Thread: Training regimens?

Anyone have training regimens for bellydance? I know one of my previous instructors would train up to 4 hours 4-5 days a week, does anyone else commit like this? I'm asking because I'm trying to make it my goal to practice 3 hours a day (and I work and full time job) 4-5 days a week and am having trouble staying focused and motivated. Great dvds like drills drills drills help but I need to work on my own stuff too... Any advice for taking it to the next level? How do you concentrate on your training? ,f::

Four hours a day seems to be the level for professionals and I definitely cannot get that much time in every day of the week unless I did nothing else but dance. I do train at that level ocassionally just not every day. For the most part, I get about two hours 4-5 times a week. Sometimes I get more. And I do take breaks. With a full-time job and other responsabilities, I don't honestly know how a person could dance four hours a day, but if you can do it, then more power to you. He, he.

I'm guessing by staying focused you mean that you get distracted by your surroundings (bills, tv, etc...) or maybe your brain is pooped by the time you get home and it just wants to veg and your body wants food. One thing I can suggest is to have a space dedicated only to your dance, no distractions allowed. Whatever space you have available. Claim it. When you go in there, you have to will yourself to block out whoever is outside asking for your attention, block your email account, block the bills, forget the phone, etc...

I like to have my DVD collection in a CD case that's easily accessible instead of keeping the DVDs in the original cases. Also, plan out your week in advance like over the weekend so you know exactly what you're doing which day and you don't have to waste any time deciding what's next. I get bored of DVDs really fast so my collection has grown exponentially over the last few months. Sell whatever you don't use. Keep all of your essentials in a designated area where you will be practicing (clothes, zills, props) so you won't spend any time and get frustrated searching for these items when you're already tired.

There's more stuff that I do but I think I've already said too much and my hands hurt. .w.:

I am currently training 2 - 3 days a week 2 classes each day. I am also doing one to two workshops a month and practicing an average of 30 mins 3 times a week and zills 15 mins 3 times a week.

I also listen to my ipod - which is filled with 15 hours of music - 5 times a week for 30 mins.

Oh, and I have committed to performing at one event every month, taking 1 private lesson a month and working with a choreographer / coach.

{{{HUGS}}}

For me it is not difficult to formulate a regimen. My dance training is based on Suhaila's syllabus and requirements for level certifications. So I have a specific guide that determines what I need to work on and what I must accomplish.

For instance I have sixteen sagat patterns that I must be able to play both right and left hand dominant. So that means no matter what I am drilling sagats are being played constantly til my fingers drop off my hands.

I have physical requirements I must meet, so my warm-up and strengthen exercises, and stamina has a set progression that I must attain.

Then there are the drills with endless combinations that I have made a chart to guide me. When I practice a drill and accomplish that skill it get checked off my chart and I am onto the next drill til I accomplish that skill. When the chart is complete I start all over again and repeat until I certify in that level.

So my only problem is setting the time aside to practice and I have a set minimum of three hours a night, during work days from 8pm to 11 pm then its off to bed and begin my day over again.

On my days off its four hours of training. Usually in the morning after breakfast and a couple cups of coffee. I prefer the mornings cause it seems that the world is peaceful and quiet. My training becomes a form of meditation. Usually in the afternoons especially on Sundays I teach and have troupe rehearsals. I veg out for the rest of the evenings on Sundays.

Now that I had to drop my gym membership due to the economy I am taking up some new ideas. Like my work is 3.3 miles away from my home. Instead of driving to work and home I am considering jogging or running to work. At my lazy pace of a 12 minute mile it should only take me about 35 minutes to get to work and then run the same on my way home in the evenings.

I'm integrating my physical strength training to be performed at work. I have a lot of down time so I can get my ab work and push ups and other arm strengthening routines with resistance bands...

My advantage in all this is that I'm single and have no love in my life other than my dance to distract me from training.

wow angela! you're my idol! where do you get that kind of discipline? and can i have some please ..l;,

I got my discipline from 12 years in the Navy....

That will do it.

I have an old checklist from one of my teachers- it has basic moves on it and I try to drill those daily. I suppose I need to make up a new checklist (love that idea!) and work towards goals. I love the idea of setting up a schedule but its just hard to stick with it when work gets me so I tired I dont have the energy before or after work to do anything else. I guess I'll just make more lattes LOL.

good lord, I want to give up after reading this! I admire you ladies...with full time work, class, troupe rehearsals, and a rest. gig I am lucky to squeeze in yoga for 30 min 3 times a week & an hour of dance a day!!!!

Angela, thank you for writing in your daily routine, it helps to clarify what I have been wanting to work on and how to get to the next level. Although your routine is WWAAAYYY beyond what I can accomplish in a day, at least I might be able to live up to a third of it and feel damn good about it!

Angela, care to share your drill chart/checkist?

Angela, care to share your drill chart/checklist? :))))

shaia@milwaukeebellydance.com

Ok, first of all.... it is the quality of the work you do and the ability to focus that determines how much you "need" to practice.

I tell my students that they can choose between a life time of achieving nothing, or invest 10 - 20 minutes 2 - 3 times a week with focused ACTUAL work.

Think of your dancing as a practice - practice makes perfect and perfection is unattainable. So, you keep practicing and practicing with undrainable effort. Everything you do can get better.

If you dont have a teacher to guide you - set down your weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly goals on a paper. Make sure you narrow down the material you want to work on with goggles of realism on. Saying "work on movements" doesnt cut it. You have to be specific such as:
- work on high level, low level
- work on turn out
- work on folklore shimmy
- work on layering
- work on arm placements
- work on arm paths
- work on floor pattern combinations
etc etc.

Now, this would apply to most dancers that are not already following a set program - like AngelaDiCaprio is following the Suhalia Salimpour program.

Of course, the higher goals and aspirations you have (to perform, to be a professional dancer etc) the more time needs to be spend on focused practice.

DaVid

Good for you! It's great to see how dedicated people are to this dance!

Originally Posted by david

I tell my students that they can choose between a life time of achieving nothing, or invest 10 - 20 minutes 2 - 3 times a week with focused ACTUAL work.

I agree! I can't dedicate hours a day to dance, but I can get up 10 mins early to do some floorwork, shimmy while the blender is going to make my breakfast smoothie, practice turning in the break room while my lunch heats up, and play zils while I sit in traffic. Then if I dedicate 10-20 minutes at home of actual work, like David says, I'm accomplishing a lot.

Actual work means no fiddling with the music, no sipping water while I think about what I want to do, no reading bhuz for ideas ..l;,

And I agree with David about specific goals - "drilling" is not as helpful as "drilling layered shimmies".

Don't be intimidated by those with really specific and dedicated routines and regimens (ahem, Angela ). Start with smaller, challenging, yet realistic goals. As you figure out what works for you, you'll form your system and it will grow. Four hours is daunting, 20 minutes is not, but once you get started you'll find those minutes tuning to hours.

So after all that, I just today put together a new regimen to prepare for something specific. I'll post that in a bit ... I have a work deadline to meet first ..cr.:

So I've taken my work schedule and a notebook and planned around accordingly and have been keeping up with it. I still want to see angela's drill sheets!

Has anyone else tried this? I wear wrist and ankle weights to work, or just around the house - not exercising, just doing whatever. I like multi-tasking.

Naturally, I do NOT wear them when I'm in heels and a skirt. THAT would be a fashion faux pas.

Oh yes, and when I do wear my 4in Naughty Monkeys - I tell people that I'm working on my calves and balance training.

My current dance training schedule:

This is in addition to teaching class and rehearsals for troupe-work.

Options when not training for a specific performance

• On a day I teach dance classes
  • In addition to class, do a minimum 15 minute layering or traveling exercise
• On a day when I don’t teach class – 3 options
  • (1) Technique practice – minimum 30-45 minutes & Performance practice 15 minutes
  • (2) Performance practice only – 15-20 minute full show performance as if in front of an audience. Everything but the costume – technique, expression, props all required.
  • (3) Other physical activity (weight training/etc.) – 1 hour

Starting in March, I’ll be replacing option 3 with Suhaila dvds in preparation for a 3 day training session with her in May.

If you are interested in the specifics of what I drill technique-wise, just let me know and I can post it up for you :)

After some frustration last year when I saw what others accomplish I came to this conclusion (this assumes that you have to work full time and that dance is NOT your primary source of income): you can have 2 out of 3.

1. Full time relationship (marriage or active love life-not mutually exclusive!)
2. Full time job (not neccesarily paid!)
3. Full time dance.

I'm married and work 40 hours. This is going to limit time and energy for dance. Other teachers I know that dedicate more time to dancing (and thus get more gigs/students) are either not married OR not working at another job full time.

Yes, I can train more, take on more classes, get more paying gigs. But either the job or the marriage will suffer. And that's my trade-off.

Originally Posted by kahaz

After some frustration last year when I saw what others accomplish I came to this conclusion (this assumes that you have to work full time and that dance is NOT your primary source of income): you can have 2 out of 3.

1. Full time relationship (marriage or active love life-not mutually exclusive!)
2. Full time job (not neccesarily paid!)
3. Full time dance.

I'm married and work 40 hours. This is going to limit time and energy for dance. Other teachers I know that dedicate more time to dancing (and thus get more gigs/students) are either not married OR not working at another job full time.

Yes, I can train more, take on more classes, get more paying gigs. But either the job or the marriage will suffer. And that's my trade-off.

Add a kidlet into the mix, and it gets even more complicated!

Seriously, I'm glad to hear someone else say this. I read others' training schedules and feel bad that, right now, I'm lucky if I fit in an hour a week of dance training. But dance doesn't pay the bills and it doesn't take care of the family and it doesn't take care of my relationship with my husband and it doesn't finish writing my master's thesis, so it has to take a back seat.

Originally Posted by GenevieveOfAtlanta

Add a kidlet into the mix, and it gets even more complicated!

Seriously, I'm glad to hear someone else say this. I read others' training schedules and feel bad that, right now, I'm lucky if I fit in an hour a week of dance training. But dance doesn't pay the bills and it doesn't take care of the family and it doesn't take care of my relationship with my husband and it doesn't finish writing my master's thesis, so it has to take a back seat.

Holy crap, girlfriend, all you have to say is master's thesis. I completely stopped dancing during the 2 1/2 years it took me to finish my masters. I had danced for a year before that, and then i started back after I finally graduated. Plus, you have a kid and a family and a job. You are doing well to still find time to be you! Be proud of yourself.

I think, as women, we feel like we have to do it all (at least I do), but we really accomplish SO MUCH just be being caretakers, wives, mothers, dancers, career women, friends, you name it!

I am so inspired by, and awed by, all of the women on this forum. I think we're all serious overachievers!

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Holy crap, girlfriend, all you have to say is master's thesis. I completely stopped dancing during the 2 1/2 years it took me to finish my masters. I had danced for a year before that, and then i started back after I finally graduated. Plus, you have a kid and a family and a job. You are doing well to still find time to be you! Be proud of yourself.

Aww, thanks, Sonja! Some days I feel like I've accomplished absolutely nothing (baby's crying, house is dirty, I'm still in pjs eating Nutella from the jar instead of having a proper meal, when was the last time I worked on that choreography for the upcoming show? Oh, never? That's right...), but you are absolutely right--women do SO MUCH and we don't even realize it most of the time. It's great to be able to come here to get advice, find inspiration or just let off some steam!

Originally Posted by Sonja2

Holy crap, girlfriend, all you have to say is master's thesis. I completely stopped dancing during the 2 1/2 years it took me to finish my masters. I had danced for a year before that, and then i started back after I finally graduated. Plus, you have a kid and a family and a job. You are doing well to still find time to be you! Be proud of yourself.

Agreed, it sounds as though you have actually accomplished alot. We can have it all, just not at the same time. But trust me, I am very grateful that dance is part of my Masters thesis!

{{{HUGS}}}

I am not as strict as you are, but yes, I am also under Suhaila and Jamila training. So I do follow all what you listed.
I work full time, take class on Tuesdays, I teach 3 privates (in general), two group classes a week. I dance every Friday and Saturday at least 4 shows and more some weeks. I do yoga and stretches regularly and exercises that make me more flexible, and strengthen and tones my legs and arms.
I listen to ME music including Turkish/Arabic regularly in the office and in my car, I constantly come up with new ideas of moves and combos to teach and use for my performance.
I try to choose music that I can practice my finger cymbal patterns during my shows.
I also take at least twice a year week long workshops, and others

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

For me it is not difficult to formulate a regimen. My dance training is based on Suhaila's syllabus and requirements for level certifications. So I have a specific guide that determines what I need to work on and what I must accomplish.

For instance I have sixteen sagat patterns that I must be able to play both right and left hand dominant. So that means no matter what I am drilling sagats are being played constantly til my fingers drop off my hands.

I have physical requirements I must meet, so my warm-up and strengthen exercises, and stamina has a set progression that I must attain.

Then there are the drills with endless combinations that I have made a chart to guide me. When I practice a drill and accomplish that skill it get checked off my chart and I am onto the next drill til I accomplish that skill. When the chart is complete I start all over again and repeat until I certify in that level.

So my only problem is setting the time aside to practice and I have a set minimum of three hours a night, during work days from 8pm to 11 pm then its off to bed and begin my day over again.

On my days off its four hours of training. Usually in the morning after breakfast and a couple cups of coffee. I prefer the mornings cause it seems that the world is peaceful and quiet. My training becomes a form of meditation. Usually in the afternoons especially on Sundays I teach and have troupe rehearsals. I veg out for the rest of the evenings on Sundays.

Now that I had to drop my gym membership due to the economy I am taking up some new ideas. Like my work is 3.3 miles away from my home. Instead of driving to work and home I am considering jogging or running to work. At my lazy pace of a 12 minute mile it should only take me about 35 minutes to get to work and then run the same on my way home in the evenings.

I'm integrating my physical strength training to be performed at work. I have a lot of down time so I can get my ab work and push ups and other arm strengthening routines with resistance bands...

My advantage in all this is that I'm single and have no love in my life other than my dance to distract me from training.

Originally Posted by shaia

Angela, care to share your drill chart/checklist? :))))

shaia@milwaukeebellydance.com

This is the best I can do.

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both pages need to be taped side by side.

I think drills are great and I admire those who are regimented enough to use them for so many hours a day. I think it's also important to remember that Oriental Dance is not just about technique. I know in our Western versions of Middle Eastern Dance we lack the emotional and cultural connection to the music that fuels our dance. Since we appropriated it decades ago, we've replaced that with technical "WOW!" to impress audiences and fill the void. As important as proper technique is, "feeling" the music (such and overused term but really important) must come first. How do you practice that? Can you teach it . . . really? Or is it one of those "you've either got it or you don't" things?
The Suhaila et al "cram impressive technical move one after the other to impress audiences" style is a Western crowd pleaser, for sure. But this "bellydance" is very different from the Arabic "join me in enjoying the music through my visual embodiment of it" style that truly is "Middle Eastern Dance." I think we often confuse the two and it's important to personally realize which one you subscribe to and represent yourself appropriately to the uninitiated.
Anyway, all this to say, I think we really need a balance of BOTH drilling moves AND connecting emotionally to the dance. It's much easier to work with checklists and other very tangible measures of accomplishments. Perhaps the true test is a dedicated commitment to developing an open heart that allows a deeper connection to culture, and ourselves, through dance. True masters instructors and really professional performers found this balance.
Just some words for thought . . .

Originally Posted by Hala Jamal

As important as proper technique is, "feeling" the music (such and overused term but really important) must come first.

I disagree with this statement. The purpose for drilling is to establish muscle memory to the degree of automatic response. So when you do dance your mind is free to feel the music, and your body will automatically produce what you feel. It takes away the thought of, "Oh! What do I do next!" The more combinations you drill the more tools you have to draw on to express your feeling of the music.

I does no good to feel the music if you do not have the technique to express what you feel. There fore drilling and technique must come first before feeling.