There are three videos showing the elements that go together to make a hip circle. The first video shows the hip slides. This is where we practice moving our hips from side to side and keeping them as flat as possible. It's not easy to do! And you'll see from the video that it is something I need to be practicing at the moment too : )
The next video shows the bit-by-bit breakdown of the hip circle. Start by moving one hip to the side, like a hip slide. Then as you come to the front, relax (or push) out your belly. Slide to the other side, re-engaging your tummy muscles. And then suck it in so you feel a little hollow in your belly, and pull your pelvis around to the back.
The final video shows a range of hip circles when we put all the bits together and let the movements flow. I start off with a "normal" hip circle but then show some faster and smaller ones, then a much larger and slower one. I finish off by moving with the hip circles. Practice feeling how your weight changes as you move your hips in the circle. Whenever the weight shifts off one foot you can move it! Practice lifting your un-weighted foot as you go... this is the basis for moving with hip circles. Don't worry if it doesn't all come at once... this is bathroom mirror practice territory!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Hip-Overs... action shots
Ok - we have videos! Not especially glamorous videos, but they'll do the job!
Firstly, here are three hip overs being done while standing still.
In the first one I have slowed it right down so you can see the individual motions: first the dropping of the hip and scooping it to the right; then picking it right up (although you can't see it, I have pushed the leg up onto my toes at that point); then zipping it in (you can see the muscle pulling in ... and all the fat rolls responding *grin*) and lowering it almost straight down again.
In the next two hip overs, I've sped it up a little bit and the movement is smoother.
I should have said during class that when we do these hip overs on the spot they can also be called a one-hip circle... for obvious reasons!
You'll remember that we can also move with a hip-over.
Think about how you walk - to take a new step forward you push off with the foot at the back. Well this will be the same idea - when you push up onto your toes to get to the top of the circle with your hip, you'll push off and take a small step. In the same way that you push off with the back foot to walk, you'll push off with the lagging foot to take the side step. So the hip overs are happening with the lagging hip. Make sure you practice both directions! (Its normal for one side to feel easier/smoother/better than the other)
Firstly, here are three hip overs being done while standing still.
In the first one I have slowed it right down so you can see the individual motions: first the dropping of the hip and scooping it to the right; then picking it right up (although you can't see it, I have pushed the leg up onto my toes at that point); then zipping it in (you can see the muscle pulling in ... and all the fat rolls responding *grin*) and lowering it almost straight down again.
In the next two hip overs, I've sped it up a little bit and the movement is smoother.
I should have said during class that when we do these hip overs on the spot they can also be called a one-hip circle... for obvious reasons!
You'll remember that we can also move with a hip-over.
Think about how you walk - to take a new step forward you push off with the foot at the back. Well this will be the same idea - when you push up onto your toes to get to the top of the circle with your hip, you'll push off and take a small step. In the same way that you push off with the back foot to walk, you'll push off with the lagging foot to take the side step. So the hip overs are happening with the lagging hip. Make sure you practice both directions! (Its normal for one side to feel easier/smoother/better than the other)
Monday, June 16, 2008
Hip Overs
Ok, I'm going to eventually post some photographs showing the breakdown of the moves we learned, but the digital camera is with my husband and not in Durham right now! So we'll rely on words:
Hip-Overs
Starting with both feet on the ground, isolate one hip and tilt your pelvis so that that hip is lowered compared to the other. Now push the lowered hip away from your body in a scooping motion. As it moves out, lift it up and continue the upward motion by pushing your foot up onto its toes. At the top of its motion, zip the hip 'inward' towards your body by tightening the little muscles that run up the sides of your abs. With these muscles still tightened, lower the hip straight down. You are "drawing a circle" in the air with your hip this way. Once you are happy doing this on the spot with both hips, try moving with it, using the point where you push your hip up with your toes to push you sideways in a sidestep.
Hip-Overs
Starting with both feet on the ground, isolate one hip and tilt your pelvis so that that hip is lowered compared to the other. Now push the lowered hip away from your body in a scooping motion. As it moves out, lift it up and continue the upward motion by pushing your foot up onto its toes. At the top of its motion, zip the hip 'inward' towards your body by tightening the little muscles that run up the sides of your abs. With these muscles still tightened, lower the hip straight down. You are "drawing a circle" in the air with your hip this way. Once you are happy doing this on the spot with both hips, try moving with it, using the point where you push your hip up with your toes to push you sideways in a sidestep.
Posture
Posture:
Starting with the feet, feel your weight even distributed between your heels, the outside front edge of the foot, and the ball of the foot. These three points make a stable "tripod" to help you keep balanced.
Your knees should be soft and slightly bent. Don't lock them!
You need to engage your lower abdominal muscles to pull your bottom underneath your back and tilt your pelvis a little forward. We want to keep the lower back nice and flat.
Lift your chest so that there is a lot of space between your ribs and your hips. This is where the bellydancing will happen!
Keep your shoulders back. I find it helpful to roll them up and over and drop them back so the shoulder blades feel like they are sitting "deep" in my back.
Last but not least, keep your chin up and smile!
Starting with the feet, feel your weight even distributed between your heels, the outside front edge of the foot, and the ball of the foot. These three points make a stable "tripod" to help you keep balanced.
Your knees should be soft and slightly bent. Don't lock them!
You need to engage your lower abdominal muscles to pull your bottom underneath your back and tilt your pelvis a little forward. We want to keep the lower back nice and flat.
Lift your chest so that there is a lot of space between your ribs and your hips. This is where the bellydancing will happen!
Keep your shoulders back. I find it helpful to roll them up and over and drop them back so the shoulder blades feel like they are sitting "deep" in my back.
Last but not least, keep your chin up and smile!
Hip Circles
Hip Circles
Start by isolating your hips from side to side. Keeping your hips as flat as you can, push them out sideways to the left, and then to the right. Do it slowly! Only push the hip as far as you can without it moving upwards. Imagine you have pencils sticking out of your hip bones straight forward, and that you're standing close to a wall so the pencils are drawing on it. You want those pencils to make a straight line - not a curve.
Now, practice the hip circle in four parts. First isolate a hip to the left. Now, straighten your pelvis and relax out your belly in front of you (if you find this hard, practice pushing out your belly and try a little belly push when you get to the front). Isolate your hip to the right. Now, suck your abs right in to create a "hollow" feeling in your stomach, as you slide your hips to the "back" of the circle. You should have a flat back at this point. Practice slowly with a hand on your lower back to avoid doing the "bum dance". (BTW - the bum dance has a YouTube clip for anyone who was interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBxR8bC9WWQ. I recommend watching it without the sound...)
Put all these parts together. Practice doing it slowly and smoothly. Give yourself a break (and check out how good you look!) by practicing smaller and faster hip circles too.
Start by isolating your hips from side to side. Keeping your hips as flat as you can, push them out sideways to the left, and then to the right. Do it slowly! Only push the hip as far as you can without it moving upwards. Imagine you have pencils sticking out of your hip bones straight forward, and that you're standing close to a wall so the pencils are drawing on it. You want those pencils to make a straight line - not a curve.
Now, practice the hip circle in four parts. First isolate a hip to the left. Now, straighten your pelvis and relax out your belly in front of you (if you find this hard, practice pushing out your belly and try a little belly push when you get to the front). Isolate your hip to the right. Now, suck your abs right in to create a "hollow" feeling in your stomach, as you slide your hips to the "back" of the circle. You should have a flat back at this point. Practice slowly with a hand on your lower back to avoid doing the "bum dance". (BTW - the bum dance has a YouTube clip for anyone who was interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBxR8bC9WWQ. I recommend watching it without the sound...)
Put all these parts together. Practice doing it slowly and smoothly. Give yourself a break (and check out how good you look!) by practicing smaller and faster hip circles too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
