Backtracking

Zill maintenance

 

Time has been moving forward, although I feel as I've accomplished nothing of late. No progress. Just backtracking. It has been abundantly clear in my dance. At least it feels that way. I noticed this past month that my shimmies seem to be regressing in endurance and strength. I get flashes from my beginner days when shimmies where a challenge and I had to practice them often. I haven't spent much time on them in a while. And I'm noticing. They feel, well a little sad really. Which means they've probably been petering out for a while before the thought crossed my mind.

I started drilling shimmies on top of my zill drills in order to maximize my dance time. I find this terribly boring, stripping my dance down to nothing but exercise, killing the fun. I know it's part of being a dancer and maintaining your technique, etc. I'm just put out by the fact I'm having to backtrack and the cause is my own doing.

Which leads to the unpleasant matter of a recent injury to my neck/shoulder area. Doing head slides of all things. I was doing one of my zill + shimmy drills, incorporating a head-to-hip combo on top of it all. Trying to really challenge myself. Get my brain firing. I've never had an issue with head slides as a quick accent here and there or as part of a warm-up. But apparently, my zealous overconfidence of layering a combo and shimmies and zills was too much. Head slides, over and over, through 2-3 songs of the same drill broke the camel's back. Pun intended. Not sure which is more bruised. My ego or my neck.

The first 2 weeks after straining my neck/shoulder upper body drills where out of the question. I also slept like crap using my horseshoe shaped neck pillow flat on my back at night. After almost 4 weeks it is still stiff but I can at least do warm-ups and stretching in that area to some benefit.

The beginnings of another belt.

Now we come to costuming.

Ah, costuming. The reason why my shimmies are suffering and why MAKING costumes are the reason why no costumes are getting MADE.

To state the obvious, making dance costumes take a long time. It's no wonder why halfway though (aka 6 months into) a project I get side tracked with new ideas. I had 3 costumes in the works when I decided to make a new silver and gold bedlah just because I want another one. I have 3 of Sa'dia's costumes for alterations.  I also made it my business to help a new dancer expand his costume options and began experimenting with a fusion style silver fringe belt. And not 2 days ago I decided I wanted to make a Saidi dress. I don't even need a Saidi dress. Meanwhile, I have been working on a costuming class idea as requested by some my local dance friends.

I finally decided NO MORE NEW PROJECTS! I went back to work on "Tar Berries" and tried to grind my way over the hump and get it done. It could have been done, soonish. Then I decided to add a long row of bead work along the skirt. That decision has probably set me back another 2 months.

Belt detail.

Silver fringe belt experiment.

Awesome texture.

Soaping out the design along the bottom of the Tar Berries skirt.

Lime (or lemon) juice + salt = chemical free zill bath.

I decided this evening I could at least clean my zills. Maintain them before they turn into a mess like my shimmies. That is at least some progress against the constant feel of backtracking. I figured I could also post a real post. Not just re-post some dance video or a generic, "Hey I'm still here! Look at my blog!" post.

On a side note, my zill playing is improving, in tiny tiny baby steps. And I'm ok with that. I finally resigned myself to the fact it wasn't easy. It never was going to be easy. And while I'd hate doing the work I would have to put into learning, the end result will be quite gratifying.

This is my 661st post and the 12th year, 5th month of bellydance in my life. Guess that's a little bit of progress after all.

~N

Polish and Shine Workshop

Learn how to polish & shine your dusty performance pieces so that your audience will remember you as the gem you truly are! Topics include cohesiveness, dynamics, texture, precision, and audience connection. Cost: $20.

First 4 students to register in full will receive a 45 min private session with Naima the same day! (Choose from 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, or 4pm) Click on Workshops at www.naiaalabbasi.com

That description sounds fancy! But yes, we will cover these topics.

~N

Hips Noir VI Workshop Notes

 Naima, Hips Noir VI, Photo: Beverly Arnoldus

Here are the workshop notes from the class I taught at the Hips Noir VI Dangerously Classy workshop Oct. 8, 2011 with the lovely Marie Demars. This year's workshop turned out super fun despite my sleep dep and muscle fatigue from the previous week's move to our new house. I am stoked to see who Project Vagabond hosts for next year's event. I did my best to write up most of what we covered in class as we did not completely cover what I had on my handwritten notes.
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Poses/Posture Drills – Stand in neutral dance posture with arms down. Move arms directly into one of the below frames, hold for a few counts, and then return to neutral. Repeat each pose multiple times (4, 8, etc.) as you would a hip drill. The goal here is to be able to create a beautiful picture worthy frame every time. Seriously look at yourself in the mirror to make sure your shoulders are down and back, no limp arms or wrists, head high. Add your own favorite poses to the drill.

“V” arms (keep arms slightly forward so you can glance to each side)

Straight out (ballet 2^nd position)

“W” (or low “V,” don’t let arms sag)

“L” both sides

Flow: Now flow between and pause at each pose: Arms cross and come up through middle opening into “V”, arms open Straight out (2^nd), down into “W”, reverse out and up into “L”, turn in a personal circle keeping good upper body posture throughout, switch “L” and turn other direction, arms open out and down and repeat from beginning.

Accent Drills – Most Arabic music, while counted in 4/4 or 2/4 time, commonly has accents on the odd beats (1, 3, 5, and 7 counts.) An easy way to mimic these accents and to create muscle memory is by drilling a basic movement using counts 1, 2, 3, and holding on 4. Because the last hip articulation is on the 3^rd count or accented count, it will appear to have more emphasis and look visually more complex and dynamic without having to think too hard.

Hip Bumps: R, L, R, hold, L, R, L, hold (repeat), the count is 1, 2, 3, hold, 1, 2, 3, hold.

Fig. 8 Down (Maya): R, L, R, hold, L, R, L hold (repeat)

Notice that even though you hold on the 4^th count you do not restart the movement from the beginning. Continue they movement in the same direction you were heading. Practice this drill with all of your basic moves. Practice at different speeds, half time, full time, double time, etc.

Hip Origami – This hip pattern always flows the same direction. Remember, it is just a hip square with 2 detours. Be mindful of the pelvic tucks and drops. No trusting or duck-butting. Keep the movements small and precise. I have broken the pattern down into 3 parts, direction, count, and movement.

Direction:

R-> F-> B-> F-> L-> B-> R-> L

Count on the downbeat:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Movement:

R Bump, pelvic tuck, pelvic drop, pelvic tuck, L Bump, pelvic drop, R Bump, L Bump

Once comfortable with the full 8 count pattern add the Accent Drill (1, 2, 3, hold.) Always continue the pattern in the direction you were headed before the hold, don’t start completely over.

Example: R-> F-> B-> hold-> F-> L-> B-> hold-> R-> L-> R-> hold-> F-> B-> F-> hold->L-> B-> R-> hold-> …etc.

Once you are an expert on Hip Origami reverse the pattern by starting on the Left and then add the Accent Drill.

L-> F-> B-> F-> R-> B-> L-> R

Once you are a Super Expert Genius at Hip Origami start the pattern somewhere in the middle and try both directions. Add the Accent Drill.

F-> L-> B-> R-> L-> R-> F-> B…etc.

Spacing on the Stage 
When dancing in a troupe - utilize your peripheral vision making sure you have enough room for uninhibited arms movements. In small spaces take a tiny step forward or back so when you open your arms you won't hit your neighbor. The front row should focus on what is in front of them, (stage edge, audience, etc.) not on what/where the back row is. The back row should focus on staying appropriately spaced behind the front row. If you hit your mark early keep time in place until the next movement begins.
For all dancers - take note of the stage on entering. Where are the stage edges? Is there a drop off any where? Tables, children, or wait staff that you may run into? If you find you've danced yourself into a corner dance yourself back out.

Costume Malfunctions on Stage - If you have a costume malfunction with a removable accessory (gauntlet, jewelry, head piece, etc.) stop and remove it then continue your performance (this includes troupe dances, stop and remove the piece, then join back with the other dancers.) Otherwise, the audience will spend the whole performance staring at a flopping gauntlet or a slipping hip scarf instead of watching you dance. If it is not a removable item, but your body is still appropriately covered, do your best to fix it and then ignore it. If you have the opportunity, you can dance with your back briefly to the audience to fix a malfunction (or wipe your running nose :P ) If your costume malfunctions in a way that inappropriately exposes you (bra straps break, skirt falls off,) stop dancing and leave the stage. Also, wear underwear. Preferably matching underwear.

Above all, remember it is okay to stop dancing. It shows confidence and professionalism to stop dancing and take care of business. A dancer that stops, fixes the problem and then continues dancing cares about her performance and cares about the audience.

How to do The Merengue
 ______________________________________________________________

 Lovely dancers on my right

Lovely dancers on my left

 Marie rocking the mustache but I'm just not that classy. I opted for the homely uni-brow instead.

Check out some fantastic pics from the Hips Noir VI show at Chriswerks.

~N

PS I did not proof read these notes.

Hips Noir VI - Oct. 8, 2011

The Project Vagabond gals are giving me another go to teach for Hips Noir VI after I canceled last year with bronchitis. I'll get to share the stage with the lovely Marie DeMars.

Facebook event page

 ~N

Yes, the flyer says the secret art of "Not-Dancing."

Ashley Lopez Workshop & Show in Springfield

SHOW: featuring Ashley and our fabulous local dancers on June 24th at Club Vibe! Doors open at 8 and show starts at 9! 

WORKSHOPS: June 25th from 11AM-3PM (hour break for lunch) and June 26th from 1PM-3PM at SBDA 1550 E. Battlefield Springfield,MO (Use... West Entrance by Benton Blinds)

http://ashleylopez.eventbrite.com/

http://www.ashleylopezbellydance.com

Dance Space

Frantically starting to add a little choreography to my number for Saturday. Nothing concrete, just some direction.

I usually practice in my bedroom in a 3ft-ish square space in front of the dresser mirror. It is more of pantomime than practice. I was just practicing and got to a part I wanted to do some spins. So, I ran into the kitchen, practiced the spins, then ran back to the bedroom to continue the rest of the song.

You would wonder why I just don't practice in the kitchen.

Sometimes, I take my cheap $5 "closet mirror" into the hallway and practice 3-step turns down the length of the hall. That usually ends poorly.

Anyone else have the an outstanding practice space like I do?

~N

Now watching: Invader Zim
mood: bread (we ran out last Friday)

But in Egypt...

I was chatting with a new friend from Europe about BD. I thought her comments hit the nail on the head. (names have been edited).

[6:53] SA: yes so i study in cairo
[6:54] SA: in usa u have bdss
[6:54] N: yes, I have seen them perform.
[6:54] SA: me too
[6:54] SA: in paris
[6:55] SA: but i am not ok with a mouvements they do
[6:55] SA: lol
[6:55] SA: they talk about the egyptian shimmy
[6:55] SA: ......
[6:55] SA: but in egypt they do in demie plie

HAHAHA!

She is right you know.

Meet Sadie

Ok, aside from this drum solo being super awesome, she doesn't bounce. Her head stays pretty level and she looks like she is just hanging out while her torso does the work. That my friends is skill. This clip also has a cool little interview at the end. Neato!

Now watching: A Beautiful Mind
mood: chicken soup and Sprite for 2 days of sore throat =(

Can of worms. What do I think about Sophie Mei?

mood: Pringles and fudge-striped cookies.

I received the following comment

"I was wondering if you could watch this girl belly dancing on Britain's Got Talent and tell me if she's any good.

I thought she looked a little sloppy but I thought I should ask your professional opinion."

Well...ur...well.

Before I say anything, I wanted to find out more about her. But after 200 Google links of "see Sophie Mei make Simon drool!" I gave up. All I know about her is that she dances at a restaurant and is 19 years old. I have no idea what kind of training she has had. With who and where she takes classes? If at all? Does she know anything about BD history and development? etc.

I don't like to critique other dancers for a few reasons. First, some performances are good, some suck regardless of talent, and this is a youtube video. Second, my critique would be no more than opinion. And an opinion is just that, an opinion. Third, I am a firm believer there is no such thing as an expert on bellydance. I will say that again.

THERE ARE NO EXPERTS ON BELLYDANCE!

Don't get me wrong, there are the good, bad, and ugly but if you want to hold BD up as an art form then there can't be a right or wrong. Only what is tasteful for the situation. I mean, you can bitch and moan about how some dancers discredit BD by throwing on a barely there costume and dry humping the air trying to pass it off as BD. And I would agree with you. Because I DO believe BD is an art. Which also means I must uphold the definition of art.

"Generally art is a (product of) human activity, made with the intention of stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind; by transmitting emotions and/or ideas. Beyond this description, there is no general agreed-upon definition of art. Art is also able to illustrate abstract thought and its expressions can elicit previously hidden emotions in its audience."

So critiquing BD would be like critiquing any art form. It would be based on personal opinion and taste. A "professional" critique can only really have any merit if you are looking at the art form in a specific cultural context. Even then it is only conjecture. And I am NOT a professional, LOL!

First, this is a get rich-and-famous-quick TV game show. That right there is enough to throw this discussion out the window. Listening to the judges "critique" they obviously don't know anything about BD, what it is or where it came from. All they know is she is hot and jiggles good. Which is unfortunate. If people are emphasizing, "You're so beautiful!" It could really stunt her as a dancer. The judges talk about her only in light of her looks, how hot and sexy she is. And yeah, she's hot. She'd make a great BD Superstar, but they tack on "talented" at the end as an afterthought. So really, the judges have no idea what they are looking at. Slap a hot 19yr old on stage in a hot costume, doing a mix of restaurant BD and club dancing and who knows what you will get...Brittney Spears maybe? And we all know how that works out.

However, if you want to look at it as her doing restaurant dancing contorted into a stage performance dancing for a few brief minutes in order to woo some judges who know NOTHING about BD as an art to win some recognition. Yeah, she did that hands down.

Ok, so what is my actual opinion?

Well, I've seen better.

One, she is a restaurant dancer (part time I think). Anyone who has ever danced between tables of people eating know there isn't so much art in it as there is looking cute. It's mostly walk, walk, jiggle, boobs and hair, jiggle, walk, jiggle, walk, boobs, walk, hair... It's a lot different then a stage number. Not to mention, WTF is up with the shirtless boy toys in the background?

Second, I thought her moves where WAY TOO BIG. Alright, I know she was nervous. And when you get nervous the first thing you do is go too fast and get sloppy with the moves. Which she did both of. The technique was pretty basic with just a few big accents here and there, (like you do in a restaurant), and a sloppy shimmy or two. Her legs were too far apart for her frame. It seemed she had little stability there. I didn't care for the English cover of the Tarkin "Kiss Kiss" song. If she was going to dance to a pop song, she could have used the original, you know, for cultural reference. She kept turning to the side and I felt like she was performing some crappy BD workout video choreography that bored housewives do when they want to reclaim their youth by pretending to be a sexy spunky bellydancer. Then again it was only like a 1min. choreography. Go figure.

Third, the Isis wings where kind of dumb. I know Isis wings take practice and look cool but they are just there to distract the audience. Same thing with swords, trays of fire, veils, and other stupid human BD tricks. People look at the Isis wings and forget all about watching the dancer. It was sort of a cop out. Bamboozle the audience with shiny things! But the audience fell for it, boy toys and all.

Sophie did EXACTLY what her audience and judges wanted to see. PLUS! They really didn't want to see a thicker older women making faces to 8 minute Arabic taxim. (I do, but I'm not a judge).
She did keep her crotch away from the audience when she did her back bends. PLUS!
She smiled and made eye contact. PLUS!
Her arms looked pretty good. PLUS!
She wore a simple modern costume that flattered her figure. PLUS!
She also is bringing BD to a broader audience (not the perfect audience but broader none-the-less). PLUS!

Then I went and found this video.



Better than the other performance but still not great.
She talked very briefly about posture and keeping her shoulders back. PLUS!
She danced to music that was still pop but not in English. Yea, some culture! PLUS!
She made the face, which shows she feels the music. PLUS!
Like before she turned to the side and used her legs a lot, not her torso muscles. Not So Much
Like before her moves where still really big. Not So Much
Like before her feet where wide and her whole body waved and bounced around instead of the focus on her hips. Not So Much.

I DO think Sophie has talent. I just don't think it is perfected. She could have taken classes with a Turkish style dancer. Turkish moves are bigger and showier than others. I still think she needs more muscle control. More muscle control would make her big moves look cleaner. It would keep her from swaying and bouncing so much. You know, not so floppy. Her dance vocabulary seems limited to some basic moves and accents. But she was dancing to pop music not intricate Middle Eastern style 3, 5, 7, or 9/8 rhythms, so I have to take that for what it is worth. I think she could be a better dancer and still be hot. Jillina needs to get a hold of her and clean up her form a bit.

I can't really look at a few seconds of Sophie Mei on a game show and determine her abilities as a dancer or artist. Watching BD on video probably does her a disservice. I am sure she is much more fabulous and entertaining in person. Every awesome dance I've ever seen is always 1000 times better in person than watching it again on video. The camera looses all the energy of the room, the audience, the dancer. I think it is sad that the focus of the show is on her being barely legal and sexy when she could really do better. She is only 19 and despite sounding jaded, she is too young to put any real feeling in her dance yet. I heard another dancer say that 5 or 6 years ago and thought, "She is just old and jaded." Well, she was right. BD gets better with age and experience. Unfortunately by then, you wish you still looked like a 19 year old, LOL!

And you know, I don't see any other bellydancer out there representin'

~N

Coming Soon

Now playing: Tormentedradio.com
mood: chicken nuggets and spicy BBQ sauce

Hi all, I wanted to let you know that I am working on some video clips that break down the common shimmies out there, their differences, and basic how to.

It will be like Naima's shimmy cliff notes! Not the book on shimmies but it will give you the gist.

Shimmies to look forward to:
Basic Shimmy
Straight-legged/Egyptian Shimmy
Twisting Shimmy
3/4 Shimmy
Umi/Omi (aka Tahitian Shimmy)
Vibrations
Glute Shimmy (I suck at this one)
Choo Choo Shimmy
Rhonda Kamel Shimmy (saw her do it once, don't know what else to call it)

...and whatever else I can think up. I plan on filming these together and then breaking them up into digestible segments to post here.

'Cause I figure, if I can't go out and take workshops and such to learn new stuff, I should pass on what I have already learned. (Thanks to Ananya for letting me bounce my ideas off her.)

I also got off my butt and updated my tribe.net profile. I don't go out there very often. Once every few weeks maybe. But if you are out there and want to link up, now you know where to find me. =)

~N

Sa'dia

Now playing: see below
mood: the other half of my frappuccino (what's up with my husband horking my stuff while I'm sleeping?)



Here is video posted by Dani of Sa'dia kicking ass with a modern lyrical - bellydance inspired piece called, Struggle. I can't get it to load on my o'laptop but I had the privilege to see it live in Sedalia. Sa'dia is working on a dance major and this is the first new piece I've seen since she began classes. This is also the gal who dances with me at Greek Night. Which, by the way, is this Saturday.

Cane Dance

Now playing: see below
mood: chocolate shake

This is probably one of the cutest Cane dances I've seen.


Carlla Sillveira

Personality, Posture, Respect= Good Dancin'

(Pic: Niama Tulsa, OK 01/28/06)
I took a speech class when working on my AA at a local community college a few years ago and I remember thinking how similar the basic principles were to bellydance. The introduction, meat of your speech, and conclusion as well as your eye contact, whether or not you used visual aids, “Is it in context?” where all touched upon. My teacher took the first few classes discussing how to handle anxiety in front of an audience and how, over time, your confidence will build as you become familiar with being in front of a group, etc.
Luckily, I had been dancing previous to taking this class. Otherwise, I think I would a completely failed. Speech class only requires you to open your mouth. You can hide behind a podium, read from your notes, use handouts or video and divert attention away from yourself. BD requires you to put your whole self out there for scrutiny. Your movement, expression, costuming, and music choices all reflect back upon you. As this isn’t difficult enough, throw all of your self doubt, body issues, and butterflies on top of that. Speech is a piece of cake! I made an A.
Since the studio closed, we've have been taking turns teaching class. I am next up and I was asked to teach, for lack of a better term, “staging,” how to use your space, interact with the audience. You know all the stuff going on in your head beside technique and choreography. I’ve been thinking back to my speech class and really trying to draw from that as a template because I’m not entirely sure how to explain staging or audience interaction. It’s one of those things you have to experience in order to grow from and become comfortable with. Not to mention, how do you teach this without it being a lecture? I mean, I can yak about my past experiences all day long but how do you practice staging? Is there a way to drill it and not loose the creative essence of your dance? I feel for the dancers out there who have beautiful lines and perfect technique but have those Vaseline smiles plastered on like they’re head is going to split in two from all the “fun” they are having. You can almost hear their thoughts, “1, 2, 3, and turn. Roll up and smile, walk right and smile, walk left, repeat.” They have drilled their facial expression in with the choreography. In my opinion, a good dancer isn’t one with flawless technique and a perfect body, but the one who can look me in the eye when dancing without any pretension and leave me knowing exactly what that song is all about without even moving. I don’t know, maybe that sounds too artsy-fartsy, but really, what good is performing if the interaction, the “meat of your speech,” is lost somewhere when you are too wrapped up in Left, Right, Left, smile…
Anyway, I have decided to focus on Intros/Outros and audience interaction according to a generic BD performance. This doesn’t really count interpretive pieces like you would see on a modern dance stage or even with some Tribal Fusion. We’re talking old school enter stage, dance, exit stage. And let me tell you, it’s been real hard not to mix this up with music interpretation. Staging, music interpretation, and technique are 3 very different things but each one blurs into the next. I’ve concluded the most important parts of a BD performance are Personality, Respect, and Posture. I won’t go into detail here but this is it, yep, all you need to know. Naima has spoken! LOL!
On a side note, my hubby helped my beat all the case files on Dead Rising last night and opened the “Overtime Mode.” Yee Haw! Killin’ Zombies is fun!