Like most of us who start dancing when we go to our first class we really do not know what to expect or what we are even getting into.  For some of us Belly Dancing is a way to exercise or meet new people or it is on there bucket list, which I have just recently heard this statement more then once over the last year!   Then there are those of us who decided to take it up to fill a burning passion that is inside of us, to learn an art and culture.  The reasons why we dance or varied and what we put into the dance varies within each of us and how driven and motivated we are.

I am going to give you guidelines that I feel it is important for all students to not only grown with the dance but to learn.  Honestly, it cannot be done in a one hour class once a week.  Each student should take it upon themselves to do homework when away from class so here are just a few suggestions and you will be amazed at the results!!

Keep a Journal

Writing about your experiances wheter it is about class time, moves that you are learning, how you are feeling is a very important aspect of your dance journey.  You will find out what inspires you, what you like and do not like.  It will help you put into play what needs to be worked on and what you have accomplished.  The journal is for you to write about your feelings about the dance.  I suggest writing in it at least once a week.  This will really help you reflect on your studies.

Listen to music

There is a reason why I supply my students with music Cd’s.  This is so you can listen to the different sounds and rhythms at your own convenience away from class time.  If you have a Cd player in your car keep your music there and listen to it when you drive or take some time away from others and play your music in a quite place and just listen to it.  Thats right, no dancing just listen to the different rhythms, instruments and accents.  You will learn the music very quickly and be able to pick things out into it that will help prepare you when you go to choreograph your first piece or even improv.

Youtube

Go to Youtube and wach videos of other dancers, this will allow you to see how other dancers put moves together and give you a sense of the wonderful assortment of the different styles and how each of us interpret the music making it our own.  You will be suprised you also may pick up a cute move as you watch.  Some dancers to check out:  Suhaila Salimpour, Aziza, Suzzana Del Vehicco, Jillina, Ansuya, and my mentor Leyla Najma just to name a few.

Subscribed to a magazine

This will give you insight on what other dancers are doing and what is going on the dance community and how other dancing are achieving their dreams.  There are two magazines that I suggest Jareeda and Belly Dance Chronicles both our wonderful and very unique and different. Here are the websites:  http://www.jareeda.com/ and http://www.isisandthestardancers.com/CHRONICLES/Chronicles.htm.

Dance

This is a given, in order to improve and learn you must practice at home.  I can easily tell those students who practice away from class and those who do not.  It really does not take that long and even if you have 5 minutes pick something that you need to work on wheter it is pistons or chest circles and work on that one move.  You will be amazed at the difference it will make and sometimes it takes being away from class and in the comfort of your home for the light bulb to go on!  You do not have to carve out an hour and it is important to realize that you do not have to work on everything at once.  One day focus on just hips, another day focus on arms, or focus on just sharp movements and then another soft.

This gives you five different things to work on in the comfort of your home for five days if your feeling ambitious!!  This is just a start and basic guidelines and I will write more about this in the future and expand.

Along with this read my blogs and newsletters to keep up to date!!