THAT'S JUST HOW I ROLL: TIPS FOR AMAZING ABDOMINAL WORK

 

See that long vertical line going up my belly? That's  my rectus abdominis muscle.  Photo by Marcus Ferrando

 

Strong abdominal work is something that all belly dancers-and audiences- love and admire. Among dancers, abdominal technique is always coveted, but rarely mastered.  Spectators go crazy for  rolls and flutters, too. Dancers and “civilians” alike regularly ask if I have an alien in my belly…or if I do crunches to get such strong abs.  However, though I occasionally enjoy pretending that I’m a Reptilian Hybrid from a distant planet, the answer to both questions is a resounding  “no”.

 Seriously, the only way I train my torso is with belly dance abdominal work. Though I love Pilates, and have dabbled in Yoga, I knew zilch about either discipline when I started working on my abdominal technique. I’m here to tell you that all it takes for amazing belly work is a little knowledge of proper technique… and a lot of practice time.  If you’re willing to put in the time, you’ll have a wild “alien belly” just like me, I promise!

 Here are a few tips for achieving strong abs- and there are no sit-ups, crunches, or cross training involved. With practice, you’ll be able to achieve mind-bending rolls, undulations and flutters yourself.

 First, let’s discuss undulations. There are two types: Muscular and Muscular Skeletal. The first kind uses only the muscles of the abdomen; a belly roll is muscular only, meaning that the bones or joints-or combinations thereof- are completely still.

The second type of undulation uses muscular engagement combined with bone/joint movement, usually coming from the pelvis and ribcage. A fine example of this would be the movement most of us know as a Camel.  But even though a Camel appears to be coming from the pelvis itself, it requires the interior abdominal muscles to engage in order to look really pronounced.  When I perform this movement, I tighten up (or engage) my lower abs –and also the muscles of the pelvic floor- when I pull back with my pelvis, and release them when the pelvis itself pushes forward.

 The muscle predominantly used in belly rolls is the rectus abdominis, a long, strong-banded pair of vertical, parallel muscles, which run up the length of the torso.  The banding in the muscles is what creates the hot “six pack” on guys who are super- fit.  The banding creates natural sections in the muscles, which are enhanced by training.  But for us belly dancers, even though the bands are present, the movements we do while dancing enhance the muscles length-wise, or vertically, so they look a little different…I like to refer to this as our chick pack. Most of us have a very strong rectus abdominus…but only around our middle band, the one that falls at our natural waist.  We often don’t use the parts of the muscle that is above or below that spot- and getting those areas stronger is essential for heavy-duty belly rolls.

A great way to train for rolls is to locate the muscles of your pelvic floor and tighten them up, much the same way you’d do a kegel exercise.  Pull in with the rectus abdominis as though you were zipping up a zipper all the way to the top of your rib cage. Hold it there for a moment, and then try to zip the “zipper” downwards again.

 My flutters   are even, highly sustained and large enough to see from the back of the room- no matter what size the venue is. They do not come from an ability to move my abdominal muscles in and out quickly. I could definitely do that if I wanted to!  However, if I engaged my abs by pulling them in and out super-fast, then I wouldn’t be able to layer belly rolls with my flutters…a movement that I call the  “flundulation”.

The main secret for crazy flutters is to keep your   abdominal muscles soft and relaxed, while your skeleton remains in standard dance posture- pelvis neutral with the tailbone tucked slightly towards the floor, ribcage lifted, and shoulders back and down. This sounds a lot easier than it actually is!

 Think about it: our abdominal muscles are constantly engaged, whether we’re conscious of it or not.  When enter in performance, our abs are always engaged- we’ve been trained to do that!  When we walk into a party or social gathering, we automatically pull up into a regal posture, without even thinking about it. Trying on a costume or an item in a store’s dressing room, we immediately suck in our stomachs. 

Letting our bellies remain loose and relaxed is completely conditioned out of us by society, so it might take you a while to get the hang of keeping your skeleton engaged and your abdominal muscles soft. When I was training to do this- and I taught myself, no one showed me- I’d place my hands on my sides, actually hooking my fingers just under my top ribs, so I could really feel my ribcage staying lifted as I let my belly go soft.  It looks kinda dorky, but try it- it works!

After you’ve gotten comfortable with that, it’s time to discover your diaphragm, which is the place of initiation for all my flutters.  The diaphragm, the large, major muscle that controls our breathing, is strong and kinda dome-shaped, sitting in the lower middle of your torso. Though we’re usually not aware of it, the diaphragm contracts rhythmically as we breathe as we breathe in and out. But if you concentrate, you can control the diaphragm- like when you breathe in deeply, holding your breath before diving into water. Think of your diaphragm as an inflatable ball. It fills up as you inhale and deflates when you exhale.   So you can feel it in motion, place your hand on your diaphragm and breath slowly and deeply.

 Once you’ve located your diaphragm and felt it moving naturally, try it a few times with conscious control, breathing in and out slowly and deeply as you keep your skeleton lifted and your abdominal muscles soft and un-engaged.  Now, try exhaling sharply, cutting the diaphragm’s muscle movement off. You’ve done this correctly if you feel a little clutch or catch.  Repeat this a few times, allowing yourself a couple of moments of regular breathing in between, so you don’t hyperventilate and become dizzy.

 A word to the wise: while many people advocate catching your breath and “cutting it off” at the throat, I don’t like this practice at all! Not only are the little “catches” you make while doing that visible to the audience, the movements also  cause the tendons in the neck to pop out and look  stringy and ugly…even on younger dancers!  Instead, try to visualize the little clutch or catch staying  just at the top of your ribs, directly under your cleavage…or, if you're a guy, directly under and between your man-candy pectoral muscles.

 Remember, the diaphragm is one of the strongest muscles in our entire body because  it’s in constant use as we breathe. If you repeat these practice movements even just a few times a day, the strength in your diaphragm will build up really quickly…and soon, you will have a an "alien in your belly", too!

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 If you liked reading about abdominal technique here, then you’ll LOVE my instructional DVD, “ABS-olutely Fabulous”- it’s packed with info on flutters, belly rolls, and undulations! 

Get it here:

http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm

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HEAD GAMES: MENTAL PREPARATION FOR DANCE

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HEAD GAMES: MENTAL PREPARATION FOR DANCE

 Ever had one of those moments where you’re about to dance and your mind totally blacks out?   In rehearsal, you’re not sure if you remember the choreography that you’ve known for ages. Or maybe you’re   in the wings waiting to go on and can’t even recall how the song you chose goes?  The panic is indescribable and very real…until the music comes up.  Then, as if by magic, everything is ok.

 As dancers, our bodies know exactly what to do when the music starts because it’s ingrained in our muscle memory.  It doesn’t matter whether we’re taking a class, teaching a class, or stepping onto the stage, our bodies understand why we are there and what we need to do. The only problem is, our minds don’t always get the memo!

 Or maybe you have extreme stage fright or are feeling unmotivated. Perhaps you feel like you’re falling behind in class even though you work as hard as you can, or that you’ve hit a plateau and are stuck in a personal rut.

The reason all of these things come up is because we don’t train our minds to perform in the same the way we train our bodies.

 Intellectual preparation for dance is not something that most instructors teach-or even address- in their classes.  Dancing, of course, is a physical activity. But in order for a dancer to excel, there needs to be mental and emotional technique in place, too!

 Physically, we’ve learned to dance through repetition by constant drilling or rehearsing. Through repeating and perfecting technique, combinations or choreography sequences, we unconsciously merge the mental memory of those actions with our motor control skills, so we barely need to think about what we’re doing. This is why we can perform every day tasks with little or no thought, or why we can go ten years without riding a bicycle, then hop on one and ride away as though we’d never stopped for an entire decade!

 Mental preparation for dancing is hugely important, because it actually helps your brain to stay focused intellectually on what you are doing physically. It also helps you to get emotionally “ready” for what dancing onstage, in rehearsal or a class.

 Here are some ideas that ought to help you get mentally prepared for dancing.

  Before you enter a studio for rehearsal or class, Focus on what you’re about to do.  This means completely clearing your mind of any non-dance clutter that could interfere with what you’re about to do.  If possible, arrive a little bit early, and start warming up your own. The warm-up will prepare you physically, but it’ll also help you to shift gears, providing a smooth transition into your dance headspace. 

If you tend towards stage fright, as you warm up for class or rehearsal, take note of your muscles, where they are tight and where they’re loose.   As you work each muscle, think or say these cue words: Loose and Tight. If your shoulders feel like steel, think “tight”, as they loosen up, acknowledge that they are now feeling supple by saying or thinking “loose”. This might seem strange, but if you make this a regular part of your warm up, it will become a habit, the same as your muscle memory.  When we get stressed or nervous- like in an episode of stage fright- many of our muscles automatically clench up.  If you’ve taken the time to train your mind to be aware of this, when you’re at a show, audition or competition and experiencing stage fright, you can put this concept into play and your muscles will co-operate by limbering up and relaxing.  Also, remind yourself to Breathe.  Often when we concentrate, we unconsciously hold our breath.  This can make your dancing look stilted cause it impedes flow.  If you’re nervous or anxious before a performance, taking a few deep, even, slow breaths will calm your jitters.

 During Tech Rehearsal especially, stay focused. Teching is a long and sometimes boring process, but if you don’t pay strict attention to what you’re doing, the odds are against you for having a quality show.  As you wait for your turn onstage, watch the other performers doing their tech, and take note of where the lights are the hottest and where the stage is dark- this will save valuable time  when you’re onstage for your own tech.

If you’re working in a venue where there isn’t a tech rehearsal, scope out the stage or performance area thoroughly.  You’ll want to look for lighting, but also other things, like a uneven floor surfaces and possible areas of danger, such as cords, musical equipment or sound monitors on the stage.  Also look for the best places to enter and exit the stage smoothly.

Observation is a powerful tool. It’s something you can do with your eyes in class, and with your mind’s eye before a performance. In a class or workshop, watch the instructor demonstrate combinations or choreography before you try to perform it. This is hugely important, because your brain will then have a visual frame of reference when it comes time for you to act physically. You know how everyone says that little kids absorb everything like a sponge? That’s literally what they’re doing!  They simply sit back to observe and absorb, allowing the all the information soak into their brains completely before attempting to do what the adults around them do. Watch your instructor run whatever it is you’re learning before you jump right in and start trying the moves yourself. At first this may seem counter intuitive, but believe me, it’ll make a huge difference.

 For Performance Preparation, we warm up and run our number, but often don’t address the mental and emotional aspects of our dance. On the evenings leading up to a show, go over the choreography in your head just before you fall asleep. Envision yourself dancing to it onstage and excelling at it. Connect to the character you’re portraying; think about their motivations. If you’re not going into character, but just dancing as YOU, imagine the lights on your skin, the way your costumes feels, and picture yourself looking out at the  appreciative crowd as you glide across the stage.

Research has proved that going over the movements mentally will help to ingrain them into your psyche as well as your muscle memory. It’s the same for your character work- your pre-sleep “fantasy” will allow you to connect emotionally to your characater and the  music as well.

Once you’re backstage, it’s a given that everyone’s out in the hallway with their iPods on, dancing full out.  Instead of joining them, try avoiding the hallway (it’s pretty crowed anyway!) and find a quite corner to get into your zone. You’ll notice that from the previous nights you’ve spent running your number before sleeping, that your connection will now be full and effortless.  Run the number in your imagination  a few  times, both with and without music. This quiet time will center you and allow you to re-familiarize yourself with your piece in a calm, serene way, so you can really own it once you get onstage.

Positive Self Talk is something we humans-let alone dancers- don’t engage in nearly enough. We’re constantly judging ourselves, and often the “judging panel” can get awfully vicious.  We’re too fat, too skinny, too old, too dark skinned or white as a ghost. Our noses are too large, our eyes are too small, our legs are too thick, too thin, or they don’t have enough muscle tone.  Oh yeah, and we can’t dance: our technique sucks, we can’t retain choreography, and we’ll never be able to master certain props. 

Stop that right now!

 Anytime you have a negative thought about your body, your technique, your learning curve- whatever- you’re literally wiring your brain to believe that it’s true. Would you be this blunt or mean with a friend?  It’s highly doubtful. So whenever a negative thought rears it’s ugly head, take a moment to assess it.  Be logical and rational: is what you’re saying actually a fact? Are you devaluing yourself? Why? Is this coming from a moment of exasperation? Would anybody else think this about you? More importantly, would you actually talk like this to a family member, friend or another dancer?  No, you wouldn't. We all have our moments of self-doubt, but constantly putting yourself down is emotional abuse. If someone else spoke to you like this, you’d probably cut them out of your life!

 Change the tone of your inner voice from critic to cheerleader. You can’t constantly degrade yourself and then expect to perform to your best capabilities.  Do whatever you can to be gentle with yourself without allowing mediocrity.  Acknowledge your weak points, but give yourself credit for trying… and then try harder.  Be constructive in your self-critique, not destructive. If you feel like making affirmations out loud or leaving encouraging notes around the house for yourself, then by all means go for it, but just start focusing on urging yourself to excel. Executives do it, athletes do it, actors do it… and they do it cause it works.  Try it.

  For dancers, there’s almost nothing as important as getting enough Sleep, unless it’s Nutrition.  Without sufficient rest and fuel, your body cannot perform to its best ability…and the same goes for your brain!  These days, eating and sleeping well seems like a tall order. We’re always rushing around, focused on getting everything done or being distracted by  calls, texts and social media.  After a great show or inspiring class, sure, we’re all jacked up.  But there’s ten million other things  that happen every day, and they sometimes prevent us from eating nutritious  food  or getting quality slumber.

Make conscious choices about what you’re putting into your mouth, and prepare healthy snacks to bring to gigs and classes. Put your damn phone down, get off Facebook, and get into the groove of relaxing before going to bed.  We need sleep to keep our brains alert and stay on top of our game. With poor sleeping habits, your dancing will suffer. Your memory disintegrates and you won't be able to retain anything you learned in class or practiced at rehearsal. You’ll be so tired that you won’t get those flashes of creative brilliance while you're building a performance. If you’re running on empty, you  also might get cranky and emotional, which can potentially lead to diva-like behavior that’ll alienate those you work with- including show producers...and you want to be doing more gigs, right?  Show and festival orgamizers hire performers who are easy to work with and behave professionally, not those prone to  flakiness or temper tantrums.  Be vigilant about getting your rest and  it’ll make you a better dancer- and better to work with all around.

Last but not least, before you take the stage, remind yourself to Relax and to Believe In Yourself.  Whether you’re a newbie at your first performance or a seasoned pro, remind yourself that you’ve been working towards your goals for a long time, and right now is when all those endless hours of training and striving are about to pay off. You can do it!

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 Wanna get yourself fully prepared  for the stage physically and mentally?

Dangerous Beauties’  Wicked Drills And Elegant Technique  covers everything from  technique, combinations and  conditioning to acting excercises, breath work and stage makeup. 

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Order this 2-disc  set and have it autographed  here:

http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm

 Watch the  Dangerous Beauties DVD trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6DjAQl-JQ

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/

EEK! IS THAT ME? USING VIDEOTAPE AS A DANCE TRAINING TOOL

Watching your own performances is probably one of the best learning tools possible for your continuing dance training. When you watch a videotape of yourself in rehearsal or performance, everything you are doing becomes crystal clear, from blatant mistakes to wonderful moments of perfection. By monitoring your own performances on videotape, you can clearly and objectively see your “dance truth”. In other words, it will enable you to see exactly what is right-as well as wrong- with your artistic practice . Sloppy technique, missed cues, personal tics, and every little mistake you make during your performance become illuminated. Things you may have missed or not “heard” in class or during a critique are quite obvious on videotape…but then, that is precisely why you are doing this to begin with!

Oh, it’s not easy to watch yourself. Many professionals with years of experience still find it uncomfortable to view themselves on film. When reviewing your own performance, try to avoid negative self-criticism, or comparing yourself with others…because the main reason you are doing this is to improve. Often, we are toughest on ourselves, and sometimes even merciless. Don’t beat yourself up or try to match yourself against others. Know that there will always be dancers who are more talented, younger, prettier, more technically gifted, or who own more lavish costumes than you do. This is a given. Why compare yourself to others and take the joy out of something rewarding and artistic that makes you happy? Competition can be healthy, but setting unrealistic goals about the many things you actually cannot change is harmful, as is denigrating yourself for no valid reason. As an individual, no matter who you are, you have many truly unique things to offer. If you seem to be having a tough time mastering a step or feel like you are not progressing the way you think you ought to be, take a deep breath and realize that you are your own worst critic. Others will never, ever see you or judge you in the harsh way you see yourself! Strive to be the best that you-and you alone- can be…and then cut yourself some slack.

For years, I cringed every time I watched a recorded performance of my own. Now, even after releasing numerous instructional and performance DVDs, it’s still hard for me sometimes, but I have learned to become neutral, almost like a casual third party observer. I go through a taped performance or rehearsal a few times and observe what I did, and then as objectively as I can, take notes the way a director would, observing what was good, and what wasn’t, what stays in the performance or what needs to be removed or re-worked. I evaluate the strengths and weaknesses in the performance and then assess what can be improved. Often during this process, inspiration would hit me like the proverbial lightning bolt, and I thought of completely new ways of interpreting music I had been working with for ages. Seeing myself dancing on tape taught me things about my dancing that no teacher could, and it will be invaluable to you for clearly discerning both the flaws and the strong points as you develop in your individual dance growth.

There is an upside to this, too. Often you will notice great things about your dancing that were never apparent to you when you were dancing. You will find that you might have mastered a perfectly executed a combination which you never thought you’d get, or that you have a dazzling smile, beautiful evocative gestures, or made a wonderfully quick and seamless recovery from a mishap. Sometimes, there are even moments of sheer magic-you might well see yourself doing something amazing onstage that you never, ever would think you’d be capable of!

Viewing yourself dancing on videotape becomes much easier after you have done it a few times, trust me. After a while, you may even look forward to analyzing your performances. So bite the bullet, and give it a whirl.