The last three weeks!

I’m a bit behind on updating my blog, it’s been a busy couple of weeks!

Beginner:
In week 3 of class (April 28) we learned arm circles, shoulder thrust, shoulder shimmy, how to accent pelvic tucks and drops and how to make a pyramid with our hips. We then covered accented rib cage movements and rib cage pyramids.

In week 4 (May 5)we worked on several traveling moves including: chassez or step ball change, cross step, rocking step, rocking step chacha, grapevine, half grapevine, single and double hip lift walks. We then learned that the double hip lift walk when done full speed is the ¾ shimmy and is called the ghawazee in Tribal style, and that the rocking step is called the Turkish in Tribal. We then learned the cues for both the ghawazee and the Turkish and practiced a bit.

In week 5 (May 12), only one student attended so we worked on what she needed help with. I will divide week 6 material between week 5 and week 7 lesson plans so that nothing will be left out.

Intermediate:
During week 3, we learned how to play 5s on the zils and then worked on the 3-1 and the 3, 3, 5 zil patterns. We did a ¾ shimmy on the down review and worked on the shimmy vibration. After a review of beginner level arm movements, we learned how to do arm figure 8s and then did about 4 minutes of improv arms. We learned two new tribal combos, Arabic with a twist and Arabic twist and dip (a Troupe Duende combo). We did a brief traveling circle to let everyone practice cuing Then moved on to learning about our half circle veils. We worked on how to hold the veil, matadors, whirlpool (aka half matador) and figure 8.

In week 4, we learned slow singles on our zils, reviewed the ¾ shimmy on the down and learned the ¾ twist shimmy. We covered two new tribal combos, the Arabic 4 point turn and the choochoo 4 point turn and then practiced with the traveling circle. We learned the loop-d-loop and then three one handed half circular veil moves, horizontal figure 8, vertical figure 8 and spinning with the veil in one hand, reversing direction and spinning again. We then started learning the choreography to Zeina.

In week 5, we learned how to play chiftitelli on the zils, reviewed the ¾ shimmy on the down and then discussed traveling with both the hip lift shimmy and the Egyptian shimmy. The different look they each give to the traveling move and the difference in how the moves are generated. We learned two new tribal combos, Basic Egyptian full turn and basic Egyptian twists (both created by Troupe Duende). We then did a tribal review using pod and chorus and the formation of a clique by the pod. With our veils, we learned how to switch hands for one handed veil moves, how to create vertical and horizontal (one handed matador) circles. We then continued work on learning Zeina.