Not-So-Beginner Blog: Nice Shimmy, Bacon.

January 23, 2009 10:42 AM

I was really not in the mood for belly dancing last night. There was too much information, logistics, planning, and to-do lists racing through my head, and I really wanted to skip class. But I went, and I was distracted at first. By the end of the warm up, though, my brain had quieted down enough for me to focus, and by the end of class, I was blissfully empty-headed. I don’t usually carry much stress, but it is nice to know that belly dance is a good way for me to quiet my mind and relax.

Last week, Allyson had us say something that was our favorite. Last night, we reviewed our favorites, and I was able to remember quite a few. This is a good way to get to know each other, except that now I identify my classmates by their favorite things instead of their names. I know most of the names of my classmates, but I don’t always know which name goes with which person. So, for now, in my head, they are their favorite things, as in, “Nice shimmy, bacon” or “Hey, cashmere, how are you?”

Last night we learned the bust shimmy. I kind of wish we had been filmed on our first attempts; there was quite a bit of hand waving and hip wiggling (at least on my part). A bit of practice, though, and we all soon settled into more respectable bust shimmies. I find it easier to do them as a transition; starting from standing still is more difficult. I think most people practiced the arm undulations from last week, because they looked much improved this week. I have a self-diagnosed flagging elbow; one arm undulates, the other flaps.

We started learning our hafla choreography last night, and there are arm undulations. So, either I work on undulating both arms, or strategically place myself so I’m always at an angle to hide the flapping arm. It’s a good thing there are some tall people in the class that I can hide behind. I’m really glad that we’ve started learning the choreography so early, and that we have lots of time to practice it.

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