, to use the abs (not the back)... but until now i didn't know any special exercises

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

I never learned them, never taught them, and don't do them currently, but I think I might like to.


one more thing to practice...

 

[alosha]

one more thing to practice...

There's a never ending supply of "one more things". Makes me feel all warm and gooey inside.

 

[Jane]

I don't think backbends look good on me. My face flushes too easily. I don't do them and don't teach them unless specifically asked. I would not teach a layback style one because they are so bad for the back!

 

[Shanazel]

In my secret heart, I am the mistress of deep standing backbends! All my students excel in the art and are in demand throughout the world for their incomparable backbends.

In reality, I embraced the cult of the AmCab cheater backbend early on and left the dramatic bends to the gymnasts among us. I envy, but do not emulate, much less teach, deep standing backbends.

 

[CottonAnatomy]

So at my dance lesson last night I mentioned backbends and my teacher told me some exercises I could use to try to work my back bends. She said her teacher refused to teach back bends because they can hurt people, so she had to learn on her own. She also said she doesn't teach them herself unless asked specifically. Do those of you who teach sometimes refuse to teach a move for reasons like that?

Also, showing me them seemed to take alot out of her. Do you back bend pros still get out of breath or some muscle weakness after doing them or after so long does it just feel natural?

 

[lizaj]

Sometimes one is glad to be too old to attempt a move!

 

[shiradotnet]

She said her teacher refused to teach back bends because they can hurt people, so she had to learn on her own. She also said she doesn't teach them herself unless asked specifically. Do those of you who teach sometimes refuse to teach a move for reasons like that?

Yes, I refuse to teach the Turkish drop for that reason. Though I WILL tell someone who wants to learn it that before they try to learn the Turkish drop they need to use the instructions on my backbend page to learn how to do a kneeling-style backbend, AND build enough strength and flexibility to do it with ease. So I tell them to not even think about a Turkish drop until they can do kneeling backbends really, really comfortably, and I personally won't teach the drop.

By the way, I injured my knee in a Turkish drop gone bad in 2001 and haven't done floor work since. About a year ago, my rolfer did some amazing work on my knee that realigned the kneecap, and now I'm thinking about starting to drill in the exercises required to do floor work again.

Also, showing me them seemed to take alot out of her. Do you back bend pros still get out of breath or some muscle weakness after doing them or after so long does it just feel natural?

It feels natural, but first you have to do a *lot* of work to build up the necessary muscle strength and control. Since I don't know her I can't comment on why she's having those issues, but two possibilities come to mind: 1) She needs to do more exercises of the type required to build more muscle strength and cardio fitness, or 2) She has a medical condition that is inhibiting her.

 

[CottonAnatomy]

2) She has a medical condition that is inhibiting her.

Ah, yes! She did say she has asthma!

 

[maria_harlequin]

So at my dance lesson last night I mentioned backbends and my teacher told me some exercises I could use to try to work my back bends. She said her teacher refused to teach back bends because they can hurt people, so she had to learn on her own. She also said she doesn't teach them herself unless asked specifically. Do those of you who teach sometimes refuse to teach a move for reasons like that?

Also, showing me them seemed to take alot out of her. Do you back bend pros still get out of breath or some muscle weakness after doing them or after so long does it just feel natural?

My teacher doesn't teach them. Not so much for safety reasons (but that's also a reason) but that she feels it's not necessary to be able to do back bends or Turkish drops in order to be an amazing belly dancer. I agree- I looooooove backbends and the audience loves them too but I don't feel like they're necessary.

I can do backbends and drop into them suddenly (not Turkish drops where you spin spin spin and land...Tribal style ones ala Ms. Kihara or Ms. Brice) but I don't practice them regularly...I only save them for shows. I "practice" by doing specific yoga poses and I also try to build on flexibility in my back and legs while strengthening my abs. I still don't know if this is 100% risk free so I try not to do them often. I never feel any sort of pain though afterwards.

 

[BDmarianne]

Deep standing backbends are a very gymnastic move. They require a specific set of skills, strengths, and flexibility. If you have difficulty with these, don't assume it's because you're not "experienced enough." All you need to do is get some extra training and you'll be fine!