The first thing people do when I mention I'm a bellydancer is to throw their hands in the air and start shaking their bodies. Little do they know how much control and technique there is in the shimmy.
Here's a list of different shimmies you might want to try:
Piston Hips:
Alternate knee bends quickly while keeping your heels on the floor. Movement is driven by the knees and can be done slowly or fast.
Twisting Shimmy:
Imagine you are in the spin cycle of a washing machine. Alternate twisting your hips forward and back and build up speed. Try walking when you do this.
Glute Shimmy:
Contract your right glute, relax, contract your left glute, relax. Work up speed. Try with a right- left- right- pause, left-right-left pause. Try seated or in the side splits.
Bouncing Shimmy:
Ground both heels and bounce using small quick knee bends. Easy and always a big hit.
Running Shimmy:
pretend your a ballerina and get up on your toes! Small quick fast steps combined with knee bends like the piston shimmy will move your booty anywhere on the floor. Great with turns, chest isolations and snakey arms.
Pelvic Shimmy:
A combination of pelvic lock and pelvic drop done very quickly by tucking and releasing the tailbone.
3/4 Shimmy:
A weighted right leg pushes the right hip up-down-up on a count of 1-2-3. Repeat with the Left hip. Looks great layered with hip circles, arabic walks, and floor figure 8's.
Here is a clip of the shimmy queen Ansuya:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxRkt14sEec
Remember the key is to relax your lower body with these shimmies. Have fun!
Ilona
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