Pages
Vagabond Princess
Tribal Fusion Belly Dancing
Monday, June 6th, 2011
CORE STABILITY
I know that’s not technically Belly Dance but without core strength you are headed for injury my dears, especially in this style of dance, using your core will dramatically improve hip work and abdominal isolation. When I started adding Pilates to my practice I noticed a difference right away. My undulations and hip work felt deeper and way stronger, isolation more controlled and posture improved.
Click here to find the online Tabata Workout Clock. You use this to tell you when your 20 seconds work is up and you use the 10 seconds rest time to prepare for the next exercise.
I usually choose 3 different exercises like push ups, sit ups and squats and vary all three for 12 minutes. You can of course do more or less time wise depending where your fitness level is at right now. This is known as interval training and I find it highly effective in a short amount of time.
A good practice day for me consists of early morning jog followed by Yoga then a Tabata session or two followed by drills and improv/choreography work. That is a very good day. I will not pretend that happens every day, as things come up…But this is my goal.
I’m going to give you a fun variation for this type of work out by adding a Pilates Ball into the equation. There are lots of how to’s on You Tube for ideas… like this lady. I pick 3 different exercises and start the Tabata Timer.I find I don’t get bored using the Tabata method and adding the ball guarantees core strengthening by trying to stay on the ruddy thing! Wikid.
If you have any daily exercises you want to share here feel free, I know many of us work in isolation, either by living in the country side or just plain cannot afford classes every week, so my thinking is the more we share what is working for us, the quicker this art form can flourish and gain the respect it deserves from the wider dance community, innit.
Note:If you have any kind of injury, use common sense and talk to your doctor about which ball exercises will work for you! Always cool down properly after this type of rigorous exercise OK!
AND HERE IS THIS MONTH’S BOOK:
The Element by Sir Ken Robinson available here
Inspired and very amusing, Ken puts all into perspective and shows us how everyone is capable of creativity when given the opportunity.
Fanks x
Posted by Sam
on 06/06/11
in Health, Practice, Practice Tip of the Month, Tribal 5 Comments »
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
A little late I know…and this follows on from last month’s tip:
I’m going to suggest taking your favourite practice DVD…say Rachel Brice’s Serpentine for example and, if it feels good to you, adding a smooth 4/4 shimmy to the drill sections whilst using the traveling steps. Just to check in on how well we can control the 4/4 through all those weight transitions! Enjoy.
This month’s book is Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance by Eric Franklin
Posted by Sam
on 27/04/11
in Belly Dance, Inspiration, Practice, Tribal No Comments »
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
I just wanted to take a moment to share a project I am involved with right now because it is making me very happy and every one should know about it!
2011 sees the second year of the Taksim Tribal Certification program and has featured wonderful instructors such as Mardi Love, Sharon Kihara and Heather Stants to name a few. Each instructor returns to teach three times over three months, giving the rare opportunity to really get to know the group and work on a more one to one basis. As the group is individually selected on application, a higher level of technical proficiency is assured which is great fun for us in the material we can present within the workshops. There are live theatre performances to enjoy too. I only wish I could take the course myself!
This year sees Jill Parker, Sharon Kihara, Amy Sigil, Elizabeth Strong and currently…me! What a line up!!!
I am really honoured to be involved with a project such as this and Alex and Amira deserve utmost respect for their vision and hard work in bringing it all together.
Posted by Sam
on 27/04/11
in Belly Dance, Friends, Inspiration, Practice, Practice Tip of the Month, Tribal No Comments »
Monday, March 14th, 2011
As promised.
This month’s practice tip focuses on Shimmy. Its pretty simple, find a good long track and shimmy for the entire length with no break adding layers and traveling without the shimmy being affected at all. Try big and loose, small and fast, 3/4 and 4/4 or whatever feels good to you today! I have put up a couple of tracks on my itunes PING account which you can see via HERE to use for ideas. Enjoy!
This month’s suggested reading is Inside Ballet Technique by Valerie Grieg available HERE. Regardless of whether you are interested in Ballet or not this book proves to be a useful tool and a very accessible read indeed.
Love and Fluff
Posted by Sam
on 14/03/11
in Belly Dance, Health, Inspiration, Practice, Practice Tip of the Month, Tribal 1 Comment »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
Over achievers! I have a practice tip, the first of many to be on the look out for!
As you know I am rather isolated where I live and class availability is scarce and tricky to get to of an evening. So I use DVD s to keep myself training alone. Having used the same DVD s over and over again I decided to switch it up today as I notice myself losing concentration and zoning out, knowing what was going to come next.
I put the video on mute and selected a random play list on shuffle or a random genre so I had no idea what was going to pop up (try classical!) then followed the video and toyed with hitting the down beat, or the off beat, mixing up the tempo and size of the movement to the music. This was a Eureka moment for me today, I was focused on the exercise instead of distracted and think it will help live improvisation no end. It needs to be a DVD you know really well though, so you are not missing any important instruction for safe execution of movement…obviously.
I am very excited to rediscover my old DVDs again. It has brought a second life to DVD drilling at home . Hope it does you too!
Thank you for sharing this geeky practice moment with me! I just had to share it.
As requested by you here are some of my current favorites, click on the titles to go to suppliers:
Yay!
x
Posted by Sam
on 04/02/11
in Belly Dance, Inspiration, Practice, Practice Tip of the Month, Tribal 5 Comments »
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Fellow Vagabonds of the Dance!
How goes your New Year so far? Mine has been one of the best yet, seeing it in teaching at FCBD studios in San Francisco and creating a new show with none other than Elizabeth Strong and Zoe Jakes to live music by the incomparable Dan Cantrell. I am a very lucky bunny indeed.
I wanted to let you all know that I will not be traveling to teach and perform as much as I have in recent years due to embarking on a big, exciting and ever so slightly daunting personal project at home in Scrumplewumpleshire involving lots of mud and timber. So any workshops you see on my website will be special indeed and not to be missed as there may not be so many opportunities to see me on the road in 2011/2012, just thought you might want to have this little heads up to keep you all in the loopy loop.
My only US visit for 2011 will now be Tribal Fest! My four hour intensive workshop is SOLD OUT…Wow!!! Thank you so much for booking. There are a some spaces left on my combos class, so if you are interested in training with me at the one and only Tribal Fest, grab a place while you still can! I can hardly wait for May to come around, there will also be some exciting collaborative performances to look out for there and at the After Party. Not to be missed my friends.
Thank you for your continued support and looking forward to catching up with you this year…somewhere along the road that loops.
Love and Fluff
Vagabond Princess
Posted by Sam
on 27/01/11
in Belly Dance, Friends, Inspiration, Practice, Tribal 1 Comment »
Friday, December 31st, 2010
Kicking off 2011 in the BEST WAY EVER!
Teaching and performing with Elizabeth Strong and Zoe Jakes in none other than the Fat Chance Belly Dance studios in San Francisco. I am so very lucky to be able to work with my friends across the pond again, it’s been a while. We will teach a week long intensive and also put on a show together. Yay, yay and also YAY!! For full booking info check out my calendar page where you will also find details for my ONLY other US visit in 2011… TRIBAL FEST!!!
Posted by Sam
on 31/12/10
in Belly Dance, Friends, Health, Inspiration, Practice, Tribal, Wild Weird and Wonderful 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
TJARDA AND SAMANTHA PRESENT A UNIQUE SERIES OF INTENSIVES
Currently offering the first in a new series of collaborative projects:
Beyond the Compass…New Creative Perspectives
Hailing from opposite sides of the water, Tjarda and Samantha join artistic forces to bring you this one of a kind opportunity. Their skills combined provide participants with extensive performance experience through full time global touring, self-produced events, award winning group and solo performances and choreography design. Being at the forefront of the Tribal Fusion genre this collaboration promises to bring you an exceptional weekend through the combination of their individual strengths and expertise.
Tjarda
Performing and instructing internationally both solo and as Director of The Uzume Dance Company (founded in 2005) Tjarda has received several awards for her innovative choreography. In 2009 she featured on Tales of Desire 2 a performance DVD produced by Hollywood Music Center. She is well known for her powerful performances and broad minded instructional approach towards belly dance. Her work inspires many in finding their own path. She regularly collaborates as an honorary member of USA based dance company Unmata
Samantha
The Only British member of Miles Copeland’s Bellydance Superstars from 2007 to 2010, featuring in eight of the production’s performance DVDs. Samantha tours and teaches both solo and collaboratively, producing international showcases, choreographing and coaching. She is widely known for her accessible teaching style and when not on tour focuses her energies on studies in Theatre and Dance and the art of costuming.
Contact Samantha or Tjarda to bring this tour to your area.
Posted by Sam
on 20/10/10
in Belly Dance, Friends, Inspiration, Tribal 1 Comment »
