Thread: Can someone show clips of or identify this move?

Okay, here goes: I want to learn this and have seen it many many times but usually it's so fast that I can't catch the movement of the torso and hips and legs separately.

It looks like a hip undulation but as the dancer is doing it she sort of does a ronde de jambe (sp, I know) and the arms are out in front of the body then sort of "gathering in" like gracefully Like 0:07 in this clip. It's the first move she does but sort of does it only on one side.

Can you break it down for me or show me a clip you may have of someone doing this? I think it's such a big and expressive movement. Forgive my totally lame attempt at explaining but I don't have any clips to show what I mean.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8FVbhD0kag&feature=related]YouTube - shabnam taxim[/ame]

I call this a "squishy" - I've also heard it called a "swish" - other than that most people just do it.

The secret is that it isn't a leg move. Start small then later you can expand it to what this dancer is doing. It is driven by the hip/abs not the leg. This is how I initially teach this one:

• Weight on L leg
• rotate the (R) hip inwards (ie opposite to turn out, leg and foot turned in)
• in this position, cross the R knee to the left side (so the R knee brushes the L)
• when it reaches as far as it will go, turn the leg out (with the hips/abs - don't swing the leg)
• transfer weight to R
• repeat L

Once you have the basic feel ie unweighted hip turns in then out with the leg following along, you can add undulation, belly and leg to give different a feel/look.

It's partly a reverse maya with rib cage circles, camels and leg releases layered with it. I don't know if that's a move that can be taught. You kinda have to learn all of the moves separately and come up with your own combo.

The dancer in your clip repeats it on 1:17 am I right ?


How about basic figure eight up with leg release ?

(Figure eight up - opposite to maya = figure eight down, simply said.)

or a "simply" undulated eight! with leg release. In Germany they call it "jewel" to shorten such explanations.

That's what I was thinking, half a jewel with a strong release through the leg.

I call it a "squishy 8 with ran de jamb. funny how we all call it differently! Definitely driven with abs & hips.

'Nother name for it here- in the UK a lot of us call it a Kenya (comes from what the Hilal teachers called it).

Originally Posted by Michaela

The dancer in your clip repeats it on 1:17 am I right ?


How about basic figure eight up with leg release ?

(Figure eight up - opposite to maya = figure eight down, simply said.)

Okay,not simple for me (which kind of 8? a vertical 8? then how is the leg released?

Originally Posted by Lauren_

That's what I was thinking, half a jewel with a strong release through the leg.

..l;,Okay, now that I can call it a jewel. (assuming if the dancer did it on the other side too it would be called a jewel)

What is a jewel and does anyone have clips of themselves or anyone else doing it so I can learn how?

I call that a Denise, though a more gooey one than the sprightly little one she does, on one side and I keep forgetting that just the one is so nice.

Horizontal 8, forwards but with a little internal lift in front as well so it has some vertical movement in it too.

To me that is not a jewel and not half a jewel or anything really like a jewel. Though you could go into a jewel out of it, so I suppose it has jewel-like tendencies. There are so many jewels!

I agree with Kashmir's break down - when I learned it my teacher also talked about tension and release. This can be a fun one to milk - slow, slow, slow bringing it in and then the quick release.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

I call that a Denise, though a more gooey one than the sprightly little one she does, on one side and I keep forgetting that just the one is so nice.

Horizontal 8, forwards but with a little internal lift in front as well so it has some vertical movement in it too.

To me that is not a jewel and not half a jewel or anything really like a jewel. Though you could go into a jewel out of it, so I suppose it has jewel-like tendencies. There are so many jewels!

Okay, Zum, your explanation got through to me. Thank you. I can actually do it!!!

But it begs the question, then what is a jewel?

OK, you're right, it's not really a jewel., although it has jewel-like tendencies.

Hookednovice, right when I posted that I thought 'Oh, now we're going to have to define and explain the Jewel to people who weren't here for the earlier endless tiresome attempts.' It's so doggone HARD to describe, and there are multiple variations, which makes it even harder.

Carolynn did a bang-up job once, but that was on Old Bhuz and I don't know how to find those threads any more. But let me see what I can find for you.

OK, page 3 of this thread (this was a GOOD thread!):

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/rest-belly...u-learn-3.html

Jewel is much easier to say than "half circle with twist"!happy to learn a new name!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

OK, page 3 of this thread (this was a GOOD thread!):

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/rest-belly...u-learn-3.html

Thanks Lauren you are sweet to dig that one up. I actually enjoyed reading the whole thread.

I asked my teacher tonight what a jewel was and she laughed and said, "it's that move we were breaking down and working on at your last lesson."

I remember driving home from that private lesson going, "I have now idea how to even do that when I get home."..l;,..l;,

Well at least now I have closure. Thanks everyone!!

PS I'm toying w/ the idea of resurecting that thread Lauren, it's a good one and there are a bunch of new bhuzzers to add to it.

I enjoyed rereading that thread, too, and several others that came up when I was searching for it!

Are you talking about the movement that Lucy does at 0:21, 0:46, 1:14, 1:34, etc in this clip?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ydfs_wKIlQ]YouTube - Lucy Bellydancer - Lessa Fakir[/ame]

I call that movement an Egyptian figure 8; it has jewel-like characteristics but where the movement is happening relative to body weight is different (going by Shareen el Safy's definition of jewel).

The movement is a full body undulation layered with a 3D figure 8 in which the hip starts back and comes up, over, and in. The ronde de jambe happens at the weight transition. Variations in the movement arise when either the undulation or figure 8 is emphasized more, and to what extent the movement carries into the leg.

It is a difficult movement. I have several ways I break it down for students.

Interesting, Sedonia! I always think of that movement as a (medial) 1/2 undulation with a release through the foot, but you're right, sometimes there is a 3D 8 layered over it, and it does have jewel-like properties!

Goodness, there's a lot going on in some of these movements. No wonder they're so hard to discuss.

Yes, there are no discrete movements, only points in a multidimensional continuum.

Originally Posted by ssipes

Yes, there are no discrete movements, only points in a multidimensional continuum.

OK, now you sound like Dr. Who.*







(*Tom Baker. None of the others count)

Kashmir´s breakdown is good.

Zum, it´s funny I´ve been taught the other way around: described as vertical 8 up where the leg release brings in the horizontal tilt. Anyway, we are talking about combination of two basic moves.

What I am seeing at 0:07 of this clip is rather more vertical then combined hip movement described above.

The movements can be combined further so that added 3D like undulation, pelvic release or a bely flutter makes a different story.

Originally Posted by ssipes

Are you talking about the movement that Lucy does at 0:21, 0:46, 1:14, 1:34, etc in this clip?
I call that movement an Egyptian figure 8; it has jewel-like characteristics but where the movement is happening relative to body weight is different (going by Shareen el Safy's definition of jewel).

The movement is a full body undulation layered with a 3D figure 8 in which the hip starts back and comes up, over, and in. The ronde de jambe happens at the weight transition. Variations in the movement arise when either the undulation or figure 8 is emphasized more, and to what extent the movement carries into the leg.

It is a difficult movement. I have several ways I break it down for students.

Yes Sedonia, that's the beautiful example I was looking for, thank you. Tell me though (in "novice" speak) when you say 3-D fig8, you are starting w/ hips back from the undulation so the 8 of sort of a diagonal 8, neither vert or horiz?

And the rond de jambe happens when your hips are sliding back from the 8 right? Also my teacher told me to contract lower abs so the hips have a nice little tuck leg is lifted from the result of the ab lift (this is a tiny move) so you're kind of drawing the move really inward in the core area.

And though my behind wants to stick out to make the move bigger, I will assume that's a no no right?

I wish there was some way to make notes on your you tube clips. I have a bunch in my faves but want to make notes on them as to why I kept them.
Thanks Sedonia.

Originally Posted by ssipes

there are no discrete movements, only points in a multidimensional continuum.

I want to put this on a t-shirt and wear it to class!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Goodness, there's a lot going on in some of these movements. No wonder they're so hard to discuss.

Reminds me when I did the Safe Dance paper. Part of it was becoming familiar with anatomical language and muscle action. We each had to pick a "typical" move from our dance genre and pull it apart. I picked a hip rock as pretty basic and it did the tutor's head in. This is a basic move she asked? I'd hate to have to pull this one apart in terms of joint position, effect of gravity and muscle group and type of action!!