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Forums > Expressive movement / costumes and props > Dance for Dummies and Idiots
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Wanta improve your footwork, but find all that dance jargon gets in the way?
Then, I was thinking if we pooled our dance tips then it might make it easier to visualise some of the dance terminology, in a fun way.
Here are some examples:
Polka – Dorothy going down the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz.
Bounce – Bounce on the down beat.
tut – King Tutankhanen (Egypian style)
Triple step – cha cha cha.
Floating - Floating is moving your-self with heel-toe movements. Pivot the heel of one foot and the toe of the other, then switch, repeat and float.
Glitterati Dance Style: Lots of pouting, sexy little shimmies and hip wiggling strut. Nothing too strenuous though, because they can't risk breaking a sweat and ruining their make-up, and its damn hard to get your groove on while wearing 12 inch stilettos.
Edit: Almost forgot, the alternative title is Everything U wanted to Know about Dance, but were too afraid to Ask.
So, if as anyone has any dance queries, then ask away. I’m sure someone knows the answer.
Easy, get the idea.
Crosses fingers
EDITED_BY: Stone (1108881600)
Wanta improve your footwork, but find all that dance jargon gets in the way?
Then, I was thinking if we pooled our dance tips then it might make it easier to visualise some of the dance terminology, in a fun way.
Here are some examples:
Polka – Dorothy going down the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz.
Bounce – Bounce on the down beat.
tut – King Tutankhanen (Egypian style)
Triple step – cha cha cha.
Floating - Floating is moving your-self with heel-toe movements. Pivot the heel of one foot and the toe of the other, then switch, repeat and float.
Glitterati Dance Style: Lots of pouting, sexy little shimmies and hip wiggling strut. Nothing too strenuous though, because they can't risk breaking a sweat and ruining their make-up, and its damn hard to get your groove on while wearing 12 inch stilettos.
Edit: Almost forgot, the alternative title is Everything U wanted to Know about Dance, but were too afraid to Ask.
So, if as anyone has any dance queries, then ask away. I’m sure someone knows the answer.
Easy, get the idea.
Crosses fingers
EDITED_BY: Stone (1108881600)
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
GOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Thanks guys for the fantastic responses to this and the other recent dance threads. I’ve learnt so much that my feet are spinning. I love the squares Jo.
We are truly blessed to have such great people, who are willing to share so much, at HOP
Thanks guys for the fantastic responses to this and the other recent dance threads. I’ve learnt so much that my feet are spinning. I love the squares Jo.
We are truly blessed to have such great people, who are willing to share so much, at HOP
If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh
member
65 posts
Location: Haarlem,Netherlands
65 posts
Location: Haarlem,Netherlands
Posted:
Agree with pele untill the point where Tribal dancing can't be done by a solo dancer. I gave a belly, tribal and trance dancing performance today and did it all alone... Was terrific and made national tv here... (danced because of international women day)
During the trancedancing i invited my staff and poi,
the bellydance was with a veil and the tribaldance was a tour through several cultures.
Everything is movement, so just flow on it and you'll dance...
Agree with pele untill the point where Tribal dancing can't be done by a solo dancer. I gave a belly, tribal and trance dancing performance today and did it all alone... Was terrific and made national tv here... (danced because of international women day)
During the trancedancing i invited my staff and poi,
the bellydance was with a veil and the tribaldance was a tour through several cultures.
Everything is movement, so just flow on it and you'll dance...
SILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
Posted:
Breakdance twirlling combos?
Well this is going a bit in the direction of that 'who are all these masters noone ever sees' thread but there is a young super hot Canadian dude called Chris who passed through here (Brisvegas) a few years ago who did exactly that.
I'll try chase up some pics.
And in general for dancing combined with fire arts. see if you can catch Flameoz sometime.. they will probably be in Europe this summer....
Breakdance twirlling combos?
Well this is going a bit in the direction of that 'who are all these masters noone ever sees' thread but there is a young super hot Canadian dude called Chris who passed through here (Brisvegas) a few years ago who did exactly that.
I'll try chase up some pics.
And in general for dancing combined with fire arts. see if you can catch Flameoz sometime.. they will probably be in Europe this summer....
.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....
BRONZE Member
Living it up
363 posts
Location: Brisbane/Berlin, Australia
Living it up
363 posts
Location: Brisbane/Berlin, Australia
Posted:
I saw him!
Great thread people
I saw him!Great thread people
Contact without dance is like sex without wiggling.
A) it does feel as good
B) it does not look as good on film
SILVER Member
enthusiast
394 posts
Location: in the clouds..., United Kingdom
enthusiast
394 posts
Location: in the clouds..., United Kingdom
Posted:
I agree with Kyle!
Carrying on with the Tribal bellydance topic,.. I think what Pele meant was that American Tribal Style (ATS) is a group dance, where everyone in the group follows a leader through a set of improvisations, the leader changes so that no one person is in charge, awesome! But then there's Tribal Fusion bellydance and lots of other types of tribal style that are commonly performed solo... There's something for everyone! Bellydance is ace
And it's definitely great for inspiration when spinning/ manipulating objects of any kind.
Though I don't know how snake arms and poi could be combined, wouldn't you be moving too slowly to keep the poi moving? Ideas? It would be awesome if it worked... I find pops and locks easier to combine with spinning etc, but that might just be me...
Hugs!
Written by: Kyle McLean
Great thread people
I agree with Kyle!
Carrying on with the Tribal bellydance topic,.. I think what Pele meant was that American Tribal Style (ATS) is a group dance, where everyone in the group follows a leader through a set of improvisations, the leader changes so that no one person is in charge, awesome! But then there's Tribal Fusion bellydance and lots of other types of tribal style that are commonly performed solo... There's something for everyone! Bellydance is ace
And it's definitely great for inspiration when spinning/ manipulating objects of any kind.Though I don't know how snake arms and poi could be combined, wouldn't you be moving too slowly to keep the poi moving? Ideas? It would be awesome if it worked... I find pops and locks easier to combine with spinning etc, but that might just be me...
Hugs!
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
TinyPixie, Tribal-as a word alone- does refer to ATS, since there is a HUGE debate on the fact that since it was created as a group dance, then tribal by it's very nature can not be danced solo, which is why I also said World Fusion bellydance, which is the generic catch all for the hybrid forms that have been born of it.
It really depends on if you're pura (I did a workshop with Caroleena Nericcio holy hell was that drilled!).
I personally am not fond of the whole pop-lock thing with bellydance as I think it has been done to death and have seen waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many RB-wanna be's over here. Just like waving fire fans around is now becoming very popular, some groups without any knowledge of fire safety...scary!!!
Anyway, invert your snake arm and that works with short poi, mostly on a raise. Also, keep it very slow and controlled, in the shoulder squeeze and elbow but keep the wrist steady, and it is also possible. The table top effect is key in this. Giant snake arms, not so good with poi. Actually, the turning out of the elbow also helps the wrist positioning. The length and heft of the poi is huge in this...actually in any form of blending at all. With snake arms, heavy poi pull your arm down and will ruin a line.
Flamenco works well with heavy, long poi where as other styles call for shorter, lighter poi I find. But that is just speaking poi.
I also have enjoyed experimenting with props specific to a certain dance and using them as one would an OM prop.
Have you ever done a Maleyaa? (egyptian cheeky party dance?) It is earmarked by use of a *giant* pallette laden veil (which is pretty heavy) and is much fun, and very showy in the dance...and completely appropriate. I've been doing this hybrid for a few years now with great success.
I've added several more mutations of bellydance to my repetoire since that post, and tried out some new props, some new movements and have had fun combining it all together.
TinyPixie, Tribal-as a word alone- does refer to ATS, since there is a HUGE debate on the fact that since it was created as a group dance, then tribal by it's very nature can not be danced solo, which is why I also said World Fusion bellydance, which is the generic catch all for the hybrid forms that have been born of it.
It really depends on if you're pura (I did a workshop with Caroleena Nericcio holy hell was that drilled!).
I personally am not fond of the whole pop-lock thing with bellydance as I think it has been done to death and have seen waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many RB-wanna be's over here. Just like waving fire fans around is now becoming very popular, some groups without any knowledge of fire safety...scary!!!
Anyway, invert your snake arm and that works with short poi, mostly on a raise. Also, keep it very slow and controlled, in the shoulder squeeze and elbow but keep the wrist steady, and it is also possible. The table top effect is key in this. Giant snake arms, not so good with poi. Actually, the turning out of the elbow also helps the wrist positioning. The length and heft of the poi is huge in this...actually in any form of blending at all. With snake arms, heavy poi pull your arm down and will ruin a line.
Flamenco works well with heavy, long poi where as other styles call for shorter, lighter poi I find. But that is just speaking poi.
I also have enjoyed experimenting with props specific to a certain dance and using them as one would an OM prop.
Have you ever done a Maleyaa? (egyptian cheeky party dance?) It is earmarked by use of a *giant* pallette laden veil (which is pretty heavy) and is much fun, and very showy in the dance...and completely appropriate. I've been doing this hybrid for a few years now with great success.
I've added several more mutations of bellydance
to my repetoire since that post, and tried out some new props, some new movements and have had fun combining it all together. Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
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