Thread: Whole Body Undulation or Lower body Only?

Which one do you prefer to use? I have heard people say that you are supposed to undulate leading with the chest and I have heard people say otherwise, that you undulate with body only, not the chest.
Is one correct over the other. Is one only used in certain styles?

I was taught to lead with the chest....

For slow undulations, I lead with the chest. But if I'm doing them quickly, particularly when traveling, I tend to concentrate most of the movement below the ribcage.

I was taught you could lead starting with the pelvis, as long as it wasn't obscene (a huge motion). I prefer to start low and go up through the head; I personally sometimes rush the bottom if I start with the chest.

I was taught going low to high is an undulation, and high to low is a reverse undulation.

Can anyone post a video of an egyptian dancer doing an undulation? Such as Dina, Randa, Fifi etc...
I want to find something to compare it to..

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

I was taught to lead with the chest....

Hi, Angela!

Originally Posted by mrsnj20

Can anyone post a video of an egyptian dancer doing an undulation? Such as Dina, Randa, Fifi etc...
I want to find something to compare it to..

I think the Egyptian dancers start and complete undulations from the solar plexus area. The upper body leads but the movement is small and goes mostly up rather than out. Like a pulse more than a big chest circle.

Here is Sohair Zaki. Around 2:50 you get some glimpses that clearly show she leads undulations with her upper body.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ejkhspdgdo]YouTube - Eddy's Egypt Presents Soheir Zaki[/ame]

To me these are two very different moves.

In the full body undulation, I initiate the movement with my chest (but it's a lift, not a pushing forward).

Then there's a pelvic undulation, which is what I mostly use for traveling. This is the one I see Egyptian dancers doing, I don't see them using full body undulations or 'body waves' as much.

Oooh, thank you Sedonia, that's exactly what I meant by initiating with a lift.

Originally Posted by ssipes

I think the Egyptian dancers start and complete undulations from the solar plexus area. The upper body leads but the movement is small and goes mostly up rather than out. Like a pulse more than a big chest circle.

Here is Sohair Zaki. Around 2:50 you get some glimpses that clearly show she leads undulations with her upper body.
YouTube - Eddy's Egypt Presents Soheir Zaki

Thanks. I can clearly see it on this video.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

To me these are two very different moves.

In the full body undulation, I initiate the movement with my chest (but it's a lift, not a pushing forward).

Then there's a pelvic undulation, which is what I mostly use for traveling. This is the one I see Egyptian dancers doing, I don't see them using full body undulations or 'body waves' as much.

Thanks! This is what I was thinking..

According to Morocco, the lower body only is the authentic Egyptian move and Americans (spedifically Californians) added the rib cage because that's what the old films looked like.

I was originally taught the whole rib/pelvis camel shebang and used it for years. Then, I took classes with Rocky and learned how to do it the easy way! Now, I use both.

Originally Posted by kahaz

According to Morocco, the lower body only is the authentic Egyptian move and Americans (spedifically Californians) added the rib cage because that's what the old films looked like.

I was originally taught the whole rib/pelvis camel shebang and used it for years. Then, I took classes with Rocky and learned how to do it the easy way! Now, I use both.

I think Morocco's point is that the movement doesn't include a huge chest circle like what has found its way into the American style.

It is pretty clear from videography that pretty much all the Egyptian dancers begin the movement with a small lift of the upper body.

when i learned undulations from morocco, i discovered that the move IS initiated by the pelvis, but if you're relaxed and your upper body open, the upper body comes along for the ride....it's a natural movement and i've never had to 'add' my chest, it's just 'there' :p

Originally Posted by mrsnj20

Which one do you prefer to use? I have heard people say that you are supposed to undulate leading with the chest and I have heard people say otherwise, that you undulate with body only, not the chest.
Is one correct over the other. Is one only used in certain styles?

In traditional and folk Arabic dancing uses only the pelvic part - not the chest other than a subtle follow. I know Turkish does use the full body on sideways undulation but I'm not sure about a forward/back one. Basically, if I see a chest led undulation I think "American". So it depends on what style you are doing.

Originally Posted by ruta21030

when i learned undulations from morocco, i discovered that the move IS initiated by the pelvis, but if you're relaxed and your upper body open, the upper body comes along for the ride....it's a natural movement and i've never had to 'add' my chest, it's just 'there' :p

In class I teach it as a sort of expansion and release through the torso, the upper body works with the pelvis as a sort of pulse. I will also vary the emphasis of the movement so it appears like it is starting up and moving downwards or in reverse, though it is subtle and not so pronounced as some of those impressive tribal undulations. I do the lower torso only "camel" too, but even then the upper body works in counter movement.

Obviously a variety of opinions here. If you watch the Egyptian dancers there is a small but vital lifting of the upper body. It happens in conjunction the the step forward and the swaying back of the pelvis. I like Nanda's use of the word "expansion". The upper body is not IMO just along for the ride or part of the carry through because it happens at the beginning of the movement, on the downbeat. It is very obvious here in Fifi:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKPglqpxxXU]YouTube - Fifi Abdou - Nour El Ayoun �ي�ى عبدة[/ame]

It is also very obvious in Souhair Zaki's performance to Nebtiti el Hikaya where she is in the red assuit dress. She *lifts* her chest during her camels, very clearly. Sorry I can't find a youtube clip of that.