Teacher's Features

I publish a monthly email newsletter for my belly dance students and these articles have appeared in previous newsletters under my column with the same name .........hope you enjoy reading them and find them useful.

"Basic Class Etiquette for Students "                          "How to Get the Most from your Belly Dance Classes"             "1001 Things You Need in Your Bag for a Show"

Use Your Mental Skills When Belly Dancing

Here are a  few suggestions to help you become more cognizant of your mental activity and ways in which to use it to enhance your dance.

1.  When first learning a new step or combination, focus your mind on the body part which is to be used.  Your brain needs to make the mental connection and focusing will help concentrate your efforts into the correct area of the body.  For example, if you are to move your shoulder in a certain direction, then think about what area of the shoulder has to move, where you need it to move to and what you want it to do.

2.  Intensely focus to the point of being able to "feel" whether or not a body part is working to the fullest extent possible.  It has been my experience that the body tends to NOT work to the fullest extent possible unless I give it my undivided attention.  Slow down and work even the minute details.  

3.  Understand that what you see in the mirror may not be a true representation of what really is happening.  We often think we are doing steps correctly but the total opposite is in fact true.  Think through each step as you do it.  If possible, film yourself dancing and use your film as a way to critique your technique.

4.  Concentrate on trying to make each move as sharp and as clear as possible.  Do you move on autopilot or do you pay attention to how you are executing a move?

5.  In class, listen with more than just your ears.  Fine tune your mind to recall important things about a step which you need to remember.

6.  Listen to your music thoroughly so that you can recognize and hear the musical variations it contains and the different moods portrayed within the piece. 

7.  Think about what "image" you want to portray when performing to a certain piece of music....serious, happy, mysterious, intense, dramatic, exciting...then portray this "image" when dancing.

8.  Conduct a self examination of your motivations, inhibitions, good points and weak points.  Write them in a list and be honest with yourself.  Once your list is completed, sit down and THINK about your list.  Write down any ideas that come out of this exercise about areas that you need to change in order to make your dancing better.  Use this list as your guideline for which areas to work on more than others.

9.  Before any performance mentally prepare yourself by focusing your mind on what you will do and how you will do it.  Calm your thoughts and remain focused on the task at hand.

10.  Think positively and speak positively of your dancing.  Each negative thought and spoken word can become a self fulfilling reality in our lives. 

©Arabian Nights - Belly Dancer 2006