The camel

[Erina]

Yuppers, one of the first things you learn as student; and I still can't get the hang of it.

I have several problems with it:
1. My teacher says think of it as an 'S' shape- 'out in out'. But when I think of that, I think and make a 'V' shape
2. When I do attempt to do them my tummy hurts so much; I am quite thin and I really does go for my stomach muscles rather than some 'meat'. Is this normal and because I am too thin, or becaues I am doing something wrong?

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Camel/Undulation

Hi Louise, It's difficult to advise without seeing you in person performing the move. There are many ways to teach an undulation. First of all you shouldn't be in any pain, so check your posture first. Secondly, the camel requires your body to relaxed so the "waving" motion can travel down your body. No doubt you will use your muscles to help execute the sinewy motion, esp your abs(core muscles). Since you have a teacher, ask her to check your posture as you are dancing. She/he may be able to see your trouble spot and help you overcome it.
Yasmine

P.S. Oh this is one tip I tell my students, try not to make a LARGE move outside your natural range of motion, but focus on a smaller, more precise movement.

 

[Alaya]

Hi Louise, I have a similar problem. It just cant get right. I think it is because I amnot as flexible as I should be. I am practicing that move but therse a long way befor me. Good luck. Love, Alaya

 

[Moon]

Hi, I was curious if you all learned the camel by using the full rib cage or mainly the "belly region"?
I don't use my full rib cage when doing camels and I don't think my camels are perfect, but I don't find them particularly hard to do. Maybe you have difficulties because you are using the full rib cage?
According to Shira's website, the use of the full rib cage when doing undulations or camel walks is a typical "American style" characteristic. Maybe that's why I learned it in a slightly different way.

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

I had difficulty initally when I learned to the camel, but i kept practicing until my body became obedient. I did alot of exercises to help loosen my upper back and ab muscles i.e. cat back position in yoga, downward facing dog and 100's from Pilates. I begin by using my upper back muscles to push my ribcage forward and my abs to lift and pull my chest down. Over time, I just use my abs to create a smaller version of this move by lifting and roling my chest. As for the lower half, I practiced alot of pelvic tucks and drops to help increase flexibility. dont' forget the knees are a part of the "wave" too they must bend too .
Yasmine

 

[Erina]

Thankies for your replies. I will try practicing camels tonight with the tips.

Also, Moon, your point sounds interesting, I think I may be using my whole ribcage; as I does change the way I breathe. Also i play flute and I've always been taught that when using your stomach (breathing) then really try to use the rib cage to get maximum support- not good for dancing!

 

[Ya_Assal]

Hi Louise,

Just wanted to suggest something for the pain. One of the main things to note when you do get the pain is what is the position of your body. If you let go of your pelvis rather than keeping it tucked under you, you could be putting a lot of stress on your lower back and abs while trying out the motion.

Next is to take note of the type of pain you feel. I had a student who was into long distance running, but when it came to many of the movements she felt pain because the muscle groups and combinations in which they are used in belly dance differ from other types of dance and sports and until the muscles get used to these movements you have a pain like when working out.

The last thing I will ask you to take note of is your lower back. I have found that many people, especially women focus on the 'female problem areas'. The problem with this is that when working on abs and trying to stregthen them you place a lot of strain on the lower back. These two muscle groups needs to be worked out in unison as they work almost on a balance scale system, one helping the other. So make sure you incorporate lower back muscle excercises.

As to the movement. When i teach the Camel, i do it in two parts. Practice the motion of the upper undulation than the lower, but try to end the movement with the start of the other half. When i do connect the two, i usually show it on toes walking in a circle. I find that most of my students understand the motion better this way and it also prevents them from making it too big of a movement.

Always start small in any movement you undertake and with time and the loosening of your body it will get easier, smoother and more pronounced.

Hope this helped.

ASSAL

 

[Aniseteph]

Hi, I was curious if you all learned the camel by using the full rib cage or mainly the "belly region"?
I don't use my full rib cage when doing camels and I don't think my camels are perfect, but I don't find them particularly hard to do. Maybe you have difficulties because you are using the full rib cage?
According to Shira's website, the use of the full rib cage when doing undulations or camel walks is a typical "American style" characteristic. Maybe that's why I learned it in a slightly different way.

That's interesting about Shira's site - I think I do the same as you Moon. My teacher (Egyptian style in the UK) said to put less ribcage undulation into the camel and focus more on the abdomen/pelvis movement. So at least I can do them now

 

[Mouse]

Hi, I was curious if you all learned the camel by using the full rib cage or mainly the "belly region"?
I don't use my full rib cage when doing camels and I don't think my camels are perfect, but I don't find them particularly hard to do. Maybe you have difficulties because you are using the full rib cage?
According to Shira's website, the use of the full rib cage when doing undulations or camel walks is a typical "American style" characteristic. Maybe that's why I learned it in a slightly different way.

from the sounds of it I have been taught the same as you Moon

 

[Erina]

You'd never believe it; I was practicing today and I actually achieved somethine! It did not hurt me at all; is was much for flowing; was larger too so an audience would know I am actually trying hard ; and it looks much better.

But now, I have to show my teacher; next class is on Monday so I'll see if I have actually progressed or just tried an alternative which is actually no good


Thankies again for the advice and tips!

 

[Moon]

Hope you've actually progressed. Congratulations!

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Way to go girl! Camel/undulations were my breakthrough moment too. My 22 and 13 yr old daughters can do them effortlessly It realy feels good to overcome a challenge because your confidence level grows leaps and bounds
Yasmine

 

[Aniseteph]

Kids eh? My seven year old does brilliant snakey undulations.... much better than mine

 

[Zumarrad]

A way I was taught to do an undulation, that helped me immensely, is to stand against a wall, the heel of your back foot against the wall itself and the other foot a little forward, as when camelling. Your back will not be against the wall. Start by pushing your ribcage straight forward, shifting your weight onto the front foot. Lift your ribcage, and start shifting your weight to the back foot as you push your ribcage back, as if someone is pushing you in the chest - till your back touches the wall. Now roll down, attempting to touch each vertebra to the wall till your tailbone touches. That is one undulation. This will make you feel the sense of rolling down your spine, using your abdominal muscles to accomplish the move.

That is what I would call a proper Am Cab-ish camel. The more Egyptianish version I have learned is more upright than that. You do push your chest forward a little but it's more about going up, back, roll down. And in the lower body, your pelvis goes drop, squeeze forward, pull up, if that makes any sense. You are basically making two vertical circular motions. The "danger point" is when your chest is up and your pelvis is dropped - don't poke your bum right out or you could hurt yourself. Engage your lower abs the whole time and really work hard on lifting your pelvis again before releasing it.

Undulations are all about your abs, and from what you're saying I suspect that although you are very slim you probably don't yet have the ab strength you think you do. Many very slender women have visible musculature, but it's not all that strong - it's just a happy side effect of low body fat. When I started undulations, I didn't have the strength in or awareness of my lower abs and my undulation would go roll roll roll roll clunk.

Although these are classed as beginner moves in America, it seems, in our school full body undulations are not taught till level 3, which typically means a year or more of classes.

 

[Yasmine Bint Al Nubia]

Hi Zummarad, We teach undulations in the beginner class, that doesn't mean that the all the students get it at first. So we continue to review and work on this move constantly. In my observations so far older students have a more difficult time with it because of a lifetime of poor posture and poor awareness of their bodies while in motion. You're right, it involves alot of ab work in addition to flexible lower back(core muscle groups). as soon as I mention using the abs,ribcage, pelvis and knees I get a blank look as is these parts aren't attached to their bodies . I find teaching this move helps students become aware of their bodies while gradually increasing flexibilty in these "dead zones". what's ironic, is that when they begin to breakthrough on this move, they often do a reverse camel instead. It takes a good year for most students to do it fluidly and gracefully. Younger students have very little problem ,since they do a version of it in the dance clubs, I usually help them refine their technique.
I'm going to use your technique in addition to my own, Thanks.
Yasmine

 

[Moon]

when they begin to breakthrough on this move, they often do a reverse camel instead

So far I only learned the "normal" camel. During class some students accidentally did a reverse camel and then the teacher said the camel should look like a camel drinking water, not like a camel throwing up

 

[samsied]

Different camels, different styles

Hi Moon and Aniseteph,

There are different kinds of camels depending on the style and possibly where you live. My first teachers in the US taught "American" styles and they both taught a camel as both an upper body undulation and a lower undulation and would refer to them an an "upper" camel or "lower". I they would also alternated the upper and lower camels to make a full-body undulation (but maybe only one of them did that?).

In the UK, the "Egytian" and "Hilal-influenced" teachers I had both taught a camel as only the lower body movement. I did have one teacher who taught the upper body (the Hilal influenced one), but she didn't call it a "camel" she called it a "Kenyan". My first day in class with one of these teachers--we were told to do a camel and I was in for a swift correction when she noticed I was using my upper body. After class, the teachers and classmates asked me about the move since they apparently had not seen it in "Arabic Dance".

Now I tend to think of a camel as two moves in the same family--the upper, lower and sometimes I alternate the two for a full body. If I am going for a more Egyptian style I use the lower, but if I am going for an American style I use whatever one I feel like using.

That's interesting about Shira's site - I think I do the same as you Moon. My teacher (Egyptian style in the UK) said to put less ribcage undulation into the camel and focus more on the abdomen/pelvis movement. So at least I can do them now

 

[Aniseteph]

Camels, kenyas and heavy digging equipment

The more Egyptianish version I have learned is more upright than that. You do push your chest forward a little but it's more about going up, back, roll down. And in the lower body, your pelvis goes drop, squeeze forward, pull up, if that makes any sense.

Yes! perfect sense, Zumarrad - that's exactly what I've been taught for undulations. With a bit less chest when it's part of a camel.

Hi Samsied - interesting about the Kenya... I wonder if that's another of the moves that is different things to different people. I've learnt one that's basically just half a camel step (how simple does that sound? and how long did it take me to get it..... ). Also I've heard it used about what I think are the reverse camels that I met at a workshop once. I don't think of that as Moon's drinking/throwing up camels though - it's JCB diggers to me!!!! Scoop goes under and picks up, scoop goes over and digs down. Hopefully with a bit more grace and elegance than a piece of heavy machinery, though in my case not always

 

[deelybopper]

In the UK, the "Egytian" and "Hilal-influenced" teachers I had both taught a camel as only the lower body movement. I did have one teacher who taught the upper body (the Hilal influenced one), but she didn't call it a "camel" she called it a "Kenyan". My first day in class with one of these teachers--we were told to do a camel and I was in for a swift correction when she noticed I was using my upper body. After class, the teachers and classmates asked me about the move since they apparently had not seen it in "Arabic Dance".

I too was taught to camel by a Hilal-influenced teacher - and I still teach camels as movements that originate primarily in the lower body. However, the undulation can be restricted to the lower body, or allowed to 'climb' up. So, Samsied, I understand your differentiation between upper and lower undulations.

As for the Kenya - the version I was taught (Hilal style Raqs Sharqi Soc) was 2 stationary camels facing to one diagonal followed by 2 stationary camels facing to the other diagonal! LOL! - even within apparent 'schools' the terminology differs.

D

 

[Erina]

So far I only learned the "normal" camel. During class some students accidentally did a reverse camel and then the teacher said the camel should look like a camel drinking water, not like a camel throwing up

I wondered, now what does a camel look like when it throws up?

I went to my full length mirror and did my camel. Then I reversed it... ah, I see

Thats is a funny way to put it actually. We did that in our class- when we had no teacher for like a month (from the accident of our former teacher) we all taught each other. And with the moves, many of us forgot what to do when one would should 'up 8s' or 'drop kick', etc. when we were dancing. So we made up our own names, like the 'up figure of eights' were became 'sexy cowboy', as, if you had ur hands beside your hip it looks you are strutting like a cowboy It was quite funny.