Here's a great list of tips to utilize when you're actually in class! Being aware of these things as you're going through your classes will help to reinforce what you're learning! Have fun and enjoy your classes at BellyUp!
Here are just a few pointers on how to get the most out of your training at BellyUp.
1. Attend regularly. Every student needs to build muscle memory of the new movements you are learning. Coming to class infrequently with long lapses inbetween classes will have you feeling like you're starting over again with each class. Try to take at least one class each week consistently and you'll see yourself advance progressively.
2. Practice at home. Bring a notebook and jot down 2-3 things within each class that you promise to practice at least 5-10 minutes a day until your next class. This really helps build muscle memory and by next class you'll feel more confident about the move you learned in previous weeks.
3. Persistence pays off! Bellydancing isn't easy and it takes time to learn this art form. Most students stay at the beginner level for at least a year before they have mastered basic technique and can confidently and comfortably execute all the foundational movements perfectly. Commit to at least 10 consecutive classes and you will most definitely see a breakthrough around week 5 or 6 where moves start to gel with your body and your mind!
Consciously Relax
Easier said when you have so many things to focus on in class, but really try to relax your body when you're in class. You want to focus only on the muscles you need to perform a movement. Relaxing means to breathe normally, don't tense up your muscles, smile and enjoy the movement. While you're practicing a move in class, if you feel yourself tense up, just stop, do some stretching or shake it out and come back to the practicing of that movement when you're ready.
Remember to Breathe
Breathing through your movements will help you perform the movements in a more relaxed and effective way. Keep your mouth open with a smile and this will make it easier for you to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Feel the Rhythm
Connecting your feet to the rhythm is so important as a beginner bellydancer. You need to feel the rhythm with your feet and develop a relationship with the floor/ground. The rhythm is what you could clap to or tap your foot to. Pay attention to the instructor counting for you and count along with her so that you are stepping on each beat. If you can't hear the rhythm ask the teacher to clap it out for you.
Keep in mind that what you learn in class is what you need to practice outside of class if you are going to develop the strength and muscle control to really perform the movements correctly. It takes about 6 months of solid practice to develop the muscle control and muscle memory you need so the more you can practice at home the faster you'll advance. Anytime you can get some practice time in will help with developing good posture, building strength and stamina.
1. If you can't dedicate 30 minutes to an hour to practicing each day, why not not start out with 10 minutes of practice and build on your practice time from there. 10 minutes is more than you're currently doing now so it's all going to benefit you.
2. When driving and at a stop light, hold on to the steering wheel and practice your shoulder accents, twisting from the rib cage. Then practice your rib cage lifts and drops at the next light. Only do this while your care is stationary please!! Work your shoulder accents into a shoulder shimmy. Turn up the music and do your rib cage lifts in time with the beat of the music. Make sure your shoulders are rolled back and down.
3. When standing in line at the bank, stand like a dancer. That means rib cage lifted, shoulders back and down, lower abs contracted and pelvis slightly ticked under. Practice your 1 1/2 foot show girl pose. Look like you mean business! Now walk out of the bank like the most glamour woman in the place! Yallah!
4. Every day, choose one move that you really want to get better at. Practice making that move as small and clear as possible. Then make the move bigger and more powerful by using your muscle. Practice adding a shimmy/vibration to the move. Mix up the tempo of the move. Do 8 counts, then 4 counts, then 2 counts then singles. Then double time. Learn to control the movements from fast to slow speeds.
5. Shimmy - Developing a good shimmy comes down to practice, practice and more practice! Use it or lose it! So practice your shimmy every day. While you're washing dishes, standing in line, or washing your hair in the shower. Learn to relax and breathe through your shimmy. Use your hamstrings, quads and knees. Practice a slow shimmy then speed it up, then take it down to slow again. Practice your shimmy with feet closer together, then open your stance and shimmy with a wider foot stance. With a slightly wider stance, practice shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Then practice your shimmy as you do front to back figure 8's, vertical figure 8's and hip circles. Every bellydance move can be done with a shimmy. Be creative and try to add a shimmy to every move you know. Try to shimmy for 1 minute today, 2 minutes tomorrow, 3 minutes the next day and so on. Building your shimmy stamina and control is essential! Happy shimmies.
6. Don't rush through movements - the more you rush the less you focus on the music and the less you focus on making your movements clear and visible to the audience. Take your time! Relax and committ to each movement you practice. See it through and do it with a sense of purpose.
7. Pick 2-4 moves that you really like and practice linking them together. Work on the transition as you move from one move to the other. For example 8 counts of back to front horizontal figure 8 transition to 8 counts of Maya (up to down figure 8), to 8 counts of Omi (small hip circle), into 8 counts of large pelvic circle.
8. Arms & Hands are often the last to be worked on but they're one of the most important aspects of the dance. A beautiful bellydancer with sloppy arm/hand work is distracting to watch. Consider your arms and hands are part and parcel of every movement or step that you make. Make sure you incorporate an arm and hand warm up before you practice much like we do in class. Practice wrist circles, hand waves/undulations, practice your finger formation and apply lots of energy through your finger tips. Don't let your hands go floppy! Avoid pointy elbows (the W). Your rib cage lift is very important to giving your arms and hands a graceful look. Practice a variety of arm paths. Dress off...dress on, alternate intertwining wrists, shoulder rolls with arms extended, classic arms with shoulder rolls, snake arms, single snake arm etc.
9. Music - immerse yourself in bellydance music and you'll be on the road to becoming a bellydancer. Training your ear to understand the rhythms (and there are many rhythms used in Arabic music) is all part of your training to become a bellydancer. The more you hear the music, the more your body will respond to what it's hearing. Listen to the melody, next listen to the drum beat, and finally listen to all the interesting accents.Try and identify where the rhythms change. Learn to dance on the beat - slow down and don't dance over the music. Let the music carry your but be on the beat. Don't rush! Challenge yourself to listen to Arabic music for one full week. Don't listen to anything else - you'll be amazed just how your ear for the music adjusts and becomes accustomed to the rhythms. Next time try 2 weeks ... then go for a full month! It helps if your family likes the music too...did we mention that? lol.
10. Travelling steps and footwork - stationary moves are something separate to practice. And now time needs to be dedicated to the art of intricate footwork. To become a good bellydancer, mastering the art of fancy footwork is essential. The more you advance the more creative and challenging the footwork becomes. So as a beginner, make sure you get a good grasp of travelling steps and practice these often. Chasse, Basic Arabic I, II, II & IV, Basic Egyptian Walk, Cross and Touch, Backwalk with Camel, Triple steps backward and Travelling with Hip Twists are only a few of the many travelling steps that are covered in Level 1 through Level 4. Don't forget turns and grapevine steps too. Every day choose a travelling step or two, and practice them in increments of 16 counts each just to build the muscle memory and muscle control. Then do 8 counts of one and 8 counts of the other and work on a smooth transition in between.