Hi this is Dan. I’m a big fan of Leyla’s hip work. Yes, I am biased but if you watched any of the performance videos (my favorite is the pink costume video) then like me you might have gotten a bit excited At least I that’s how I feel when I watch. My heart goes up a beat or two and I get a little spellbound by the control she has.  I mean for me there are times when it seems like in an instant where she can go from fast, to slow, layer, stomach roll. and do it in a way that evokes a bunch of emotions all at once!

This is what we both want for you. For you to have the same kind of ‘stop on a dime and change direction and rhytym’ kind of control that just leaves your audience in awe and speechless. So with all of this said, click the play button to get started. It’s a 25 minute interview and you might not be able to get through it all at once and that’s ok. Just bookmark it and then come back to it when the time is right.

Thanks and talk soon,

Dan

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Over Practicing

Another case in point; Remember not to over practice a choreography! I have a student who just recently lost her rhythm because she over practiced. She could not hear the beat of the music because she forgot to listen to the music. I had to ask her not to practice for a week so we could get her back on track. What was surprising to me was the fact that she said she felt off in certain areas but she did not do anything about it. So if there is robotic repetition in practice, the danger can be that the dancer won’t know the difference or if she does, do nothing about it. There definitely seems to be a need to put in a work schedule so that weekly practicing will keep you fresh, graceful and relaxed.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Focus is Key

First choose a day that will be hips only and focus on sharp, soft, sharp and soft combined. Work in your opposition hips and make sure to keep both hips equally strong and precise. You can include shimmies with sharp and soft but focus on your execution of the moves and follow through with each movement. On another day do layering with hips, chest and pelvic area. This may seem easy but you really have to work on your timing with the layering to music. Next work on your arms with combinations and movements so that you have that natural flow with them. With the arms you can actually work them in with each practice day but have one day where you really focus in on them. One important aspect of training is working in your traveling steps with different hip combinations and turns. Subsequently within the week work in different angles with backward and forward steps and combinations. Remember audiences need to see you from all angles and your back is just as important as your front. Remember to work in stage presence and us your space. I will do in place movements and alternate with traveling steps. To be more specific work in your hip combinations with your traveling steps. One important day would be to do shimmies of all kinds. In place, traveling and shimmies with sharp and soft moves can really tell the audience how skilled you are and showcase how professional you are. Props are important so keep one day for your sword, cane and veil etc. If you are working on a choreography make sure the props don’t showcase what you are lacking in body movement. Remember you body is your greatest prop! Practice your finger cymbals (which are an important instrument) more then one day a week because this is the only way you will get good with them. Also your props can be included in more then one day a week. For those dancers who are just starting out and have a lot to work on, this schedule will help you out.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Music Theory

One thing that a lot of dancers do in the beginning is they work on their dance drills and combinations but they forget music theory. Look up important Middle Easter musicians, composers and singers of days past and present. Learn about the instruments musicians use and the different beats and melodies that are put into music. This is important for your finger cymbal playing besides any other instrument you might want to learn. Listen to music so you can understand how Middle Eastern music is composed and put together. There are certain beats that we dance to so start listening to as much classical and traditional music as possible besides the modern pop of today.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Know  Your Belly Dance History

I can’t tell all of you how important our Belly Dance History is. Do you know about the many legendary dancers there are who kept the dance alive? This includes Middle Eastern dancers along with American belly dancers. Learn what each dancer contributed to the belly dance world and also learn how dance has changed through out our history. Learn about why we have coins on our hip scarves or why we dance with veils. Remember that as belly dancers we represent a multitude of cultures so telling people the history of belly dance is just as import as dancing it. The only way to educate people about our dance form is to educate ourselves.

This may seem like a lot of work and it is at first but the benefits outway any of the hardships. In order for me to look the part, I have to know everything I can about the dance field I represent. Knowledge is power and when we combine dance training and excellence to this power, we not only become role models but leaders for women to follow. The difference here is that every woman eventually becomes a leader. This is why Belly dancing is different!

But I have to say there is another reason for wanting to know as much as possible about this dance. It’s simple; I love being a woman!

“It isn’t what I do, but how I do it. It isn’t what I say, but how I say it and how I look when I do it and say it. “

Mae West

There is a woman in each of us who craves attention and loves to be up on stage. Just remember that future generations of women will be looking at you wishing they were you. In knowing this understand that how we keep this dance form alive is by passing on our knowledge and skill to future generations and they in turn pass it on. So if I’m going to pass on any Belly Dancing tips to future generations the one big one is this:

“When life gives you lemons make orange juice and make them wonder how the hell you did it!”

Anonymous

So go out there and create a dance style that makes the dance world wonder how the hell you did it!

Download and Use The Belly Dance Practice Routine in PDF 

Now you’ve learned basic posture, positioning and thrusts and you  have a training guide you can use to develop your own routine and now you’re ready for the next video, or if you’ve got the “Bug” – the Belly Dance Bug check out the 4 Beginning Belly Dance 4 DVDs with Practice Music

Famous Egyptian Belly Dance Star Niama

Wanted to do something special today where you don’t have to worry about paying attention and learning anything. Where you could just sit back and enjoy a performance by one of the great Egyptian Belly Dance stars of days gone by named Niama.

Hope you enjoy th is little short video clip and though the video quality isn’t up to modern day standards, you can get an appreciation for her hip control which is just fabulous

Watching old performers who have mastered the art is inspiring and being inspired at this point is a good thing and important. Let yourself be inspired without restriction. Get excited about what you’re learning, doing and intending and know that with practice and the right training you can achieve your personal dance vision.

Hope you liked this video and if you’re really liking the Hip Combinations and getting Hips That Make Your Audience Go Wow is something you want check out here how to get the entire 6 DVD set. 

We love hearing from you so feel free to leave a comment and maybe share a bit of your inspiration.

See you on the next video

Leyla

How we focus and work within our body starts out the habitual way we train. Most of my students won’t look at the whole enchilada (body) only a specific part of the body depending on what I am showing them. After you get the move down into your body then look at your image in the mirror and see how the rest of your body looks while you are working the combination or movement. When my students can’t see the whole body they have what I call “blinder” focus; as if they’re afraid to see.

Practice for ten to fifteen minutes on a particular combination or traveling step. Then practice for ten to fifteen minutes looking at your whole body while doing the combination which includes, posture, arms, head positioning, legs, feet, lifted chest etc.

The purpose of this is to help you see what the audience is going to see once you are up on stage. It will also get the eyes up away from the floor which is another common problem beginner dancers have. But interestingly enough I found that some of my students didn’t want to see what they were doing and I had one student tell me it made her uncomfortable. I started to think about this and realized that as women sometimes we don’t look at ourselves because all we see is what we lack. Remember that this can affect your confidence and the success you have with your dance.

It’s obvious that women don’t want to see what they don’t like about themselves. Practice time is about healing and feeling good about yourself. So within the hour or two hours of practice look at your full image in the mirror and relax. All you have to do is relax; that’s easy and once you take you in with no judgement then you will start to see a new you emerge that feels better not just about  dance but life in general.

You can’t practice and feel bad about yourself. All you will do is feel bad about practice. So change your mindset and go for your dream or goal. If you are able to stand in front of a mirror and dance, you already have something to be grateful for which is your  two legs to stand on.

Remember your four cornerstones; emotions, mind, body and spirit have to be fed equally. So look at practice time as a way of feeding yourself a gigantic spoon full of confidence, acceptance, and forgiveness. Once you let go of what you don’t like, then what you do like will start to emerge and there is nothing more beautiful on stage then a confident, happy, in the moment dancer. So I’m going to end with my favorite saying which says it all; when life gives you lemons make orange juice and make the world wonder how the hell you did it!

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Over Practicing

Another case in point; Remember not to over practice a choreography! I have a student who just recently lost her rhythm because she over practiced. She could not hear the beat of the music because she forgot to listen to the music. I had to ask her not to practice for a week so we could get her back on track. What was surprising to me was the fact that she said she felt off in certain areas but she did not do anything about it. So if there is robotic repetition in practice, the danger can be that the dancer won’t know the difference or if she does, do nothing about it. There definitely seems to be a need to put in a work schedule so that weekly practicing will keep you fresh, graceful and relaxed.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Focus is Key

First choose a day that will be hips only and focus on sharp, soft, sharp and soft combined. Work in your opposition hips and make sure to keep both hips equally strong and precise. You can include shimmies with sharp and soft but focus on your execution of the moves and follow through with each movement. On another day do layering with hips, chest and pelvic area. This may seem easy but you really have to work on your timing with the layering to music. Next work on your arms with combinations and movements so that you have that natural flow with them. With the arms you can actually work them in with each practice day but have one day where you really focus in on them. One important aspect of training is working in your traveling steps with different hip combinations and turns. Subsequently within the week work in different angles with backward and forward steps and combinations. Remember audiences need to see you from all angles and your back is just as important as your front. Remember to work in stage presence and us your space. I will do in place movements and alternate with traveling steps. To be more specific work in your hip combinations with your traveling steps. One important day would be to do shimmies of all kinds. In place, traveling and shimmies with sharp and soft moves can really tell the audience how skilled you are and showcase how professional you are. Props are important so keep one day for your sword, cane and veil etc. If you are working on a choreography make sure the props don’t showcase what you are lacking in body movement. Remember you body is your greatest prop! Practice your finger cymbals (which are an important instrument) more then one day a week because this is the only way you will get good with them. Also your props can be included in more then one day a week. For those dancers who are just starting out and have a lot to work on, this schedule will help you out.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Music Theory

One thing that a lot of dancers do in the beginning is they work on their dance drills and combinations but they forget music theory. Look up important Middle Easter musicians, composers and singers of days past and present. Learn about the instruments musicians use and the different beats and melodies that are put into music. This is important for your finger cymbal playing besides any other instrument you might want to learn. Listen to music so you can understand how Middle Eastern music is composed and put together. There are certain beats that we dance to so start listening to as much classical and traditional music as possible besides the modern pop of today.

How To Practice Belly Dancing, Know  Your Belly Dance History

I can’t tell all of you how important our Belly Dance History is. Do you know about the many legendary dancers there are who kept the dance alive? This includes Middle Eastern dancers along with American belly dancers. Learn what each dancer contributed to the belly dance world and also learn how dance has changed through out our history. Learn about why we have coins on our hip scarves or why we dance with veils. Remember that as belly dancers we represent a multitude of cultures so telling people the history of belly dance is just as import as dancing it. The only way to educate people about our dance form is to educate ourselves.

This may seem like a lot of work and it is at first but the benefits outway any of the hardships. In order for me to look the part, I have to know everything I can about the dance field I represent. Knowledge is power and when we combine dance training and excellence to this power, we not only become role models but leaders for women to follow. The difference here is that every woman eventually becomes a leader. This is why Belly dancing is different!

But I have to say there is another reason for wanting to know as much as possible about this dance. It’s simple; I love being a woman!

“It isn’t what I do, but how I do it. It isn’t what I say, but how I say it and how I look when I do it and say it. “

Mae West

There is a woman in each of us who craves attention and loves to be up on stage. Just remember that future generations of women will be looking at you wishing they were you. In knowing this understand that how we keep this dance form alive is by passing on our knowledge and skill to future generations and they in turn pass it on. So if I’m going to pass on any Belly Dancing tips to future generations the one big one is this:

“When life gives you lemons make orange juice and make them wonder how the hell you did it!”

Anonymous

So go out there and create a dance style that makes the dance world wonder how the hell you did it!

Combination #7

Right Side

• Right Hip Forward/Side/Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Forward/Side/Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Back Corner/Piston Up
• Left Hip Back Corner/Piston Up
• Right Hip Forward/Forward Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Forward /Forward Corner Thrust

Left Side

• Left Hip Forward/Side/Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Forward/Side/Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Back Corner/Piston Up
• Right Hip Back Corner/Piston UP
• Left Hip Forward/Forward Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Forward/Forward Corner Thrust

Remember to position yourself so that you are moving from your core. Center yourself and focus on the movements so that you can feel them instead of think them. Muscle memory is what we are going after here so allow your body to take over. Get Hip Mastery for Hips to Make Your Audience Go Wow!

Combination #6.

Right Side

• Right Hip Forward/Forward Corner/Side/Back Corner
• Right Hip Forward/Back
• Right Hip Lift/Lift Corner/Side
• Right Hip Piston Down/Down/up
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust

Left Side

• Left Hip Forward/Forward Corner/Side/Back Corner
• Left Hip Forward/Back
• Left Hip Lift/Lift Corner/Side
• Left Hip Piston Down/Down/Up
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust

So you’re probably expecting me to encourage you to check out the great offer for all 6 Hip Mastery DVDs with the Bonuses and if I didn’t believe 100% that Hip Mastery would help your dancing, I wouldn’t even mention it but if you’re still watching videos, then I know you’re digging it. So here’s that  ‘check it out link’.

Combination #5

Right Side

• Right Hip Piston Up/Down
• Left Hip Piston Down/Up
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Thrust to the side
• Left Hip Thrust to the side
• Pelvic Down/Up

Left Side

• Left Hip Piston Up/Down
• Right Hip Piston Down/Up
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Thrust to the side
• Right Hip Thrust to the side
• Pelvic Down/Up

So now you’ve got 5 great combinations and yes it’s a lot to learn. Can you imagine how your dancing will change with all 6 DVDs and goodies?

Combination #4

Right Side

• Right Hip Down/Up/Out
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Right Hip Forward/Back Thrust
• Right Hip Twist Forward/Back

Left Side

• Left Hip Down/Up/Out
• Right Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Back Corner Thrust
• Left Hip Forward/Back Thrust
• Left Hip Twist Forward/Back

Get Hips To Make Your Audience Go Wow! That’ What Hip Mastery is about and what I want for you and you can get free practice music and DVD.