Skip to main content

Pardon me, I think my belly dancing is showing . . .

Intermediate student to me (a beginning student, of course, at practica): wow, that's a really cool thing you do with your hips.

Me: Pardon?

Him: That thing, with the ochos and your hips.

Me: Um... I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be doing that. (Trying to remember what I was doing. Also trying to remember fix my posture, maintain my axis, pull in my center, keep my feet on the floor, and the 100 other things I'm supposed to be doing during ochos - that don't include whatever it was I was doing with my hips.)

Him: It wasn't a bad thing.

Me: *snicker* It's leftover from belly dancing I think. (At least that's what I'm going to tell myself, since I don't have a clue what the heck I was doing.)
Labels:

Comments

ModernTanguera said…
Those sorts of things can be really neat! They can be part of what defines your personal style. Of course, to repeat a teacher on mine, it's also important to be aware of what you are doing so that it's a conscious choice. One more thing to keep track of. :)
April 7, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Marika said…
lol - that's the funny and frustrating part - I have no idea what I did. So I don't know if it was the song - or the leader - or a whim, that brought that out. *shrugs* You're so right, though - like any other dance or practice (like yoga or pilates), you need to maintain awareness of what you're doing.
April 7, 2009 at 4:12 PM
happyseaurchin said…
awareness... yes it is good to be aware of the newness, and for your partner, that's what they noticed and hopefully he responded to it... that response is the very edge of the tango... we don't dance on the floor: that's just where our feet are... the surface we dance on, is between us, and our attention is the dancer...
so... i don't really want to make a conscious choice... i would rather my attention is drawn to the passing of moves and interest and engagement and mind... i like the choiceless aspect of it...
and sharing that attention... well... now... that's tango :)

please post more attentive, mindful observations... we need more of this :)
April 7, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Mari said…
Happyseaurchin - thank you for response and for your encouragement. It means the world to me.
October 7, 2009 at 1:29 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ganchos . . . again . . .

(Image courtesy of Emilie Boudet: http://www.emilieboudet.com) From the Facebook comments on my "Expressing the music or dancing for tables" post: "But adornments can become problematic when they interfere with something I'm trying to do. (I have enough trouble as it is). Some of these are basically harmless and don't really bother me that much. Like some ladies insist on doing a gancho whenever I lead them to step over my leg. I'm mostly amused by this. Some girls just like their ganchos and will seize any opportunity to do one." Predictably, I have several problems with the above behavior. First of all, they aren't "their ganchos" ! The gancho for the follower is led. It is my (nearly fanatical) opinion that it should never be an adornment or something the follower just decides to do on her own . As someone who is now attempting to learn to lead, the last thing I want to see, or heaven forbid feel, is a stiletto heel near my crotch ....
31 comments
Read more

"Proper" Tango Shoes

Periodically someone, usually a man, will be bring up the topic of "proper tango shoes." If he's referring to the problem (and dangers) of trying to dance in flip-flops, or mules, or platform shoes etc., those are definitely valid, and very helpful points to be made. The likelihood of damaging your feet is very high without the proper support of high quality shoes. My problem comes with the idea that the *only* proper tango shoes have 4" stiletto heels on them and fetish-worthy embellishments. (Okay, I'm pretty keen on the embellishments myself.) "goofy ballroomy shoes are a turnoff... get rid of them..." - Alex Tango Fuego (granted this is from 2007), http://alextangofuego.blogspot.com/2007/10/to-dance-or-not-to-dancebrutally.html And, in the comments on a blog post, Anonymous said... " This is a controversial one. If a follower isn't wearing tango shoes then it's usually a good sign she's not particularly good." From Ms. Hedgeh...
24 comments
Read more

Expressing music or dancing for tables?

Too much of a good thing? As sort of a follow-up to my thoughts on technique, I've run into a little snag I'd like some feedback. When I get compliments about my embrace, I'm absolutely elated. When someone compliments the way my walk feels, I feel accomplished. Compliments about my musicality - ditto. When I start getting lots of compliments about my foot work, however - I get worried. I shouldn't right? A compliment is a compliment, and should be taken graciously. It's certainly meant as a positive thing. It's a good thing if a dancer's feet are pretty - why else would everyone wear those silly, yet gorgeous, shoes? But like Richard Dreyfuss staring down his plate of mash potatoes in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I can't help thinking it means something. Something not good. I don't mean like a backhanded compliment - but more like a fear that my priorities have unintentionally shifted. Maybe it's a community thing. Online I very often r...
25 comments
Read more