Beginner 1 Bellydance Class Notes
Legend: *** - do later, B - back, F - front, L- left, R- right, rev - reverse, S - side, X - skipped
Beginner 1, Week 1
- Shimmies
- leg shimmy: lean fwd, rock heels into floor, knees straight not locked, tailbone down
- hip shimmy: ", ", ", tailbone wiggles side to side using gluts, pelvis see-saws
- twist shimmy: lock pelvis and lower abs, belly-button goes side to side
- shoulder shimmy: shoulders twist, shoulder and elbow joints bend, pull from elbow
- up/down or Afro shimmy: pelvic tilt B + chest lift up; open and close torso, push front from middle (solar plexus/diaphragm).
- Smooth Isolations
- small hip circle: knees soft, tailbone circles around heels, pelvis tilts equally F, S, B, S. Add height variations down to knees, up to toes. Speed/size variations.
- undulation, pelvic: hip slide F + pelvic tilt F -> circle goes F (slide), up (tilt), B (slide), down (release tilt)-> eventually makes infiniti sign. Try this kneeling on floor. Tip: hold tilt up (keeping stomach 'closed') as you slide hips back behind feet.
- Travelling
- side hip accent walk: bump hip to side by straightening knee. Add weight change. Add raise to toes. Add Egyptian basic/boxstep: 4-step "samosa" triangle on floor; front, side, back, side.
- Sharp isolations
- Lebanese hip twist with weight on back leg; front toe pointed and heel off.
- Conditioning: knee coordination: on one-leg, knee goes straight-bend-straight bumping hip out from weight-bearing knee movement.
- Combo: week 2.