Discomfort doing new drills from video.

[billie]

I am very new to this and do not know if this will eventually stop as I tone up or if I'm doing something wrong.
When doing certain chest movements, air is pushed in or out of my lungs. At a faster tempo it's harder to control and I have to slow down. I don't want to keep practicing if it's wrong, but on the other hand I'm pretty out of shape. None of those little muscles have done this before. :x

 

[Kashmir]

Which chest movements? Generally speaking chest movements should be independent of breath. However, if you are new to belly dancing, I would not start with chest movements. It is control of the hips that define the dance.

 

[Dunyah]

I would strongly recommend finding a real live teacher. Working with DVDs has its place, but there is no substitute for a real teacher who can give you feedback, especially if you are new to the dance.

 

[billie]

I've been drilling hips a few hrs a week for a couple of months, if I don't add something to my routine I'll be too bored with it to practice The lifts is where I feel lung movement. Slides give me no trouble so far. If I go slow I can keep my breath slow and even. Up tempo though & the movement gets my breathing kind of jerky. I don't want to drill a bad habit if I'm doing it wrong but I'd like to get my upper body toned more for when my choreography-based class eventually requires it.

 

[Darshiva]

Then keep it slow. There's no reason why you need to race ahead with moves. Make the moves smaller, make them slower. When I'm teaching I always tell my students to slow it down or make it smaller if they're having difficulty with a move. And sometimes a move just isn't right for your body. If it causes you pain, DO NOT DO THIS AT HOME. Book a private lesson with your teacher and get them to take you through the move SAFELY. If the move still causes you pain, DO NOT DO THAT MOVE.

There is nothing wrong with entirely omitting a move from your dance vocabulary. I don't do any head moves or head balancing due to neck issues and nobody has ever complained about the lack of it in my performance.

 

[Kashmir]

I've been drilling hips a few hrs a week for a couple of months, if I don't add something to my routine I'll be too bored with it to practice

You cannot have drill all the hips - honest! There are so many different basic hip movements. The point of drilling is to develop both stamina and good technique (and maintain good technique when you are tired). It is vital you stay alert when drilling and watch exactly what you are doing - actually it is hard to see what you are exactly doing which is one reason teachers were invented.

Let's take just one movement - a hip rock. It needs to be vertical - no movement to the side (easy to see in the mirror). It needs to be central - no twisting (harder to see). You need to maintain your posture - especially your pelvic orientation and soft knees. You need to isolate from the upper body. You should be able to generatet it from your legs, and your abs (and maybe you glutes for some styles).

Technique perfect? Change speed. You are probably doing it at half time - change to on the beat then double. Is all the above still being held?

Can you do it with level changes - up and down?

Can you walk then do one perfect hip rock? Can you walk and hip rock at the same time? What about other layering? Rock with a twist, a circle, an eight, a hip drop?

What about your shoulders? How are your rolls? Your pushes? Your shoulder shimmies - both chest and shoulder driven ones. Can you hold your arms out for a few minutes (with or without a veil)? Walking around in beledi second might be useful if not.

Personally I'd do all of that before doing chest movements.

The lifts is where I feel lung movement. Slides give me no trouble so far. If I go slow I can keep my breath slow and even. Up tempo though & the movement gets my breathing kind of jerky. I don't want to drill a bad habit if I'm doing it wrong but I'd like to get my upper body toned more for when my choreography-based class eventually requires it.

When you lift your shoulders should not move - and your back should not arch. Use a mirror. Do it slowly. Slowly increase the speed (although why anyone would want to do rapid up/down chest movements in belly dance is beyond me).

Has you teacher said you need upper body toning? Are these the sort of movements s/he uses? If so, got and see her. Book a private - because you are right drilling wrongly is counter-productive.

However, in my experience, the things beginners struggle with is good basic technique and the core strength to do most moves with their abs on one leg. Why you ask? Because many moving steps and transitions rely on doing the movement smoothly while not standing with both feet solidly on the floor.

 

[Afrit]

All been said really. Start slow. Watch yourself very carefully in the mirror. But best, get a teacher.

 

[Shanazel]

If you are using your breathing to control your chest movements you are on a sure road to hyperventilation. I say "ditto" to what everyone else has said.

 

[billie]

Thanks for all the input. I certainly won't do anything painful. And I will ask my teacher if she offers private instruction, my class will be on a hiatus for a couple of months so maybe she can show me basics instead of a dance number.
She's never said I or anyone else needs toning. Half the people in my class are obese or stiff with arthritis or inactivity. It's extremely casual as am I. I am only doing this for self esteem and fun, I know I'll never perfect any of it
I do appreciate your knowledge and experience, though and will do my best to keep your tips in mind.
I have only done 2 chapters in my dvd, didn't think it would be good to skip ahead to arms when I still have to concentrate so hard on a simple maya. I don't plan on watching more until I feel comfortable with what's already been shown. None of which involves one leg or traveling more than a step or two. I am basically looking to do the movements as smoothly as I can for as long as I can right now...

 

[Afrit]

I have only done 2 chapters in my dvd, didn't think it would be good to skip ahead to arms when I still have to concentrate so hard on a simple maya.

The maya is NOT a beginner move. It may look effortless when done by a skilled dancer but it is very difficult - and hard on the back. Only attempt this is you have excellent posture, are very fit, flexible and know you are using your postural muscles for support. If this is included in a beginner drill DVD I would suggest either shelving it for a year or so - or tossing it as the teacher doesn't actually know much about how bodies work!

 

[Darshiva]

No no, DEFINITELY skip ahead to arms. Arms are both incredibly stupidly easy and insanely difficult at the same time. You want to be learning arms and posture right from the beginning so you aren't UNLEARNING any bad habits when you do finally get around to learning arms.

First example: my beginner students, who drill arms & posture every week, start to get a handle on their arms in terms of elegance & strength after a few MONTHS.

Second example: I never learned arms & posture from my first two bellydance teachers (in fact, one of them yelled at me for daring to use my hands & arms during drills, but that's another story!) It was just assumed to be something you'd "get" because it's so easy, etc etc. Four years later with sloppy arms & horrendous posture and me deciding I wanted to teach, I had to retrain myself from scratch using weights & props and after about 18 months of daily drills, my arms were finally "acceptable". Not good. Acceptable. Just.

So skip ahead and learn your arms stuff. Particularly framing. It's something you can (and SHOULD!) practice whilst you are drilling your moves & footwork.

Also, I agree with Kashmir. Mayas are not a simple move. They're something I include in my basic class, certainly, but they are a basic layered move (in that they move in two directions simultaneously)

 

[Kashmir]

Personally I leave mayas away down the track. Not a beginner move - and not something to practice - let alone drill - without someone checking your posture.

 

[Darshiva]

I pop them in at week 5 - IF people are ready for it. Meaning they have clean, crisp slides and lifts/drops on all the postures, excellent posture, and have good abdominal articulations (meaning they will be able to use their abs to maintain stability as they move) Some times it can be months before they get covered. There's plenty of stuff for basic level without rushing on to your different 8s.

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

A good way to practice the Maya is to grab on to the back of a chair, so you can focus on the movement and not your balance.

 

[Kashmir]

A good way to practice the Maya is to grab on to the back of a chair, so you can focus on the movement and not your balance.

Interesting - balance has never been an issue with mayas for me - nor has any of my students mentioned it. Rather it is a back killer.

 

[Darshiva]

I agree with Kashmir - all the hip 8s require excellent posture to avoid back pain (and even then they sometimes are a move that needs to be omitted for an individual)

 

[Farasha Hanem]

oO! The Maya was one of the first moves I learned when I was a beginner! I was taught that it was a "basic move"! :wall: :wall: :wall: