Hi everyone! In order to make the handouts from our belly dance classes easily accessible, I’m going to be posting them on the blog shortly after they are given out in class. Today’s handout is from the first session in the Moves and Cues – Level 1 Part 1 course.

Taxim/Maya

Basic Cue: Center, start movement purposefully, slightly exaggerated to the right, with arms in basic taxim or maya position (depending on which move you are starting).

Variations:

• Arms: Basic arms raise and lower from rest through second position up to fifth position.
  • In this variation, as arms raise beyond second position, raise into releve.
  • When arms lower back to second position, go back to flat feet.
• Travel: Cue by turning body and leading with arm.
• Turn: Cue with head turn and begin rotating gradually.
  • Lead passes around formation for timing of the movement and the turn until it returns to starting position.
• Levels: Cue with a brief movement in the opposing direction.
  • Cue to lower by briefly raising on toes just before starting to descend.  Foot position should indicate general range of motion for the level.
  • Cue to raise by briefly lowering slightly farther just before starting to rise.
  • Move slowly.

Singles

(aka Single Shimmy)

Basic Cue: Center and bring arms to low hipwork position (arms down to sides and wrists bent, palms facing the floor) to signal to watch for hipwork.  Begin purposeful, steady singles with the downbeat right.

Variations:

• With march or traveling – cue by lifting first (right) foot more exaggerated than otherwise.
• Arms: After the initial cue for hipwork add arms as desired (moving through standard arm positions, floreos, etc).
  • Be sure to keep hipwork steady unless you bring the arms back to cue for a change or cue another move.
• Turn: Cue with head turn and begin rotating gradually.
  • Lead passes around formation for timing of the movement and the turn until it returns to starting position.
• Levels: Cue with a brief movement in the opposing direction.
  • Cue to lower by briefly raising on toes just before starting to descend.
  • Cue to raise by briefly lowering slightly farther just before starting to rise.
  • Move slowly.
  • Raising/lowering of the arms can be added to a level cue for additional visibility and depending on circumstances.

Doubles

(aka Double Shimmy)

Basic Cue:  Center, bring both arms to frame right hip, right foot lifts up at the knee.  There will be an exaggerated drawback before the first set of hip bumps.

Variations:

• Travel: Angle body as you step the right foot forward (such that the hip is bumping to the front right corner).
  • Angles will swap with each step as you travel.
  • Similarly, to travel backward, angle the body to the right side as the right foot starts to move back (hip will be bumping to the back right corner).
  • You may look back over the right shoulder to make it more visible that the movement will now begin to travel backward.
• Turn: Cue with head turn.
  • The turn for this movement is a four corner turn, rather than a gradual rotation.
  • Two hip bumps right and left to each corner, and then turn to the next corner.
  • Lead passes around the formation for timing of the movement and turn until the group returns to the starting position.

More on Levels

The general concept for giving a cue for a level change is to communicate which direction to go with a brief opposing movement, and to communicate how low to go with the foot position.  The leader will go up to go down (with a slight raise onto the toes and a possible arm raise) before they start to lower.  Where their feet are will give an idea of the range of the downward movement.  If the feet are still together in the basic position, the level will probably be moderate and will not go very low, because of the balance and strength required to lower to the floor in this foot position.  If the feet are in a kickstand position, the leader will probably lower further, but still not all the way to the floor.  It is a little easier to keep your balance and posture in a kickstand foot position.  If the leader’s feet are in a lunge prep position, they are likely to lower the movement all the way to the floor.  In all cases, take the foot position into consideration, but continue paying attention to the leader throughout the level change so that you can match their speed and range of motion.

When the leader is ready to come back up, they will make a slight lowering movement, and then begin to ascend to a flat footed standing position.

Happy Dancing!