My favorite part was when we got to just focus on the music and dance the way we wanted. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the music around me. Sometimes it had a gold tinge to it and one song had a deep blue feel. It helped to close my eyes and imagine I was alone in the room. Then today I was looking for something in my office. I just got a new file cabinet, but am still in the process of taking advantage of it. I turned on Discowale Khisko and found it in no time. The hardest part was getting back to work! Here it is for your enjoyment! I love the choreography, it's fun, flirty and still full of meaning that Bollywood films are so good at bringing out.If you are having a bad day, lift your shoulders like these guys do, you'll be smiling in no time!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Improv Bellydancing
Yesterday I took advantage of Born 2 Dance Studio's makeup policy and attended a class on improv dancing. We worked mostly on traveling and I can tell that's going to take a lot of practice. Trying to lift my hips and walk at the same time takes great coordination.
My favorite part was when we got to just focus on the music and dance the way we wanted. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the music around me. Sometimes it had a gold tinge to it and one song had a deep blue feel. It helped to close my eyes and imagine I was alone in the room. Then today I was looking for something in my office. I just got a new file cabinet, but am still in the process of taking advantage of it. I turned on Discowale Khisko and found it in no time. The hardest part was getting back to work! Here it is for your enjoyment! I love the choreography, it's fun, flirty and still full of meaning that Bollywood films are so good at bringing out.If you are having a bad day, lift your shoulders like these guys do, you'll be smiling in no time!
My favorite part was when we got to just focus on the music and dance the way we wanted. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the music around me. Sometimes it had a gold tinge to it and one song had a deep blue feel. It helped to close my eyes and imagine I was alone in the room. Then today I was looking for something in my office. I just got a new file cabinet, but am still in the process of taking advantage of it. I turned on Discowale Khisko and found it in no time. The hardest part was getting back to work! Here it is for your enjoyment! I love the choreography, it's fun, flirty and still full of meaning that Bollywood films are so good at bringing out.If you are having a bad day, lift your shoulders like these guys do, you'll be smiling in no time!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Happy Dance
Saturday, January 7, 2012
So I missed posting on Saturday, but I have a VERY good excuse. I spent most of the day at an amazing Russian museum, which, point of fact did have a ballroom, so there was still something dance related and we did spend about 10 minutes in there discussing the painting on the wall.
I feel like I'm loosing momentum with some of my resolutions. Maybe I should sit down and plan what I want to accomplish in the next two weeks. A short term, clear goal can do wonders.
I feel like I'm loosing momentum with some of my resolutions. Maybe I should sit down and plan what I want to accomplish in the next two weeks. A short term, clear goal can do wonders.
Friday, January 6, 2012
SYTYCD S5 - Melissa and Ade Breast Cancer routine
I remember hearing my sister's talk about this dance and how it made them feel. I hope you like it.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sabrina and Mark Rumba HQ
And I will stop with the videos soon, but this is one of my most favorite dances from Dancing With the Stars. Enjoy!
Going with the Flow
Today was busy at work, but I still found time to practice. On the escalator and on the street I did my toe touches. It's really hard to actually walk just on the balls of your feet, but with practice I'm sure I'll get better at it.
I was supposed to have a Belly Dance class tonight, but work ran over. The great thing about Born 2 Dance studios, is if you purchase a 10 week course, you can make up missed classes with any other class they offer, even if it's a more advanced class.
I also got an e-mail response from Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Fairfax. They have a special, for $50, you get two private lessons and one group class. The E-mail was from Diane and she wanted to know what I'd done before and what I was looking to learn. This gave me a good opportunity to self asses. I'm hoping that I can find a teacher who can teach me to be a better follower and maybe work on my foot work. I have a tendency to skip steps, particularly when I get excited about what I'm doing. Maybe there is someone who can give me some good tips on how to do it better.
For your enjoyment tonight, please enjoy Al Pacino dancing with Gabrielle Anwar in Scent of a Woman.
I was supposed to have a Belly Dance class tonight, but work ran over. The great thing about Born 2 Dance studios, is if you purchase a 10 week course, you can make up missed classes with any other class they offer, even if it's a more advanced class.
I also got an e-mail response from Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Fairfax. They have a special, for $50, you get two private lessons and one group class. The E-mail was from Diane and she wanted to know what I'd done before and what I was looking to learn. This gave me a good opportunity to self asses. I'm hoping that I can find a teacher who can teach me to be a better follower and maybe work on my foot work. I have a tendency to skip steps, particularly when I get excited about what I'm doing. Maybe there is someone who can give me some good tips on how to do it better.
For your enjoyment tonight, please enjoy Al Pacino dancing with Gabrielle Anwar in Scent of a Woman.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tap
My tap shoes came today! They are too big, so I'll have to exchange them, but I did try them out for a bit and they are FUN. The instructional movie came too and I recommend it:
Tap Dance Made Easy - Level 1 - Basic (ASIN: B000IZK7X2I)
I started practicing while my cheese ravioli was cooking. I learned a few steps, the first being the step, of course, which is basically walking in place on the balls of the feet, not letting the heel touch the ground. Then the touch, which is bringing all the weight down on the step, so it's a little heavier and then the heel step, which is when you use the half beat in between counts to bring the heel down, to make an extra click. The instructor said that most dances deal with the 8-count so that's what he used. He also recommened getting a picec of plywood to practice on, since I have carpets. I really enjoyed it.
Julianne Hough said that if it feels comfortable, it's not dancing. So I can worry about looking normal, or I can explore what I want to do with the music, my choice.
On a personal note, something I noticed about myself was concentration. I was trying to concentrate on the teacher's movements and I kind of spaced for a minute, I can't remember what, and when I refocused, I'd missed part of what the instructor taught, so I watched carefully what he did and tried to remember what he had said. I knew almost what he'd taught, but it was more like seeing something in peripheral vision, shapes and colors, but it only took a few seconds to piece it together and get the step right.
Tap Dance Made Easy - Level 1 - Basic (ASIN: B000IZK7X2I)
I started practicing while my cheese ravioli was cooking. I learned a few steps, the first being the step, of course, which is basically walking in place on the balls of the feet, not letting the heel touch the ground. Then the touch, which is bringing all the weight down on the step, so it's a little heavier and then the heel step, which is when you use the half beat in between counts to bring the heel down, to make an extra click. The instructor said that most dances deal with the 8-count so that's what he used. He also recommened getting a picec of plywood to practice on, since I have carpets. I really enjoyed it.
Julianne Hough said that if it feels comfortable, it's not dancing. So I can worry about looking normal, or I can explore what I want to do with the music, my choice.
On a personal note, something I noticed about myself was concentration. I was trying to concentrate on the teacher's movements and I kind of spaced for a minute, I can't remember what, and when I refocused, I'd missed part of what the instructor taught, so I watched carefully what he did and tried to remember what he had said. I knew almost what he'd taught, but it was more like seeing something in peripheral vision, shapes and colors, but it only took a few seconds to piece it together and get the step right.
Bollywood Intermediate Performance (7th Show)
This is the dance my bollywood Intermediate class performed at the Dancer Within Gala for Born 2 Dance studios on October 2nd 2011. Since it was a Sunday, I wasn't able to participate but it was so much fun to learn. My teacher has promised that if I re-learn this dance and send her a video of it, she'll give me feedback. That was two months ago. Now with the responsibility to write this blog, I think it would be a good time to do it. I'll post the video when it's done and share her feedback too.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2011
Dancing in a 4 by 3 foot dance space.
I had a few minutes today at work, so I turned on my music and danced for fun to Jay Sean and Enrique Iglesias. Try it!
I had a few minutes today at work, so I turned on my music and danced for fun to Jay Sean and Enrique Iglesias. Try it!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Bellydancing - 8 Basic Moves and Memory Sheet
Today is a good day for Belly dancing. I learned these moves last year, and I could go into more detail, but for now here's the basics. Belly dancing is about having fun and shaking everything you’ve got.
With belly dancing you’ve got 8 basic moves, 4 upper, 4 lower. (Apparently there’s a ninth one somewhere, but I haven’t learned that one yet, so we’re working with eight here.) These moves can then be combined and used to make the fun shapes of belly dancing.
Upper Body
1 Slide (keeping the lower body perfect still and using your core muscles to slide right and left_
2 Lift (using your upper abdominal muscles to lift your chest)
3 Twist (Twisting from the waist)
4 Cu-Cu (bringing your entire rib cage in then out, like a cu-cu on a clock)
Lower Body
1 Slide (Hips move from right to left
2 Lift (Lift your leg completely off the ground using your core muscles, it’s harder than the sounds
3 Twist (Twist your hips alternately to the back, try not to use your upper body.)
4 Scoop (Contract just your lower abdominal muscles to create a scoop action with your hips.
These are combined to make 12 combined moves.
Upper
1 Slide +Lift
2 Slide + Twist
3 Slide + Cu-Cu
4 Lift + Twist
5 Lift + Cu-Cu
6 Twist + Cu-Cu
Lower
1 Slide +Lift
2 Slide + Twist
3 Slide + Cu-Cu
4 Lift + Twist
5 Lift + Cu-Cu
6 Twist + Cu-Cu
Shimmies
There are three basic shimmies, Upper, (doing the twist really fast. Remember, the key to the upper twist is to avoid airplane arms, you want to isolate the movement as much as possible to the core muscles.) Lower (Twist in the hips, really fast) and Running in place. With the latter, you’ll keep the pads of your feet on the ground and move your heels really fast. Something that helps is pretending you have a wall behind you and you are trying to make your knees hit that wall.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Sunday, January 1st, 2012 - Day 1 of 366
Everyone has talents. They light up a person's existence and helps us learn things about ourselves. One of my talents has always been dancing. I've studies ballroom, belly dance, bollywood and others. For 2012 I want to continue to explore and share what I learn with you, my thoughts, struggles, insights and tips. Also, I may spend some days using those ten minutes doing research on different dance styles or bio clips of famous dancers. The thing I most want to discover is why this amazing art has always (and I do meant ALWAYS) had such a special place in my heart.
The Goal:
Spend at least 10 minutes of every day for the next 366 either dancing or doing something dance related.
So to start this blog off on the right foot (always important in dance) here's one of my favorite videos of tap dancing with two of the best dancers of all time. Enjoy!
The Goal:
Spend at least 10 minutes of every day for the next 366 either dancing or doing something dance related.
So to start this blog off on the right foot (always important in dance) here's one of my favorite videos of tap dancing with two of the best dancers of all time. Enjoy!
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