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As I've mentioned, this term I'm running this class as "mixed abilities", to encourage some new beginners and boost our numbers. I will make sure the more experienced students are still learning new stuff and being challenged!
As we're winding down to the end of the term (😢), we're going all out for Props - Veils and Sticks (not together!)
We started with the Veils, and putting together a kind of routine, for the music Windows of the East.
The structure of the music goes:
Introduction, includes a bridge into the main melody
Melody A, twice, but the second one has a big orchestral whoosh at the start
Melody B
Melody A again, the one with the orchestral whoosh
Melody C & Melody D
Melody A, twice, like at the top, the second one with the orchestral whoosh
Finale, winds up to a very clear finish
Last week we worked with the first half, this week we were using the second half, from C&D, into A (x2) and the finale. We'll put it all together next week.
We continued with our folkloric technique work, Egyptian Sa'aidi style. We recapped the Heel drops and Horse Steps from last week, and added some Stickwork to go with those moves. We also added the Side Step (sometimes called a duck step), to build a bit more folkloric repertoire.
The main Safety rule with the stick, when you're new to it, is give yourself LOTS OF SPACE. Don't let other people get into your dance space. Try not to let go of the stick, but (and I know this is going to sound contrary) don't hold it too tight.
A bit of background/context for the stick work. Here's a video of men doing Tahtib, a martial art/dance game, which is what Stickwork in dance comes from:
Here's Tito Seif, who is using the sticks (yes, plural) more as a dancer.
And now to see how the girls dance with a stick - much more playful and feminine, using those basic Sa'aidi moves.
And a duet to show how a masculine style and a feminine style are different, even when doing the same moves.
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.
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!
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.
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:
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).
Tonight was the last of the "Combinations" technique sections. After the half term, we'll be working on how we can use these combinations to help us improvise when dancing at a party, say, or when you can't remember a choreography!
I was basically repeating the lesson from last week, because only one person was there.
We started with the Veils, recapping the Neck Drape and Angel Wings, and I brought in a couple more options, for posing and for working the veil.
I was repeating the Forward Back Combinations from last week, for the technique part of the lesson:
The FB only combinations were:
A Reverse Pivoting Variation. This is a Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 6, then for the Back step cross the R foot
behind you, to pivot backwards (turning 90° to your R). In four goes, you'll have
turned all the way around. (You can do a fancier
version by turning 270°, which looks very impressive and difficult, but I don't expect you to try this one!)
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) slow count (1234), tip toes (for speed), fast count
(1234,1234). Sorry it doesn't make much sense written down, but watch the
video!
The FB plus other moves
combinations I had planned were:
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 4, Hip hits R x 4
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 6, side step RLR (on 7&8) to R,
repeat with L foot leading and travelling to L.
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 4, cross step (R to L) & lunge to L and up
again.
My plans got a bit of a change, when there was only one person there! I'm editing this post to be more true to reality.
We started the Veil work today with a recap of the Neck Drape/Angel Wings from last week. I added a couple more Angel Wings options, but we didn't have as much time, so we didn't cover everything I had planned. Not to worry, we'll do it next week!
I was sticking with my Combinations for the technique part of the lesson, working with the Forward Back Step as our starting point:
The FB only combinations were:
A Reverse Pivoting Variation. This is a Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 6, then for the Back step cross the R foot
behind you, to pivot backwards (turning 90° to your R). In four goes, you'll have
turned all the way around. (You can do a fancier
version by turning 270°, which looks very impressive and difficult, but I don't expect you to try this one!)
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) slow count (1234), tip toes (for speed), fast count
(1234,1234). Sorry it doesn't make much sense written down, but watch the
video!
The FB plus other moves
combinations I had planned were:
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 4, Hip hits R x 4
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 6, side step RLR (on 7&8) to R,
repeat with L foot leading and travelling to L.
Forward Back step (R
foot leading) for count of 4, cross step (R to L) & lunge to L and up
again.
However, again, we didn't have so much time available, so we didn't do all of these. We'll go through them all again next week. So this vid is a bit of a spoiler for those who weren't here!
The Veil work started with a bit of a recap of the Walking and Wafting from week 1, and the Twirls from week 2, as it's always good to practise what you know, and reinforce your knowledge and skills. We then moved on to a technique I'm calling the Neck Drape and Angel Wings. It's a way to drape the veil in front of your neck and down behind your shoulders, so that you can get on with some non-veil-related dancing, safe in the knowledge that you can get the veil back into action very easily. Alternatively, while your veil is in the neck drape, you can pick up the edges and swish them around like wings.
The step combinations today were brought to you by the Hip Drop.
Using all hip drops
Hip drop R x 4, then Drop Kick (R) x 2. These can be done swapping sides every time, or every second go, or randomly, it's your choice!
Double Hip Drops (sometimes called Swings) RR, LL, RR, Drop Kick L. Then LL RR LL, Drop Kick R.
Drop with a Dip. This is done over a count of 4 rather than 8. Drop RRR, then on 4th beat do a hip drop R with a dip.
Using hip drops combined with other moves
Hip Drop with Single Sided Hip Circle. Hip drop R x 4, then on count 5678, single sided hip circle (horizontal) on R. If the music count is quite slow, you can try doing 2 circles in the 5-8 counts.
We recapped the combinations from last week in the Warm Up dance, so you could see how they can slot into the music, which is really the whole point of me teaching them!
Tonight with Veils, we were working mainly on Twirls, which we started last week. We practised twirling the veil in both directions, and brought in some variations on the basic twirl:
Half twirls, changing front to back & vice versa, or changing Right to Left & vice versa
Incomplete twirls, with wafting opportunities
Possibly Twirling and walking (typing this in advance, I don't know if we'll have the time for this, it's not as easy as it sounds!)
As last week, I took a basic move - the hip circle - and put together some movement combinations using different circle variations.
Using all circles
Beg, Medium, Small circles
Varying the speed of the circle, front half quick in 2 counts, back half slow in 6 counts OR the other way around
Hip circles with stops - front half smooth, back half (stops on 5,6,7,8)
Using circles combined with other moves
Hip circle x 1½, hip push x 2
Hip circle x 1½, forward back step
You can do these combinations with any music with a basic 4 or 8 count. You just need to find something that's the right speed for you.
Here's the video:
Try practising the combinations this week. Start with just one or two, and really try to get them into your muscle memory, so that you can do them without having to think about them.
If you're feeling brave, see if you can create your own combination, maybe starting with one of the combos I've set out here, and changing part of it.
