Thread: Randa Kamel one legged shimmy

For the dancer who have the “Masters of Egyptian Choreography” Volume one with Randa Kamel

In the Tabla Technique section where Randa shows you what she like to do to certain rhythms, the first rhythm is the Maksoum. The Second dance move she does is a one legged shimmy. Where the front leg is bent and up on the toe, and the back leg is flatfooted and drives the shimmy. I’m having a hard time figuring out how she makes the shimmy look so big and fast if the weight is on the back leg? Also it looks like she is hyper extending that leg and driving it fiercely back, completely straitening the leg till it locks back. If you have the DVD can you explain to me how she is doing this shimmy it looks awesome.

I can't answer your question sorry but i would love this DVD-where did you get it.

here is where I got the DVD
NS Enterprises ::Belly Dance Instructional DVDS and Interviews with the Stars::

Originally Posted by Candi

I can't answer your question sorry but i would love this DVD-where did you get it.

I don't have it but I've seen this taught and I think part of the deal is that while the back leg is driving the move, the foot of the front leg is pushing *hard* into the ground and the weight is sort of in the middle. I *think*.

One of my instructors taught this move - I found it really difficult. I think the key is to focus on using the hamstring just above the knee rather than higher up toward the glute. We drilled feeling this difference by shimmying the right leg and transfering weight from the left (front) to the right (back) in kind of a rocking motion. After a while you can feel the difference in where the shimmy comes from. After that....I think its just practice. I can do it okay shimmying my right leg...but my left? fuggetaboutit. Ha.

Hi Tori

This shimmy is indeed driven by the lower part of the hamstring. The weight is centered between the legs and both legs are generating the shimmy.

It's like as if you stand in the position Randa is standing in, lean your weight forward till it's even between the back leg (flat footed) and front leg (in relevee) and then shimmy.

Randa is an extremely strong dancer so mind you, you may not be able to get the same visual effect even if you do the technique right. Just remember to relax the inside of the thigh, the glutes, the hip and dont hyper extend your torso - this causes any extra flesh you may have to "help the shimmy visually" to be pulled away and just tense your abdominal area unnecessarily.

Hope this helps.

DaVid

Originally Posted by elljay

One of my instructors taught this move - I found it really difficult. I think the key is to focus on using the hamstring just above the knee rather than higher up toward the glute. We drilled feeling this difference by shimmying the right leg and transfering weight from the left (front) to the right (back) in kind of a rocking motion. After a while you can feel the difference in where the shimmy comes from. After that....I think its just practice. I can do it okay shimmying my right leg...but my left? fuggetaboutit. Ha.

My Instructor taught us the same thing and my left leg is fuggetaboutit ..l;,

wow thank you Elljay and David! When I focus more on the hamstring I can see how to get it to work, now all I have to do is drill it! Thanks again

I do a one-legged shimmy but the back leg is also on the ball of the foot. The back leg presses firmly in the ground. All the weight is on the back leg. The front leg just acts as balance. The move originates from the hamstring.

Originally Posted by norma

I do a one-legged shimmy but the back leg is also on the ball of the foot. The back leg presses firmly in the ground. All the weight is on the back leg. The front leg just acts as balance. The move originates from the hamstring.

I work with my students on one-legged shimmies A-LOT!! If you are comfortable with shimmying one leg at a time, weighted/unweigthed/transferring weight, then you can layer a shimmy under anything.

I start in basic position, and shimmy one leg at a time. Then bring the weight to one side and shimmy the weighted side. Then keep the weight in the center, but come up on the ball of the foot on the one leg while you shimmy the leg that has the flat foot. Start with 8 counts, then on the 1 switch the position of the feet -- the flat foot comes up onto the ball and the heel that was up comes down -- and shimmy the flat side. The key to this is that you are not actually changing the position of the body above the pubic bone, only changing the action of the legs and feet; your nose should stay in the same place in the mirror. Next is to change every 4 counts, then 2 counts, 1 count then take it on the road!

We most often use this technique in a rock-step (front, back, front, back) with a shimmy on the front foot and a tailbone drop/lock on the back foot to stop the shimmy. Astryd called this "shimmying with the brakes on" the last time she was here in Portland.

It has opened up whole new worlds of shimmies for me.

Originally Posted by toria_dances

wow thank you Elljay and David! When I focus more on the hamstring I can see how to get it to work, now all I have to do is drill it! Thanks again

My pleasure, keep me posted on how it goes :)