TECHNIQUE TIPS TO IMPROVE TURNS

 

Photo by Maharet Hughes

Turns and spins may look effortless on stage, but the components that go into them are many, and sooo much more than just moving through space.

When I first started dancing, turns seemed like an elusive, unreachable goal.  I knew nothing about the mechanics involved... and all too often, I found myself in classes where it wasn’t properly broken down, either. It seems that outside of beginning ballet classes, it’s just assumed that dancers already have the foundation technique or innate ability to execute a turn-or series of turns- and that’s simply not true!

 To begin with, clean well-executed turns of any kind all start with balance. 

Achieving and maintaining the center of gravity in the body is crucial to dance in general, and specifically for turning. This sense of stability activates three different parts of our physical bodies, and they must work together, constantly shifting and adjusting to make up the clean execution of turn technique.

 The first is our vestibular system, located in the inner ear. Without getting too scientific, it’s the primary place that controls our ability to move our bodies. The vestibular system sends messages to our brains about kinetics, or the ability to fuse movement with balance.  This is why people affected with inner ear problems or an ear infection often experience vertigo or dizziness.

The second is our motor control skills, which govern the interaction between our brains and our muscles, bones and tendons. The motor system sends cognitive information from the central nervous system to our musculoskeletal system, enabling us to perform every day movements and tasks…and to dance.

The third component is the ocular or visual system, which not only allows us to see, but registers depth perception and physical orientation. Of course, the eyes send info to our brains when we dance. It’s important to know that during a turn, unless you’re a crackerjack at spotting, your eyes won’t be fixed on a certain point, putting your equilibrium a little out of whack.

 All three of these  bodily systems work together as reflexes to aid our proprioception, or the sense of our physical body in space. A common example of the use of proprioception (or lack of it!)  is the field sobriety sobriety test where an offer commands a potential offender to close their eyes while standing on one foot and touching their nose? A sober person can usually do this easily, but someone who is impaired or intoxicated cannot.

Ok, so now that you’ve got a little background, let’s move on to some exercises that will get you turning like a champ.

Develop Your Proprioception

 In my classes, to demonstrate what proprioceptive orientation is, I ask my students to close their eyes, extend their arms, and stand on one foot for as long as they can.   Some can do it for an extended time naturally, while others start to sway and waver… while sober!  Proprioception works almost without any visual cues, it’s our body’s sense of “righting” itself. The good news is that by doing exercise better proprioception skills can be developed.

Improve Your Balance

 Check and see where your weight is by rising slowly up onto the balls of your feet and maintaining the position for as long as you can. Notice where the brunt of the weight is. If it’s on the outside of your foot, towards the small toe, that’s showing a weakness in your ankles. This position is not optimal for turning, and it could potentially injure you. A “classic” Dancer’s Sprain occurs when the foot rolls over onto the outside edge, during dancing or any type of day-to-day activity.

 Try this exercise to get your weight placed properly:

 With feet just under your hips, rise up slowly onto the balls of the foot, pressing your toes into the floor. Keep your weight over the middle of each foot, and a little towards the big toe. Hold this position for at least eight counts, and slowly lower down to the floor. If you need to, use a ballet barre, a chair or even a wall or doorframe to maintain stability.  Hold on as lightly as possible, trying to let your body do most of the work. Repeat at least four times, slow and steady.

  Another exercise is to stand with the feet hip width apart. Pick up one foot- not too far off the ground- while making sure the foot you’re standing on has equal weight distribution between the ball and the heel. Hold in place for at least thirty seconds, before switching to the other foot. Repeat.

Strengthen And Stabilize Problem Areas

  Even though we dance constantly, all of us are stronger in certain areas…and those areas over-compensate for where we are weaker. One of the most notoriously weak areas for many dancers (of all genres) is in the hip. My chiropractor taught me these strengthening and stabilizing the hips.

  The first is to strengthen the calves. Stand on a staircase and lightly hold the railing, stand on one step with the toes and ball of both feet on the stair itself. Raise both feet to releve’ position, hold for sixteen counts, then as slowly as possible, lower the feet so that the heels are pointing downwards, towards the next lower step.  Repeat at least four times. This will strengthen your calves and give a nice stretch to your hamstrings, too.

For he second exercise on the stairs, turn sideways to face the railing, holding it lightly, keeping the knees soft. Keep one foot on the step itself, and slowly lower the other foot towards the next step. If this is difficult, your hip is weak; you also might notice that one side is stronger than the other. Repeat the exercise on both sides at least four times initially, building slowly towards eight, then twelve repetitions.

Find Your Weight Placement For Turning

 Practice each turn in its most basic form; even if you think you’ve mastered it already.  This will help you with the “intention” of the turn, and burn it into your muscle memory. Do the turn in slow motion on flat feet, planting each foot firmly down onto the floor before taking the next step. Next, do the same thing, but with your eyes closed. After you’ve repeated these movements a few times, do the turn full speed and you should notice a marked improvement.

Engage Your Core While Turning

 While we perform or rehearse, we are in dance posture:  spine elongated, abs engaged, ribcage lifted, shoulders back and down. But sometimes in class or during solitary practice, we forget our posture because we are so focused on mastering technique. In order to execute a great turn, keeping dance posture is essential…and that includes keeping your core tightly engaged. This will provide you with far better bodylines, and provide an essential center of gravity.

Learn To Spot

 Spotting keeps the dancer’s eyes and heads oriented in a certain place to alleviate dizziness and to enhance control during turning.   The way it works is that a fixed focus for the eyes will help you to keep control and retain your balance. While the actual turn is happening, the dancer’s body will rotate at a certain speed… but the goal of spotting is to have the head actually get through the rotation a little more quickly, in order to control the direction of the turn or series of turns.

Spotting is simply the act of focusing on a certain spot while turning.  To practice spotting, pick a location on a wall or the studio mirror, and practice turning very slowly, beginning and ending each turn with your eyes on the place you’ve picked as your spotting point.

 If you practice these techniques, your turns should show a marked advancement in a fairly short time.

  Happy dancing!

 #

Come say hi to me on the Inter-Webs!
www.princessfarhana.com www.pleasantgehman.com
www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehman
www.facebook.com/princess.farhana
www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhana
www.instagram.com/princessofhollywood

Purchase a signed copy of The Belly Dance Handbook here: http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF DANCE CLASSES: APPROACHING LEARNING WITH INTENTION

The chorus at the London Palladium, 1950's

-->

 Most of us attend dance classes and workshops regularly, and many of us also teach them.  It goes without saying that for dancers, being a perpetual student- no matter what your level- expanding your horizons and pushing your physical boundaries is what it’s all about!  We take classes for a variety of reasons: to improve our technique, to learn a certain choreography or a new style, to hone aspects of a dance genre that we already perform, because we get a chance to study with a local or visiting master, or just because we need to move.

 Because dance presents a challenge that is mental as well as physical, we can never truly stop learning.  And of course, if you want to push yourself, you should take as many classes as possible.  But that’s not always the case.  Sometimes, entering the studio for class with a specific intention in mind will help you grow even more as a dancer. Taking classes to consciously improve on your weaker areas will ultimately make you a stronger dancer.

Sometimes I’ve spoken with dance instructors who are hesitant to take workshops alongside their students, for fear of looking bad.  While that might be a somewhat valid consideration, the main point is that nobody should feel bad about learning!  It’s also a terrific way to set a model for your students, showing them that there is no limit to improving themselves. This is especially true if they’re at that “advanced intermediate” stage where they think they know it all; you know, that little peak that occurs before they find out that there will never be enough hours…or years…or decades to learn everything?  Learning humility and being open to challenges are as much a part of dancing as the movements themselves!

The way I see it, there are many and varied reasons for taking classes, but if you define your purpose for going to a particular class, you’ll get a lot more out of it.

Here’s the way I break down my own needs and what I want to accomplish by taking certain classes:

Technique Maintenance And Improvement

 There are no boundaries for improving your technique- there’s always something new to learn. Longtime professionals and famous dancers take classes often, if not daily, for this reason alone. Just look at any ballet company-everyday classes are mandatory. Did Mikhail Baryshnikov and Suzanne Farrell ever skip a day at the barre? Probably not. Did Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire slack off on rehearsing cause they had better things to do? Doubtful. Though great dance technique is not strictly Use It Or Lose It, the more you actually use it, the better it will be!

No matter what level dancer you are, the experience of being in a class solely to hone your technique will make you a better dancer. While practicing or rehearsing on our own, we strive and sweat and get things done. But knowing that  in class, you are  performing under the watchful eye of an instructor is different- it pushes us to  focus and work a little harder…and to accept corrections or make little tweaks in execution that we might not have noticed on our own.

Learning And Inspiration

 Nothing gets a dancer’s brain synapses firing like learning a new style. We want it all, and we want it now! Many studies have proven that dancing of any kind helps to increase cognitive abilities in people of all ages…and most of them have shown that dancing was the only physical activity that actually staves off Alzheimer’s!

 Aside from that, learning a new type of dance or being inspired by another dancer’s interpretation is thrilling.  The movement differentiation that comes with studying a new dance form is a welcome challenge and is usually lots of fun.  If you’re used to soloing, try a partner dance like tango, swing or square dancing.  If you’re trained in classical ballet, test-drive some street dancing.

 Even if you’re studying a genre you’re already familiar with, seeing how another dancer-the one you’re learning from- moves will motivate you to look at your own technique in a whole new way. Often, breaking out of our own personal boxes and becoming an eager newbie once again will stimulate our creativity and encourage us to excel both in class and in our own familiar genre of dance.

Improving Retention And Sharpening Motor Skills

Some of us prefer choreography to improvisation or vice-versa, but for right now, that’s a moot point. Taking a choreography class (or learning a choreography for a show) is a terrific way to think on your feet, improve your cognitive abilities and aid your retention skills. For many of us, memorizing  choreographed sequences or intricate combinations is a bit of a downfall, but the good news is that with time and practice, you get better at it. This occurs because your brain is actually learning this process through repetition.  Once you’ve mastered this type of study- even unconsciously- it makes it much easier for your brain to apply this skill in the future.

 Another plus is that every time you learn a choreography that someone else has written, you’re opened up to a whole new way of seeing and hearing things. Even in a dance genre you’re quite familiar with, musicality  (and personal style) is a highly individual thing, there’s not any right or wrong. It’s stimulating to see that everyone hears the music-and interprets the phrases-differently. While you might think of hitting accents at a certain point in a musical composition, another dancer might slide right through them and save the dynamic rhythmic references for elsewhere.  At first this might be maddening, because we've learned to rely on own instincts, but ultimately it’s refreshing. When you become used to these little  “surprises” by working with a number of new choreographies, it opens up a world of new possibilities, by breaking down any conscious or unconscious preconceived notions you have about dancing. Even if you never plan on performing the piece you’re learning, it helps you to grow as an artist.

 Advancing Performance Abilities

 As I said before, everyone hears music differently, but they also feel, respond to and interpret it in their own individual ways. This can be an incredible learning experience for you, too. By witnessing someone else emoting to a composition, whether it’s a set gesture done as part of choreography or just a fleeting, genuine moment of emotion, it can be quite illuminating.

If you’re learning or enhancing an ethnic dance genre, such as belly dance, flamenco or samba, watching your instructor respond to the music itself- or lyrics that are sung in a foreign language-is invaluable. The classes you take to improve your performance skills don’t even have to be movement-oriented. I always recommend acting classes or workshops to my students, because they get you in tune with accessing your emotions and will help you to build confidence for your non-verbal performances in dance. 

Last but not least, the more familiar and comfortable you become with  your own dancing, the easier it will be to let the music move you and let your unique feelings shine through…and that is  the key to what makes a good dancer a great dancer.

#

Get a signed copy of The Belly Dance Handbook: A Companion For The Serious Dancer here: www.princessfarhana.com

Photo and graphics by Maharet Hughes

  To get a Tarot card reading from me or to check out what I do when I’m not dancing, click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/

PROTECTION FROM POISON: HOW TO DEAL WITH A TOXIC DANCE TEACHER

   I just had a very peculiar experience… on my way home from an afternoon walk, I passed my first dance teacher.  Initially, I didn’t realize it was her. It wasn’t until she jerked her head quickly in the other direction with a a familiar grimace on her face, that  it dawned on me who she was...because I haven’t spoken to her in over two decades.

This woman was abusive and such a supremely evil sociopath that over the years,  whenever I thought of her (and trust me, I did that as little as possible) it absolutely shocked me that I ever even entertained the thought of  continuing to dance!

 I will never mention her name, and  have never given her credit as being my first teacher, she was that bad. She was a decent dancer, but she was also pure poison to everyone who had the misfortune of taking her classes. It’s not like I a sensitive kid when I started taking from her either.  I started belly dancing at the age of thirty as an adult with a full life, as were many of her other students. At that point, it didn’t occur to me that I would ever turn professional; I just wanted to take a dance class. Twenty-five years later, I’m well into a dance career that  has been my number one passion and raison d’etre.  Bumping into my former teacher  actually unsettled me- and believe me, that’s not an easy thing to do!  Before I continue with this anecdote, I must tell you that this story has a happy ending.

She Who Has No Name wasn’t just a stern teacher, or one who had high standards and a no-nonsense personality.  She was, for lack of a better description, bat-shit crazy. This was in 1990, waaaay before the internet was commonplace and finding something as obscure as a belly dance teacher, even in a large city like Los Angeles, wasn’t easy, so I stuck it out. Even as a brand –newbie, belly dance was so important to me, I figured it’d be worth it, but her abuse still affected me big time.  She continually told me that I was clumsy, lacked talent, was ugly and would never be a dancer.  If I asked her to break down a step or combination, she’d roll her eyes as though I’d just demanded something impossible. And for the record, I wasn’t the only one she did this too, either- everyone was fair game! She was also insanely jealous. If any of her students started doing well or a little too well for her taste- she viewed them as competition, and did everything in her power to tear them down.  She was also a raving bitch over smaller, inconsequential things. If a student of hers happened to get a new hip scarf or bought a secondhand costume, she’s sniff derisively and roll her eyes. When any of her students tentatively started gigging, she’d badmouth us to our faces…and to anyone else who’d listen!

On one of many evenings that I cam home from her class upset, my boyfriend confronted me.

 “ I thought you said belly dance was your favorite thing that you’ve ever done,” he said compassionately,

 “So let me ask you a question: why are you crying?”

 It was then I knew I had to leave her, so I did.

  Finally, I met a decent teacher, a real teacher, someone who not only knew her technique, but also was a talented performer…and a well-adjusted human being. She also knew how to address students with different needs and learning styles, was encouraging of her pupils’ growth and gave them performing opportunities and professional advice.

 Though it would be another five years before I became an instructor myself, I immediately saw the difference in these two women, and vowed that if I ever taught dance classes, I would be  like my second instructor…the one I actually acknowledge as my first teacher, since She Who Has No Name was, at least chronologically, the “real” first teacher.

But she was so toxic that the only thing she ever really taught me was HOW NOT TO BE.

Sadly, I’m not alone in this experience. In the dance world, many of us have to deal with toxic teachers.

Toxic people are that way because they unhappy- and the only thing that brings them joy is making others feel  the same way.

 A toxic teacher actually delights in ruining the self-esteem of her pupils because she sees them as a threat.  Sometimes this abusive behavior is constant, other times there’s a Bi-Polar quality; your teacher will be nurturing and nice one moment, then turn on you. They play favorites and pit students against each other. Others are merely pessimistic, but their negative feelings and “glass half full” outlook on life is contagious.  They see themselves as victims of fate and circumstance, feel entitled and complain constantly. They gossip and never have anything nice to say- about anyone! They isolate their students and threaten them if they want to take classes with others or desire to join in on other activities in the dance community, like showcases or other performance or volunteering activities.

  Sadly, your toxic teacher might also be very talented.  Just because she is crazy doesn’t mean she’s not a gifted artist; she might be the best instructor in the area. And even worse, she may be the only teacher around- many of us live in smaller towns or places where there is only one local teacher and no other options!

 If your teacher is poison, here are some things you can do to stay sane.

First of all, don’t take anything your toxic instructor says to heart.  

 A healthy student/teacher relationship is built on equality- and it’s also a paying business relationship.  You are paying for your knowledge; therefore you are actually your teacher’s employer!  Remember that her main objective is to drag everyone down to her level. Shield yourself emotionally as much as you can. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can, and that your own dance practice is just as valid as anyone else’s.  Don’t take anything personally.

If you need to discuss your feelings or vent about your teacher, do it with a non-dancer pal, significant other or a family member. The last thing you want to do is have something you said get back to the teacher herself.  Toxic people often have minions; spies that they employ to report back on the activities of other students. Don’t play into her web of craziness by making any sort of comments about her to anyone who might repeat them.

Obviously, if you have other options for classes in your area, leave your current class.  Do this as quickly and painlessly as possible; just stop attending class.  In case your teacher questions you about your decision, don’t make a big deal of it. So as not to make waves, offer a brief explanation that seems plausible, something like your work schedule won’t allow you to continue at this time slot, or you have family obligations.  Thank your teacher for the learning opportunity, and do not engage otherwise, just depart. If you are going to take with another instructor, keep it on the down low.  Any sane teacher welcomes her student studying with others, but if your crazy instructor gets wind of your departure she’ll do what she can to ruin your plans- an your reputation!

If your toxic teacher is the only instructor in your area, again, do whatever you can to protect yourself emotionally.  Remind yourself that you are here to learn, not to be abused. Rise above, and keep to yourself. Do not engage in her drama, and try not to let it affect you. Keep a healthy distance. Arrive at class, take class and leave. All business, all the time, you’re there to learn, period! 

 Take everything your teacher says with a grain of salt, because her negative opinions- about you, about other students, about the dance world in general- is just that, only opinions, not fact. And it’s already been established that they’re distorted, petty and mean-spirited.

If you live in a remote area, learning from DVDs  will tide you over. This is usually supplemental, but if your options for live instruction are limited, this is a good way to go- at least at first.  Also, a great option for you would be taking online classes- there are many available now, and you’ll be able to study with competent teachers who don’t live anywhere near you.  Many studios offer monthly discounts   for live, real time instruction or downloadable online classes.  Google your favorite dancers and see if they offer these kind of classes. You can also investigate taking a group or private Skype session every so often.

 If you happen to see your teacher at a local dance event, don’t get freaked out- this is bound to happen.   Be prepared for it. Make sure the interaction is impersonal and amiable.   Keep it brief. Compliment her on her performance, or just say hello. There’s a good chance she may get nasty- that is, after all, her M.O.  Brush it off and don’t engage.  You’ve done nothing wrong.   The last thing you want to do is get sucked in and involved with her again!

If you are starting to get gigs-or if you’ve already been gigging, your instructor might try to ruin your chances by gossiping about you.  If your teacher starts spreading rumors just ignore them!  Don’t feel the need to explain the situation   anyone, keep your mouth shut. Bullies delight in   their target’s reactions.  Don’t let anyone know this is affecting you. There’s a great chance she’s done this   to others… and an even better chance that everyone else sees her for what she is, and realizes she’s full of it!  As the Internet meme goes, just Keep Calm And Carry On.

 Hopefully, these tips will help you to break the chain of Toxic Teacher abuse. And now for the happy ending of my own story…

  Seconds after I running into my own toxic ex-instructor, I got a text from one of my students. She had just placed in a huge belly dance contest!  She was absolutely giddy.  The text thanked me  “for all your help and wonderful advice”.  Though I’ve trained many professional dancers and lots of champions over the years, their success never fails to touch me; it makes me ridiculously gratified to know that I’ve had a hand in the success of others.  It never gets old- as a dance teacher, this is what it’s all about, sharing   knowledge, love and passion for the dance with others.

With a little tear of happiness in my eye, I texted my student back congratulating her, and typed in so many hearts and flowers and smiley faces that I was definitely guilty of Emoji Abuse.

 It was also the best F**K YOU  possible to She Who Has No Name!

I delighted in knowing once and for all that I’d broken her chain of abuse…and you can do it with your  Toxic Teacher too!

 #

 Find me on online:

www.princessfarhana.com

www.pleasantgehman.com

www.pleasantgehman.blogspot.com  

www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehman

www.facebook.com/princess.farhana

www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhana

www.twitter.com/PleasantGehman1

www.instagram.com/princessofhollywood

  

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN: RETURNING TO DANCE AFTER TAKING A BREAK

Happy New Year!

Since many of us have taken a holiday break, I thought the first post of 2015 ought to be about getting back into the swing of things dance-wise. Sure, many dancers work during the holidays- and I am one of them- but still, all that un-structured downtime, studio holiday closures and…well, yeah… all those sweet treats we’ve indulged in do take their toll! You show up for class, rehearsal or a show and mentally, you’re rarin’ to go, but the next day you feel like you’ve been run over by a truck. Why? It’s because you’re a dancer living in a body that- even if it’s only been a few days- has gotten used to sitting at a table swathed in a cozy fleece onsie munching on leftovers and drinking booze!

Of course, this doesn’t only apply to the holidays… you could be getting over an injury, illness, or maybe you’ve had a surgery- or a child! In any case, bouncing back after being sidelined for a while     ( even a little while) might not be as easy as you thought it was going to be.

 Here are some ideas that might make the transition a little easier for you.

  Go Easy At First

  By that, I mean cut yourself some slack… but I don’t mean slacking off! Acknowledge the fact that you haven’t trained for a while and take things slowly.  Whether you’ve been gone for a few days or a few weeks or months, ease back into dancing.  Your brain thinks it can do what you were capable of, and your muscle memory probably does too- but your physical body might not exactly be down with that concept…yet.  Test the waters a little; you definitely don’t want to be so gung-ho that you injure yourself in the process of trying to prove yourself.

If you’ve been out because of an injury, make sure you’ve followed your doctor’s orders to the letter.  If you were prescribed physical therapy, make sure you’ve completed your course before you even think of returning to class or performing.

 Any medical restrictions that have been placed on your dancing due to injury are there for a reason, and that reason is to insure you are healthy enough to continue   your dance practice!

Prepare Yourself Physically…And Emotionally

Be sure to warm up completely- this should be your regular M.O. anyway, but many of us just kinda skip over this process, because it seems so tedious.

 It’s not.

Warming up is integral to being a healthy dancer, as is cooling down- especially after you’ve taken a break!  Maybe you need a longer warm up than you did previously. If so, go with it.  Remember, even a scant few days out of the game can make a big difference, so do some light cardio before stretching- your tight tendons and lazy, underworked muscles will thank you profusely!

Emotional preparation is in order right now too. That means accepting your situation- no guilt, no shame, no little inner voice cutting you down cause you can't shimmy or turn, gained a few pounds or don’t have the stamina to last as long as you did before you took some time off.  Now’s the time to be your own cheerleader, not your worst critic! You want to motivate- not denigrate- yourself  back to work.

 Remind yourself that it can often be frustrating as you return to peak condition, so be gentle on yourself emotionally. Whose the meanest boss in the world? You are. Fire that slave driver and have your own personal Human Resource Department hire a compassionate coach who can see your potential and help you get back into fighting shape in a positive way, ok?

Work Hard…But Work Safe

 When you return to your “regularly scheduled program”, do the absolute best that you can, but do it safely.  It’s always better to err on the side of caution than push your boundaries a little too far. Remind yourself that this situation will change soon. Allow your body to re-familiarize itself with your dance practice.  Remember, our muscles don’t listen to reason. If you over-do it, the only way they know how to protest is by shutting down…going into spasm, or (yikes) getting strained or torn.  Let them know whose boss, but baby them! Soon, they’ll once again be your obedient servants.

 Last but definitely not least, remind yourself that  your situation is temporary, it will pass…and you’ll be back to where you were sooner than you thought you’d be!

#

Back by popular demand!

 The  outrageous “One Zill Up”  tee  features  a universally understood symbol…driving the point home with a  finger cymbal!

 The black short-sleeved shirts are 100% soft ring-spun cotton jersey , with a slim fit for a feminine silhouette and a tear-away tag.

Available in women’s MEDIUM, LARGE & X-LARGE.

$20.00 plus postage & handling here:

www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm

 …And while you’re at it, get your signed copy of  The Belly Dance Handbook: A Companion For The Serious Dancer 

Photo  and  graphics by Maharet Hughes

 Find me on online:

www.princessfarhana.com

www.pleasantgehman.com

www.pleasantgehman.blogspot.com  

www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehman

www.facebook.com/princess.farhana

www.twitter.com/PrincessFarhana

www.twitter.com/PleasantGehman1

www.instagram.com/princessofhollywood