Beginning Dance Moves
Instructor: Jennifer
Phone: 760-887-2316
Email: Ciarcelt@hotmail.com
Note: Keep feet flat on floor unless otherwise noted, and practice "good" posture (i.e. knees bent, pelvis tucked, back straight, ribs lifted, shoulder rolled back and relaxed, arms lifted to 5th position). If you have issues with your back and knees, please listen to your body.
Dance Move & Description of Movement
Hips
Slides- Push the right hip away from the body as you stand straight with weight even. Repeat on left side.
Hip circles- Tuck pelvis forward, slide hip to the right, drop hips in the back, slide hip to the left. Repeat left side.… Knees should straighten and bend.
Ami/Interior Hip Circle- Hip trace same pattern as above, but the concentration is on an "inward" or interior concentration.
Taxim/Sway- Shift weight to right, drop right hip down, slide hip, lift hip and roll it into waist, shift weight to the left. Repeat on the left side.
Maya- Reverse of Taxim. Pull right hip up, slide, drop hip. Pull weight to the other side and repeat.
Forward Figure Eight- To begin, twist hip to the back right corner, twist to front corner. Left hip is now twisted to the back left corner, twist to the front left corner.
Backward Figure Eight- Begin with hip facing front right corner, twist to back right corner. Left hip is now lifted on back left. Twist forward to complete movement.
Hip Lift- Contract right glut so that hip raises in a sharp accent toward the ceiling. Knees will straighten and bend, but the emphasis should be on the contraction of the glut and not the pumping of the knees. Repeat left side .
Hip Drop- Pull right hip down by bending right knee. Repeat left side. Keep weight even over both feet.
Double Bumps- Beginning on the right Lift hip twice. Repeat left side.
Sit Kicks Face left corner, slightly angled. Drop hip, lift hip, and kick leg out as you drop the hip for a second time. Repeat left side by facing right.
Plie Shimmy- See hip lift, only perform faster and at a steady speed.
Egyptian Shimmy- Keep legs straight, but not locked. Bend knees forward and back as fast as possible.
Serpentine- Begin with a Maya on the right, add a head slide on the left. Always make sure that the hip and head are extended on opposite sides
Hip Lock- Contract the oblique muscle to push the hip down
Double Hip Locks -See above but do two sets on each side
Double Bumps- Beginning on the right lift hip twice. Repeat left side.
Hip Snaps- Press the hip forward and lift, keep weight even on both feet
Double Snaps- See above, but complete two sets on the right. Repeat left
Triple Snaps Snap- the hip forward on the right/left/right. Repeat using left/right/left pattern
"V" Hips- Beginning in "neutral" posture, push right hip to the right corner. Follow through pushing left hip to the left corner. Hips come out on a diagonal.
Ribs/Chest
Rib Slides- Without moving hips, slide rib cage from left to right. Repeat right to left.
Rib lift/Pop- Lift chest as though there a string attached to the sternum
Rib drop/Lock- Drop chest as though someone was punching you. Chest should be concave, and back slightly rounded.
Rib Circles/Rolls- By combining the above three movements we create the rib roll. Beginning with a lift, slide, drop, slide. Smooth out the movements until a circle with the ribs is created. Repeat left side.
Rib Figure 8 -Begin by dropping the right shoulder, slide and lift ribs on right, shoulder and ribs will automatically drop on the left, slide and lift on the left
"V" Ribs- Begin with ribs in neutral, push ribs to right corner. Follow through by pushing to the left corner. Ribs will come out at a diagonal and crate a "V."
Chest Shimmy- Twist the sternum from right to left. As you build up sped the intensity of the move will develop
Hands and Arms
Lotus- Fan fingers out and hide thumb with index finger.
Lotus Blossoms- Press middle finger and thumbs together, other fingers flair or splay out.
Wrist Flips- Roll fingers in leading with pinky; hands rotate inward s arms rise. Reverse- rotate hand in circle, leading with index finger as though you were cleaning a vase or glass.
Snake Arms- Rotating shoulder as though doing the back stroke, raise one arm, leading from shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand. As right arm comes down, left arm begins to rise.
Turns
Three Step Turn- Step out on right foot, bring left foot over right to face back wall, and then quickly pivot self around to face front. Hold on left side for accent or pose. Repeat left.
Flamenco- Bring right foot forward and to the left. Pull up on toes and spin so that your right leg ends up in back.
Paddle (Push) Turn -Start with weight on left foot. Push off with right foot and pivot around in a circle with left foot flat on floor. Repeat left.
Ciggie- Turn Start with weight on left foot, right foot on ball. Twist ball of foot on floor (as if putting a cigarette out causing your hip to twist, and pivot with left foot. Reverse on left.
Figure 8 Push Turn- Facing front, push right hip to the front so that the body is now facing the left, right hip twists back to create a figure 8 on the right and left side.
Head
Head slides- Keep head vertical. Pull head to one shoulder, leading with ear. Then pull to the other side.
Head Circles- Push head forward, slide to right, pull back, slide to left, then pull forward. Smooth out to complete circles.
Full Body
Body wave Up- Start with a deep knee bend. Pull hips forward, stomach forward, chest forward, should and head follow, for a "snap" or accent.
Body Wave Down- Start with an elongated stance, roll shoulder back, chest drops, concave stomach in (tighten abs), and hips drop as is sitting for a "snap" or accent.
Torso
Undulation Down- Using torso only…Lift ribs, roll shoulders back, pull in abs, relax stomach.
Reverse Undulation/Undulation Up- Forward Pelvic tuck, draw in abs, inflate stomach, relax.
Pelvic Locks on the Up- Contract the Psoaz muscles that lay an inch below the naval. The contraction of this muscle will create a lock.
Pelvic Locks on the Down- Contract the muscles that are at eh small of the beck. You should feel a lengthening of these muscles as hey force the pelvis down.
Alexonna's Step -Begin with pivot step on the right hip, body wave up, body wave down. Repeat on left
Traveling
Basic Cabaret Walk -Step forward on left. Lift right hip up (see hip lift), keep weight on left side. Repeat starting with right foot.
Camel Walk- Leading with right foot, step out, lift chest up and roll back on top of ribs, abs push chest off ribs (undulation), back to starting point., slide left foot behind. Reverse on left.
Reverse Undulation Walk- Leading with the right foot, step and contract the pelvis, contract the abs, push the abs out, and release (Reverse Undulation), back to starting point. Reverse on left.
Hathor's Walk -Step forward on right foot, lift left hip up (see Hip Lift),then circle hip back and around (see hip circle), place left foot flat on the floor. Repeat by stepping on left foot.
Choo-Choo- Begin with right foot on ball, left foot is flat. Raise right hip and step down on right foot. Left foot will drag behind.
Shimmies
Plie Shimmy- See hip lift, only perform faster and at a steady speed
Twist Shimmy- Begin by twisting hips on the right/left. Increasing speed will allow the movement to develop into a shimmy
Traveling Plie Shimmy- Lift the right hip as you take a big "swishy" step. Follow on the left
Chest/Rib Shimmy- Twist the sternum from right to left. As you build up sped the intensity of the move will develop
Chest to Hips/Hips to Chest -full body layer Begin with a chest shimmy. Pull the energy of the movement from the chest into a body wave down, and into the hips. Release into a plie shimmy. Reverse the movement beginning in the hips, leading to a body wave up, and ending with a chest shimmy
