Random Amazing Non-Dancing Dancer Revelation Of The Day

[wigglewhiz]

Remember when I bought those DVD's because I was TOTALLY going to integrate them into dance practise for both technique/stamina regain and exercise? Yeah, I haven't been doing any of that.

And remember when I realised that practise dancing beladi was more gratifying that trying to noodle to random music? I haven't been doing any of that either. In fact, I haven't been doing much of anything the last couple of weeks.

Hey, and know how I was waffling some shit about not using my core properly and what a revelation it was that I might want to, you know, DO THAT?! Well!

I put on some random, mindless Arabic pop this morning (Amr Diab Habibi Walah ala Baloh - CHEESETASTIC WESTERNISED DANCE REMIX AHOY!)
and I pottered about absent-mindedly dancing to it. I suddenly realised that I WAS CHEATING. I was doing allllllll shimmy overlays. Because it was EASIER. Not in the sense of shimmy overlays are EASY, because it takes us all ages to get those. BUT! Doing a figure eight as a shimmy overlay let me cheat and focus on the shimmy. I was NOT working the core properly.

So I switched to ordinary, bog standard eights and camels - and focussed all my energy on making them gooshy and juicy and muscular.

FWOOSH - happy exercisey endorphins! OHAI, U SEEM 2B WORKIN' OUT! LET US REWARD YOU!

O_O

How much of my dance dissatisfaction is because I HAVE BEEN CHEAT NOODLING BELLYLITE rather than OMG DANCE CAREER IS OOOOOOOOVERRRRRRRRR?!

Comments

[mizmarti.livejournal.com]

This is a drive-by due to wonky Internet access, but I want to say YAAAAAAY! This makes so much sense. Isn't it easy for all of us to fall into that? When reach a certain skill level and are good at some decently impressive-looking stuff and can do it easily, it's really natural for that to become what we do all the time.

I *know* the simpler (as in unlayered, unadulterated, not as in easy) stuff is what conveys so much of the emotional impact, it's what I love to watch, it's what's good for my body. But do I work on it? Do I "work it" in performance. No, I do not. I'm feeling very superficial right now, as if I'm spending most of my performance time zooming around -- zooming musically, I hope -- and gesturing and shimmying and flirting. I don't sustaaaain movements and milk them for all they are worth. I am not the dancer I have been and can and should be. I am, at the moment, a bit of a meringue. :)

Thank you for this. Maybe it's a resolution for the new year: fewer shortcuts, more endorphins!

[wigglewhiz.livejournal.com]

Yes!

I will absolutely join you in that resolution! I don't normally make resolutions, but this is one I can definitely get behind! :oD

[kinadancer.livejournal.com]

I'm convinced that this is why i was a better dancer when I was teaching. Being forced to drill things in that beginner specific way really forces your body to work through that movement.

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

I posted before I saw this!

[mizmarti.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I want to start teaching again because I loved it, but also (selfishly) because it MADE me do this for my dance.