Thread: Which style better for isolations and layering?

Hi all :)

After an extended leave. I'm getting back into the swing of things. I am rusty as heck and I could use work on isolations and layering shimmies.
I know I will get different opinions but they will be appreciated.
What style of dance is better for isolations and layering?
Or should I just get a dvd specifically for these issues?

Thxs a bunch

That's sort of a trick question because all styles layer in one sense or another, and they all depend on proper isolation for good technique. I tend to think of modern tribal as being more about isolations than the ethnic styles in the sense that an ITS dancer might do pure isolations on stage whereas other styles typically use a more integrated movement vocabulary for performance, but I'm sure others may disagree with that statement.

Have you looked at Suhaila's online classes? The Salimpour style is strong on teaching both isolations and layering.

Hi!

I tend to agree with the suggestion to try fusion belly dance if you want to focus on isolations and layering.

When it comes to traditional/pure/cabaret belly dance (whatever buzz words you want to use to talk about it) I find that not all dancers consider isolations important. My teacher focused heavily on isolation and, therefore, so do I when I teach. But I've found that isolations are universally important in the more modern fusion styles of belly dance.

Agreed about Suhaila. She'd be great for working on isolations. But as much as I love her (in person), I find those online classes of hers to be pretty difficult to follow. The camera angles are bad and I find myself squinting to try to see the action. I'd suggest trying Ariellah's DVD; she is such a clean dancer.

Also, if you want layering, you owe it to yourself to go to an Unmata workshop one day. Those ladies are the QUEENS of layering. They will blow your mind and absolutely push you to your limit----in a very awesome and awe-inspiring way. Unmata actually has a DVD that was produced by Suhaila, and I'd tell you to try it but like I said before the camera work is so poor it's bound to be frustrating for you.

Ansuya's got 2 pretty decent DVDs on layers as well ("Luscious Layers" and "Lavish Layers," I think). There are clips from both DVDs on YouTube. She does so much layering in all of her dancing, she'd be a fantastic one to practice with. She is so great in person too---I highly recommend taking a workshop if you're ever near one of hers.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

That's sort of a trick question because all styles layer in one sense or another, and they all depend on proper isolation for good technique. I tend to think of modern tribal as being more about isolations than the ethnic styles in the sense that an ITS dancer might do pure isolations on stage whereas other styles typically use a more integrated movement vocabulary for performance, but I'm sure others may disagree with that statement.

Have you looked at Suhaila's online classes? The Salimpour style is strong on teaching both isolations and layering.

Every beginner class I attended, regardless of style, started off with isolations. Layers were covered in the intermediate classes, regardless of style. I'm sure you can find either a teacher or DVD that addresses those issues.

Everyone with any teaching skill at all teaches some isolations at first. It's putting them all together so they don't *look* like isolations that is the trick with oriental dance and maybe that's why some fusion dancers don't realise that isolations are part of it?

It depends on what you want the isolations FOR. If you want tickyticky tock tock how does she do that isolations then yes, tribal fusion is probably best. But if you just want to learn how to isolate your hip or your shoulder better then any good teacher in any style will do it. Given you have done some BD before I would say, ask yourself what kind of BDer you want to be and pursue a teacher in that line.

Thanks for your comments. You all helped me to decide what classes I wanted to take this coming new year. I have trained in egyptian for 6 years give or take. I really wanted to learn to isolate and layer better. Yes, these movements are included but they are not the focus. (at least not with my past instructors)
I think tribal fusion maybe the way to go. I'm just a dancer trying to express her inner emotions in the best way possible. :)

Originally Posted by teakpeek

I have trained in egyptian for 6 years give or take. I really wanted to learn to isolate and layer better. Yes, these movements are included but they are not the focus. (at least not with my past instructors)
I think tribal fusion maybe the way to go. I'm just a dancer trying to express her inner emotions in the best way possible. :)

Yes, in Egyptian the isolations and layering are the tools, the words to communicate with. Most Egyptian style teachers (in my experience) concentrate on teaching you how to communicate rather than learning vocab - which you are expected to do in your own time (would you really pay to drill for 60 minutes without any dancing????) This is partly because the point of Egyptian is not showing how clever/co-ordinated/bizarrely jointed you are but to express the music (and to a lesser extent your inner self) - and partly because many Egyptian (as opposed to Egyptian-style) teachers come from a culture where the dance side is a given.

If your focus is to impress people with your physical prowess rather than dance then Tribal rather than Egyptian is probably the way to go.

Hiya
I would have to agree with ya about Egyptian style teachers and it's beautiful. That is the very reason why I chose the style. While I was living in California there was such a wide variety of styles to see and try. I tried everything and started with Turkish. I didn't connect with the style. One class of Egyptian and that was it. LOL
My mission now, is to express what I feel and see in myself doing in my minds eye.
I hope that makes sense. So my purpose is not to "impress people with my physical prowess." I thought that was funny.
I know my strengths and weaknesses and I my isolations and layering could use some work especially since I haven't danced at all for 2 yrs. For me to be the dancer that I want to be, this is what I need to accomplish.

Originally Posted by Afrit09

Yes, in Egyptian the isolations and layering are the tools, the words to communicate with. Most Egyptian style teachers (in my experience) concentrate on teaching you how to communicate rather than learning vocab - which you are expected to do in your own time (would you really pay to drill for 60 minutes without any dancing????) This is partly because the point of Egyptian is not showing how clever/co-ordinated/bizarrely jointed you are but to express the music (and to a lesser extent your inner self) - and partly because many Egyptian (as opposed to Egyptian-style) teachers come from a culture where the dance side is a given.

If your focus is to impress people with your physical prowess rather than dance then Tribal rather than Egyptian is probably the way to go.