Summer Term week 9

This week, we started on some more Folkloric (Egyptian Sa'aidi style) dance.

We worked on Horse Steps with and without heel drops. We'll add some stick work next week. 

For the veilwork, we've got plenty of technique under our belts now, so we started working on how we can put a routine together. It's not a choreography, you don't need to remember any particular moves. It's more like a Road Map. The routine is just a journey through the music. We worked on Introductions and building up the drama. Next week, keeping the audience interested, and nailing the finish.

We're using the music, Windows of the East, by Ron Goodwin.

I think the Spotify link is here.

It's a nice short piece, 2½ minutes, so it's not too long.

Here are some inspiration videos...

Solo veil - Maria


Nice routine, well choreographed, but she did a throwaway ending, where I would probably have done it a bit more dramatically!

Group Veil piece - Ensemble Lina


Lovely group choreography, good use of movement vs stillness.

Group Veil piece - Banat al Medina


They’re using the head wrap intro that I have warned you against! They include some Floorwork for interest. They include a good “veil pick up” from the floor, which works well with their dramatic ending. I really like this one!

Summer Term week 8

It's still warm, so we're taking it carefully, drinking plenty of water...

For our Veil work, we worked on how we can discard the veil beautifully (not just scrunching it up and throwing it away). We now have enough of a repertoire to think about putting a routine together (not a choreography, more a sort of road map!) so that's what we'll be working on in the rest of the classes this term.

We *were* going to practise the same exercise as in previous weeks, using a basic move & finding ways to vary it

• changing your arms
• changing which direction you are facing
• changing the speed of the move you're using
• changing your level

And also throwing in a step combination that we've got in our toolbag.

... But ...

It was hot and we were tired so we did some seated ribcage work, basically taking our warm up ribcage exercises and making them a bit smaller and snappier. Then we did a Musical Statues game, which brought out some interesting thoughts on balance and hand positions. 

You can practise the improv exercise, at home. Try using this music, pick a basic move and see how you can adapt it, using the changes above, or by using a variation of your basic move that we've done in class.

Summer Term week 7

Another warm night, so we were taking it easy.

We worked on some "double veil" techniques, but with just a single veil. We practised getting into the Double Veil position, a couple of techniques we can use while we're there, and how to get back out of it again.

We used the same exercise as last week, for finding ways to make a single move look different, and for including one of our combinations, to bring in something different.  

PS, if you're interested in some Double Veil Inspiration, take a look at these clips:

   

Summer Term week 6

Tonight was hot so we were taking things a bit easy.

We started with Combinations, taking it gently. The exercise was to work with a basic move, then every so often throw in one of the combinations (we used the Forward Back with side step, from week 4 & also week 5) for a couple of gos, then go back to the basic move.

We also worked on some Veil Tucks/Drapes:

• Greek style drapery, using the straps of your top to hold the veil. Can be done with the veil in front of you (version 1), or with the veil behind you, and the ends brought round to the front, and tucked into the straps (version 2), or with the veil wrapped from the back to the front and crossed, then tucked in at the straps (version 3).
• Over the Shoulder. Fold the veil over one outstretched arm, tuck the bit next to your neck into the strap of your top (optional, but it gives a bit more certainty).