Thread: Backbend history/safety?

Originally Posted by Reinaa

Amaya has always told me when doing back bends to squeeze my butt to get that arch but not use my back. It's a small back bend - similar to what Dina does. ai have also seen Orit back bend.

In my yoga classes we are specifically told *not* to engage the glutes, because that can can actually be counterproductive and shorten the low back. Instead you lengthen your low back, draw your tailbone down, and start the curve from your upper back to help spread the backbend evenly across the spine.

the back bend comes from the shammon being taken over with spirit, even some versions of the bible talk about possesion and the back "flip flopping"..was in the movie "exorcist" too

the wider your knees/feet, the lower you go..tucking butt, and thinking of pelvis to the wall

Originally Posted by kahaz

1. Yes, if you stand sideways to the audience with a 'staggered' pose (one foot well in front of the other) you can give the appearance of bending back further than you are. Gives great stability.

2. Learned this from Shakira of Ohio: don't "bend" your back; "lengthen" your front. Will actually help you gain several inches.

These two points, especially the first, is what Dina taught in the Montreal workshop. It's almost like most of your body is in a long arch, while the supporting leg bends at the knee to provide angle and depth. I think it's quite elegant and does go nicely into a hip circle to come out, as long as you've got the hip strength to pull yourself around. It's different from the back bend one typically sees in North America in which both knees are bent, and I personally found it used somewhat different muscle groups.

That said, though, I know in my video collection I've got several instances of Egyptian dancers, from Fifi to random wedding dancer, doing raqs assaya in which they do the two legged back bend while whipping the cane around their bodies--you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

That said, though, I know in my video collection I've got several instances of Egyptian dancers, from Fifi to random wedding dancer, doing raqs assaya in which they do the two legged back bend while whipping the cane around their bodies--you know what I mean.

Yes!:)

If you are standing with you back stage down,and are going to face the audience upside down,I like it in cane or veil dancing...but with the side to the audience I think the "Dina Backbend"is wayyy more elegant.

Originally Posted by nisaasaintlouis

Dina does one in this clip around 4:55. There's also a "sort of" backbend before that, but it is really just an extension of one of her hip circles. I think that's the thing, though...the backbends here make sense with her music; she's not doing them as a "Wow! Lookee!" kind of stunt.

YouTube - Dina دينا 1990 ****Zara's favourite part 3 full version

I looooove "early Dina." There is a killer samai section in this clip. So pretty.

I like Dina's early dancing much better than what she does currently. She danced more, and seemed to put more effort into her dancing!!!

Originally Posted by Aradia

I like Dina's early dancing much better than what she does currently. She danced more, and seemed to put more effort into her dancing!!!

WORD!

Dina is someone you have to see live to appreciate. I've enjoyed her recent shows loads when I've seen her in cairo and she does an amazing backbend

Ok, I don't know what I was thinking when I said I haven't seen any Egyptian dancers do backbends. Maybe it's just that their backbends seem like a natural extension of the music rather than "Wow, look at how impressive it is that I can contort my body this way."
I was even at that montreal dina workshop and I'm sure I wasn't sleeping through that part.

off topic a bit but what is up with the seam on Dina's body stocking in that clip? It looks like a Klingon spine or something. Strange!

well, brea, you will be here tomorrow for a few days of instruction with me, and i'll explain it all.
but the shaman bends when being taken over with a spirit.
the bible speaks of it too.
it is from zar.

Originally Posted by JasmineRose

Though I think she is bending her knees more than it seems, its just hidden by the skirt and the angle she's at...

Yes, she dipped down further by bending her knees as she moved towards the middle of the bend and rotated. You can see her drop slightly, still an impressive bend with a twist.