Bonus - Basic Moves described and illustrated, including veil work.


Can't remember the moves you learned in class? Here are some Basic Moves for you to practise at home . . .

BASIC POSTURE
	All dance begins with good posture. Practice basic position in the morning when you're brushing your teeth, while standing in the elevator, when standing in line, and eventually while walking. Good posture will improve your dance, which in turn will improve your body, and the way your hold yourself. BASIC POSITION 1. Feet shoulder width apart 2. Knees slightly bent 3. Suck in your lower abdomen which will tuck your hips in 4. Back straight 5. Chest lifted 6. Shoulders relaxed 7. Head up, like a Queen



HIP CIRCLE - large
1. Start by standing in Basic Position 2. Push pelvis to the front while keeping your lower abdominals engaged 3. Now gently push your hip to the side 4. And now to the back. Don't be afraid to stick out your bum, but keep your lower ab's tucked in and your back straight. 5. Move your hips to the other side 6. And return to the front. Phiew, so much to think about. Don't worry, it will get super-easy super-fast. Do this move slowly at first, gradually smoothing the four motions into a soft, large circle. Once you've got it you can play with speed and size. Layering Bonus! Hip Cirlces look great layered with: - Twists - Vibration Shimmies - Bounces - Walking - Adding your upper body


Back to Top


HIP CIRCLE - small
	1. Stand in a Basic Position 2. Tuck you pelvis forward by squeezing (contracting) your lower stomach muscles. 3. Push your hips up and to the side by pushing your hip out and using your obliques to squeeze into your waist. 4. Using the muscles of your lower back and ab's, gently push your bum out to the back. 5. Now, push your hip to the opposite side of where it was in step 3. 6. Repeating steps 2-5, gently smooth out the movements to create a round circle with your hips. Remember to keep your back straight and knees bent, or the benefit won't be complete. This move will strengthen your thighs and stomach muscles, loosen your pelvies, massage your internal organs, and stimulate the synovial fluid in your joints. Wow! Layering Bonus! - Play with speed and direction. Stand on tiptoes or bend your knees to go down. - Vibrational Shimmies - Walking - Add chest-circles to make a "coffee-grinder"



HIP THRUST
1. Stand in Basic Position. 2. Bring one foot forward on tiptoe. 3. Keep your weight on the back leg & keep both knees bent. 4. Thrust your hip to the front using your glut's, thigh and obliques. Remember to keep your knees loose & flexible. 5. Bring your foot back to basic position and now try the other side! You can make your hip thrust as tight or as loose as you like, you can do it in any direction, and at any speed. As Bellydance Superstar Ansuya says: "You can do a whole dance just with variations of the hip thrust!" Layering Bonus! - Try a double or triple thrust to the music. Really use your obliques and make the thrust as tight and small as you can.



HIP DROP
	1. Use the same principal as with the hip thrust, but lift your hip up with control & then let your hip drop down. 2. This down motion is your accent. Pretend you are sitting down onto a stool, letting your knee drop out. 3. Make sure to keep those knees bent and loose and your lower abdomen sucked in. Hip Drops can be done side to side, walking around, doubled, tripled, tight or flexible. Play around have fun. Make sure to stick to the basic posture rules no matter what!


Back to Top


PELVIC TUCK
1. Stand in basic postion with your abdomen tucked in as usual. 2. From this basic position you are going to tuck your hips forward even more by using your glut's and lower abdomen. 3. Go back into basic position. 4. Carefully (!!) Tilt your pelvis back. (no need to make this a huge movement!) Keep complete control of your abdominal and lower back muscles. This move is great to strengthen those guys, but you need to be mindful! Once you have the hang of it you can accent the front or the back and you can play with speed. Layering Bonus! - Slide your hips from side to side with a drop or a tuck on each side.



HIP SHIMMY (up & down)
	1. Basic Position! 2. While keeping your knees bent squeeze your bum cheek and lift up your hip up. Also squeeze your waist, using your obliques to get a larger movement. 3. Alternate sides, using your bum cheeks alternatly and your knees to speed up the motion. Always keep your knees bend, never lock them! Not only will you risk hurting your knees, you will also have the tendancy to bounce. Layering options are limitless with this move, but keep practising until it's perfect!



SHOULDER SHIMMIES
1. Stand in Basic Position. 2. Use your pectorals, upper back and deltoid's to push your shoulders from front to back. Sounds easy? Remember to keep your shoulders completely relaxed and NO hips! Layering Bonus! - Chest circle's - Undulations - Rib lifts and drops - Hip Circles (Yikes! This one is tough!)



RIB CIRCLE
	1. Stand in Basic Position. 2. Lift your chest up by stretching and engaging your stomach muscles. 3. Gently push your chest to the side by using your obliques. 4. Now drop your ribcage down, you will feel your stomach 'scrunch' together. 5. Lift your chest back to the other side Your Focus: - use your stomch muscles - keep your shoulders still - don't move those hips! When comfortable, smooth the 4 moves into a soft circle. You can switch directions, accent and layer like crazy . . . Eventually.


Back to Top

The Art of Wearing A Veil


The Veil!	The Basic Tuck Looks like a toga. Tuck into bra & hip scarf.	Cross over front & tuck in




It's a Coat! Tuck into both sides.	Very simple & pretty Tuck both ends into hip scarf.	A good place to 'rest' you veil to use later.