Thread: Who Teaches Beautiful Arms Workshops?

If you could learn from a dancer who has beautiful arm technique, who would it be? Any really good arm workshops & teachers?

I think Aziza has the most beautiful arms. I don't know if she teaches a workshop on it, but her Ultimate Practice Companion DVD has an arms section that's fab!

Tamalyn Dalal will be teaching a workshop on that subject here in Eugene, OR on Jan. 17. More info here: medge.org » Featuring Tamalyn Dallal - January 16, 2009

I'm excited about it, she rocks and I don't have to travel out of town to take her workshop, see her dance, and attend her film and lecture presentation. Yay.

Originally Posted by laura 2

I think Aziza has the most beautiful arms. I don't know if she teaches a workshop on it, but her Ultimate Practice Companion DVD has an arms section that's fab!

She certainly does teach Arms workshops, and they are really useful.
*hearts* Aziza

Nourhan Sharif drills arm positions in her classes and also does in her workshops if I'm not mistaken. She's little in person (like 5" something) but because of her arm positions and carriage, she looks taller in her performances.

Zaina Hart has a wonderful arms workshop that I took over a year ago and *still* find myself using some of the drills to work on my own arms

Originally Posted by laura 2

I think Aziza has the most beautiful arms. I don't know if she teaches a workshop on it, but her Ultimate Practice Companion DVD has an arms section that's fab!

oooh, really??? what does it focus on? Arms are my floppy sloppy area. sigh. seems like the better I get, the more I realize how far I have to go....

Fahtiem. She even has a video (IAMED).

By the way, if you refer back to your other thread (the one asking for youtube clips with examples of beautiful arms), you'll see I posted some exercises over there that I use in teaching arms to my students.

Shameless plug...

I have 2 very good ones for sale here (cheap)...they focus only on arms.http://www.bhuz.com/forum/bellydance...-shipping.html

Found them Shira! Thanks again!

Thanks everyone for the recs. These dancers look good.

Anala, I want the aruna arms!

Originally Posted by dunyah

Tamalyn Dalal will be teaching a workshop on that subject here in Eugene, OR on Jan. 17. More info here: medge.org » Featuring Tamalyn Dallal - January 16, 2009

I'm excited about it, she rocks and I don't have to travel out of town to take her workshop, see her dance, and attend her film and lecture presentation. Yay.

So bummed I'm going to miss that!! I will be in Germany :(

Speaking Tamalyn Dallal, she has some really good arm and hand drills on her Serious Belly Dance DVD, and it looks like she might have some on her new one with Hollywood Music.

I like Katia of NM as well. She has 2 dvd's out via IAMED - Oriental Arms 1 and Oriental Arms 2 - Graceful Arms.
KATIA - Belly Dance Oriental Arms Set DVD Video

Shira has a lovely review on her site of one of them:
Katia Presents Oriental Arms: A Video Review By Shira

Not sure of Katia's workshops for 2009 but I took one with her back in 2004 and loved it.

I hate my arms too, and I have brought many videos that say they teach beautiful arms, but what they teach is beautiful, arm movements and hand gestures that I rarely see any one using in an actual performance. I wish I could find someone to teach, "arm theory" I don't what to do louts hands, wrist circles and interact snake arms. I want my arms not to look like wings and my hands not to drop. I really want my arms not to stand out, unless I want them to. Anyone teach that?

Originally Posted by toria_dances

I hate my arms too, and I have brought many videos that say they teach beautiful arms, but what they teach is beautiful, arm movements and hand gestures that I rarely see any one using in an actual performance. I wish I could find someone to teach, "arm theory" I don't what to do louts hands, wrist circles and interact snake arms. I want my arms not to look like wings and my hands not to drop. I really want my arms not to stand out, unless I want them to. Anyone teach that?

That's what I want, too.

I've decided that it can't be learned from a teacher or a video. (maybe from a teacher who watches you like a hawk and gives you constant corrections, but not a video or workshop teacher). It HAS to come from constant awareness of the arms while we practice. Keeping energy flowing from the upper back to the fingertips.

I'm still working on my own arms. They're not perfect, but I've made HUGE improvements in the last couple of years. What I've learned is that you have to improve posture -- open chest, STRONG upper back, shoulders back -- before you can get anywhere with the arms.

I think building strength helps a LOT. Arms and upper body. At the gym or doing pushups, doesn't matter -- strength = grace.

I think the best remedy for weak/floppy arms is to rehearse for at least 20 minutes at a time, running through choreo or improv, whichever is your preference, and focusing primarily on strong, graceful, extended arms in the mirror (or better yet, videotape, watch for flaws, repeat...)

I also invented an Air Veil technique that I love. When I'm having trouble with my arms, find them sitting in pre-set positions, etc. I lightly take hold of an imaginary BIG silk veil and start swooping it around as I dance. Instant fix -- suddenly my arms are moving, they're part of my dancing body instead of these extra things attached to it! I don't know if Air Veil will work for everyone, but it sure works for me!

Air Veil! wow... what a cool idea. My current beginners have worked with the veil and Loved it but now we are doing a drum piece that is very hip focussed and they just can't keep that energy in their hands... Lauren would you mind if I adapted your idea for a few exercises for my class?

I always felt like I had the most horrible arms, I am comfortable with them now but it took years! Gaaahh! And while I don't have instructional recommendations as such, I do have a few suggestions that might help:

Default arms, like a default facial expression (when everything goes to **** on stage) or a default move when you blank a choreo or are free styling, I have a default arm possie. I call it baladi arms... arms are lifted to just above mid torso, 45 degree angle out from body, elbows dropped slightly lower than hands which are nicely extended.

I can do near on anything from here and is is so easy to transition to any position... raise the arms higher and to the side, rotating elbows back and you have showgirl or oriental arms, from there you can transition to raising your arms above your head or instead you can bring your hands in to cross in front of your body before opening out again.

Or simply holding them in baladi and gently moving them from side to side with your weight changes can be very effective, it's a great arm position for upper body work too.

Second suggestion would be to watch performance vids of native dancers who look like their arms are moving naturally and just follow along. Usually arm movement is determined my either countermovement, follow-through movement or framing... or momentum in the case of turns or deliberate positioning for theatrical effect.

More than anything else I agree with Lauren when she says that strength is the key... your back and upper body needs to be supporting those arms or else when you engage your shoulder girdle you will be primarily using the muscles and ligaments it is suspended by from your head and neck rather than what it is supported by from below.

For me, in addition to feeling like my whole upper body is contributing to this supporting framework there should be tension and control in the upper arm, relaxed through the forearm, tension and control in the wrist and relaxed, but extended, through the fingers.

Originally Posted by toria_dances

I wish I could find someone to teach, "arm theory" I don't what to do louts hands, wrist circles and interact snake arms. I want my arms not to look like wings and my hands not to drop. I really want my arms not to stand out, unless I want them to. Anyone teach that?

Seek out Sahra Saeeda, in a technique workshop.

I think "beautiful" arm moves are largely subjective and pretty individual when it comes to belly dance. Most of my arm movements come from my ballet training but here are a few tricks and tips that I use with my students:
* Like other parts of the body, really stretch out the hands and arms before and after class to loosen up the muscles and make the joints more flexible
* Drill arms with combos so they become part of the overall movement--much like rehearsing good facial expressions in rehearsal instead of expecting them to "just be there" during the performance
* Learn how to perform with props like veils and candles, then mimic the same types of arm movements without the props (as Lauren suggests above)
* Practice arm and hand movements with various body positions (like arabesques) to slow musical taqisms (as opposed to the ATS use of this term) very much like ballerinas do their port de bras
* Rehearse using arms to "frame" the body--especially to highlight key movements (e.g. hip drop, head slide, etc.)
* Focus on the lines created by certain arm positions--try matching the line created by the body down to the tip of the toe
* Use visualization and even improv to help dancers with especially stiff or awkward hands/arms (e.g. pretend you are holding a large beach ball in your arms, pretend that you are pulling taffy apart with your fingers, imagine holding a small bird in your hands and then set it free, etc.)

As others have written, strengthening the back, shoulders and arms is really important. I find that working with the veil a few minutes each class really helps students build strength and endurance without bulking up--plus playing with the veil is fun!

You do have to train with someone in person to watch you like a hawk and catch you every time you do it b/c many times we are unaware of what the arms are doing b/c we are focusing on other body parts.

Eventually you start to develop your awareness of what every part of your body is doing so that you can correct yourself. This is the core idea on what I based the "Preparation, Drills, & Cool Down" DVD. Arms were my bane until I start paying more attention to them so that they were hardly noticeable, if that makes sense. They remain poised and expressive, rather than floppy and awkward.

I'm attending a workshop in January in Dayton, Ohio by the beautiful Taletha. Kira's Oasis - Premier Dance Studio for more information.

Aziza and Dalia Carella!

My 2nd love is flamenco and I've also dabbled in Persian dance and East Indian Orissi. Arms, Shoulders, Wrists, & Hands are of my absolute favorite things to teach!

Another vote here for Fahtiem.
Also, watch the ice skaters, they have elegant arms without doing too much. The better ones are a great example of framing the movements and using the arms strongly.

Oh, Amaya of New Mexico is excellent too

Neena and Veena are good with showing arm movements as well. Believe it or not, I watch their beginner videos when I want to do arm drills.

I think one of the best ways to get beautiful arms is to have a teacher who is constantly correcting you on them while you are doing other things! I think it's hard, unless you have big mirrors in your home practice space, to watch them yourself and correct them at the time you are doing something "funny." Even a video of yourself doesn't help because you can't correct it when you are doing it.

Originally Posted by tigerb

I think one of the best ways to get beautiful arms is to have a teacher who is constantly correcting you on them while you are doing other things! I think it's hard, unless you have big mirrors in your home practice space, to watch them yourself and correct them at the time you are doing something "funny." Even a video of yourself doesn't help because you can't correct it when you are doing it.

This is true.

A good workshop can do a lot to get you started--an instructor can give you new ways to think about how your arms are held, connected, moved, etc., and give you feedback and drills to help improve. Drilling and video can all help you improve and build your awareness. But sometimes things get really ingrained and direct feedback as you are dancing--in class, in rehearsal, etc.--really helps you feel it *in the moment.*

I have a lady in my troupe who developed a weird hand thing...she knew it. She saw it on video. But it had become so natural feeling to her that to break her of it, it took having not only me but other troupe members call out "______, your hand!" right in the middle of rehearsing anytime they saw it to really start break her of it. :-)

I have been teaching "Hands and Arms workshops all over Asia and Europe and the students have been quite happy. Also, I believe that one of Bozenka's topics is Arms and hands and Aziza also teaches this. You can't go wrong with any of us.

Princess Farhana does arm workshops.

As a teacher, I find zills to be highly effective. Most arm 'problems' come from not having anything to do. Zills are dynamic-and also have weight which helps. I have had several students that have arm trouble, so I make them wear zills for every part of practice. Makes a huge difference. (I'm old-school so I wear zills for everthing)

we have 1 dvd that is all rms..with zills...and playing too...and arms is included on our complete start up guide. it is important to us here.