Thread: Shakira's Technique

I wasn't quite sure where to post this but anyway here I go.
So I've talked to several people about Shakira's dancing and how she's had problems and wound up in immense pain. Most people I talk to credit these problems to having to dance on stage every night. This explanation seems strange to me, since there are many dancers who dance every night, often for periods of over an hour (weather it's rehearsing or in front of an audience) who do not writhe in pain post show, in fact I'd go so far as to say most do not.

I personally think her pain is caused by poor technique. From what I've observed she neglects to tuck her tail (I spotted this even as a beginner when watching her Hips Don't Lie video). When I try to ask my belly friends what they think about it, they immediately say that it's because she's dancing every night.

Does anyone else think Shakira has poor technique or am I just crazy?

I don't think you're crazy at all. I, too, am distracted by the fact that she doesn't tuck the tailbone. I know that she already has a big butt, but there's an arch that she does in the lower back. I also noticed that her movements are not muscular, but rather skeletal. It's especially apparent in her chest lifts and her undulations. It makes me feel a twinge in my back for her.

Originally Posted by sahaga89

I wasn't quite sure where to post this but anyway here I go.
So I've talked to several people about Shakira's dancing and how she's had problems and wound up in immense pain. Most people I talk to credit these problems to having to dance on stage every night. This explanation seems strange to me, since there are many dancers who dance every night, often for periods of over an hour (weather it's rehearsing or in front of an audience) who do not writhe in pain post show, in fact I'd go so far as to say most do not.

I don't know about that. Shakira is approaching her mid-30s, which isn't exactly young for a professional dancer, and she isn't just doing belly dance on stage. I'd be tempted to say that by that age, most dancers of any style are habitually icing or heat-treating muscles, taking anti-inflammatories, wearing elastic bandages in practice, making regular trips to chiropractors and massage therapists, and limping around on wonky joints that really need surgery but aren't getting it because they want to dance as long as possible. Age and constant physical activity can take a real toll on a body after years of going at it at the commercial level. That's one of the reasons why many professional (ballet/jazz/Broadway/modern/hip-hop/competitive ballroom/etc.) dancers and athletes are in the twilight years of their performing careers by that age.

I don't think you can compare what Shakira does to what the dancer at the local ME restaurant does--perhaps to what the top names in Cairo do, and what goes on with BDSS, but I suspect she has a much more punishing schedule of rehearsing and performing than the average belly dancer does. She also doesn't have the luxury of taking an easy night by cutting back on her routine if she doesn't feel up to going full throttle. She's under pressure to deliver a high-quality show every time, and she's on stage with professional back-up dancers and she has to keep up with them.

Personally, I wouldn't hold Shakira up as a model of good technique, but her problem may be more than that. She may have physical issues (congenital abnormalities or prior injuries) that the public is not aware of, too.

im with Tourbeau on this. i have pain from a 4 day studio week. my bath tub is my best friend.

I think you are making a lot of assumptions and jumping to a lot of conclusions when you diagnose someone you don't even know, whose physical problems you only know based on hearsay, whose medical history you have no idea about, etc etc.

Some people have a naturally more arched back than other people, and even if they are tucking, there is still an arch. Maybe this is the case with Shakira, how can we know? Personally, I don't think that her back looks purposely arched (at least not when she is doing belly dance moves, when she is dancing something like reggaeton, maybe). And overtucking can be just as bad for you as arching your back.

Other than that, Tourbeau already covered some great points.

I can actually sympathize with Shakira on this. Before starting ME dance, I was a ballet/jazz/hip-hop dancer for 17 years and all that wear and tear on your body really adds up. I'm only 24 and had to downgrade performance in other styles because of body aches. I have lordosis too (a type of over arch in the spine in the lower back) that really causes some pain after dancing for too long.

On another note, reggaeton is alot of booty popping and shaking which will make any back pain alot worse. All you can do is maintain proper technique and rest after a strenuous show or practice. Also, for any of you who has problems keeping a good tuck, strengthening your abs will really help !!

I've seen black caribbean girls having an amazingly flexible spine. You can watch f.e. black or mixed Cuban girls dancing just to get an idea - no tucking, it's a different dance style and it's not about tucking at all - on the contrary - but also different physical possibilities. To compete in this field is dangerous to those that ask this flexibility of their bodies acquiring it by work if it isn't there naturally.

I don't know is it a racial thing but probably it is. You can see Shakira going along perfectly with her counterparts but these moves are harmful if they are just acquired by work, like stroking your body the wrong way for years may result in damage. Especially with hard accentuated moves resulting in extreme poses.

The other thing is just probably strain from lack of rest.

Unless any of you know Shakira personally, I don't think we can really discuss her technique period. I think we seriously underestimate the ammount of stress she puts on herself when it comes to touring and dancing and singing (jet lag is the worst, but I can't imagine coming off of that and then having to perform). She's not just a belly dancer or dancer in general, but a performer first and foremost. I would even go as far to say that her pain and discomfort stems more from her hectic lifestyle lack of rest and rejuvenation than dance specific (although depending on how rigorous her dance training is, it would play a part as well). I'll let you know when I meet her lol ;)