Ballet and Bellydance?

Raven · 07-14-2008, 06:16 AM

Hi,

I am just four months into bellydance and LOVING it!!! I have been taking two classes per week and hope to advance to the second level in the fall. As I've heard that ballet is a great foundation for all dance, in the fall I am considering a ballet class once a week and my bellydance class once a week. My thought is that ballet would improve posture, add grace and be terrific for conditioning the body. Does anyone have an opinion on this? If I don't end up taking the ballet class, I will probably continue to take two bellydance classes per week. Thanks.

adiemus · 07-14-2008, 06:27 AM

Ballet adds upper body 'elegance' and especially graceful arms and neck. BUT ballet doesn't help with grounding the body to the floor, any hipwork (in fact it's almost opposite in many ways!), and it does reduce mid-thoracic movement. I have danced ballet (and I know some others on the forum have also) and I wouldn't do it today. I think you may be better off doing more bellydance, and focus on specific things you want to learn rather than start ballet to help your bellydance.
What I have gained from ballet (apart from the upper body stuff) is the recognition that you need to drill some movements to get them into muscle memory, and the committment to practice, practice, practice!

Raven · 07-14-2008, 07:05 AM

Thank you Adiemus. I truly appreciate your guidance. Those points are things I would never have known. My gut feeling had been that more and more bellydance is probably the answer, but didn't know why. Like you say, practice, practice, practice. I will continue my yoga practice a couple times a week that I do on my own at home. That should make a nice balance. I am open to any tips/guidance you may like to offer. I have really been "bitten" by this dance!!!

adiemus · 07-14-2008, 09:09 AM

me too!! and the thing is, ***it doesn't die down, this addiction, it grows***!!

sedoniaraqs · 07-14-2008, 01:01 PM

Well, I have been belly dancing for 11 years, and I just started taking a beginning ballet class. I love it, and plan to continue. I had no previous background in ballet or other western dance forms.

What I am getting from the class is:
1) improved balance, especially in demipoint, which I use heavily in belly dance.
2) lots of practice doing various kinds of spins, which is useful in belly dance
3) general improvement in lower body strength and flexibility, and also endurance.
4) a general refinement and elegance to my posture and carriage.
5) a general ego boost that at 42, I can make it through the class alive and without injuries.

I do not feel like I am in any danger of losing hip or torso flexibility, or becoming "too balletic" in my movement. Let's face reality -- I'm 42 and its a beginning ballet class.

Mya · 07-14-2008, 02:03 PM

Hello, I don't think it could hurt to do some ballet as many of the others agree that it can help you in certain ways however i think you need to be careful too and make sure that you can partition your knowledge in such a way that you don't start to impose too much western technique on a dance that is innately non-western.

For example, the Jenna dvds, i think she breaks things down very clearly in her dvds but they are definitely very western in approach and that leaves a little something out of her style for me - something essence-wise has gone missing.

I'm not sure if i make any sense to you here but hopefully i did!

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia · 07-14-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raven

Hi,

I am just four months into bellydance and LOVING it!!! I have been taking two classes per week and hope to advance to the second level in the fall. As I've heard that ballet is a great foundation for all dance, in the fall I am considering a ballet class once a week and my bellydance class once a week. My thought is that ballet would improve posture, add grace and be terrific for conditioning the body. Does anyone have an opinion on this? If I don't end up taking the ballet class, I will probably continue to take two bellydance classes per week. Thanks.

Dance in any form is a wonderful way to connect to your body. The posture in ballet and bellydance are quite different, yet certainly you can learn about each and what fits your body. I don't know about ballet being a great foundation for all dances, as it is very European in construct and may not flow well into other style dances, i.e salsa, African, hip-hop, you get the idea.
Decide waht's best for you and let us know how it works out!
Yasmine

fatinah · 07-14-2008, 03:23 PM

Hi hun,

Its addictive this isnt it

I personally would take yoga instead to help you become more felxible. I did ballet for years and im now struggling as I have to unlearn all my ballet habits. Ballet lends itself well for the grace and posture etc to bellydance but the stiffness of ballet can give youer hurdles when you try and progress onto the whirly hip grooving bellydance moves. But....you might be ok as you will be taking BOTH classes...all I know is i have to really untrain my mind of ballet postures and movments!!

Samira bint Aya · 07-15-2008, 11:54 AM

I admit that I am very jealous of the girls with a ballet background. Balance, turns, posture and “stage presence” all seem to come so naturally to them. All of which I am totally lacking!

On the other hand, I recently started yoga, and it has helped me a tremendous amount in improving all of the above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mya

For example, the Jenna dvds, i think she breaks things down very clearly in her dvds but they are definitely very western in approach and that leaves a little something out of her style for me - something essence-wise has gone missing.

I would actually consider Jenna to be an Egyptian style performer/instructor.
At least according to my understanding of styles.
She may seem a little bland, or “lacking” in emotional expression, but I believe that is natural, since her dvds are more geared towards technique.

Mya · 07-15-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samira bint Aya

I would actually consider Jenna to be an Egyptian style performer/instructor.
At least according to my understanding of styles.
She may seem a little bland, or “lacking” in emotional expression, but I believe that is natural, since her dvds are more geared towards technique.

And to me it's her approach to technique that is exceptionally western and ballet oriented that results in a bit of the missing expression - even when i look at her performances that's how i feel. It's as though the western approach loses quite a bit of the oriental essence (I'm still a fan of hers though).

We're quite free to disagree on this of course.

07-14-2008, 06:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
Raven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 15	Ballet and Bellydance? Hi, I am just four months into bellydance and LOVING it!!! I have been taking two classes per week and hope to advance to the second level in the fall. As I've heard that ballet is a great foundation for all dance, in the fall I am considering a ballet class once a week and my bellydance class once a week. My thought is that ballet would improve posture, add grace and be terrific for conditioning the body. Does anyone have an opinion on this? If I don't end up taking the ballet class, I will probably continue to take two bellydance classes per week. Thanks. __________________ Raven

07-14-2008, 06:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
adiemus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 960	Ballet adds upper body 'elegance' and especially graceful arms and neck. BUT ballet doesn't help with grounding the body to the floor, any hipwork (in fact it's almost opposite in many ways!), and it does reduce mid-thoracic movement. I have danced ballet (and I know some others on the forum have also) and I wouldn't do it today. I think you may be better off doing more bellydance, and focus on specific things you want to learn rather than start ballet to help your bellydance. What I have gained from ballet (apart from the upper body stuff) is the recognition that you need to drill some movements to get them into muscle memory, and the committment to practice, practice, practice! __________________ He wahine, he taonga- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

07-14-2008, 07:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
Raven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 15	Ballet and Bellydance? Thank you Adiemus. I truly appreciate your guidance. Those points are things I would never have known. My gut feeling had been that more and more bellydance is probably the answer, but didn't know why. Like you say, practice, practice, practice. I will continue my yoga practice a couple times a week that I do on my own at home. That should make a nice balance. I am open to any tips/guidance you may like to offer. I have really been "bitten" by this dance!!! __________________ Raven

07-14-2008, 09:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
adiemus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Posts: 960	me too!! and the thing is, *it doesn't die down, this addiction, it grows!! __________________ He wahine, he taonga*- Every woman is a treasure(Maori proverb)

07-14-2008, 01:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
sedoniaraqs Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: cultural wasteland of the midwestern US Posts: 546	Well, I have been belly dancing for 11 years, and I just started taking a beginning ballet class. I love it, and plan to continue. I had no previous background in ballet or other western dance forms. What I am getting from the class is: 1) improved balance, especially in demipoint, which I use heavily in belly dance. 2) lots of practice doing various kinds of spins, which is useful in belly dance 3) general improvement in lower body strength and flexibility, and also endurance. 4) a general refinement and elegance to my posture and carriage. 5) a general ego boost that at 42, I can make it through the class alive and without injuries. I do not feel like I am in any danger of losing hip or torso flexibility, or becoming "too balletic" in my movement. Let's face reality -- I'm 42 and its a beginning ballet class.

07-14-2008, 02:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mya Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Trinidad Posts: 411	Hello, I don't think it could hurt to do some ballet as many of the others agree that it can help you in certain ways however i think you need to be careful too and make sure that you can partition your knowledge in such a way that you don't start to impose too much western technique on a dance that is innately non-western. For example, the Jenna dvds, i think she breaks things down very clearly in her dvds but they are definitely very western in approach and that leaves a little something out of her style for me - something essence-wise has gone missing. I'm not sure if i make any sense to you here but hopefully i did!

07-14-2008, 03:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
fatinah Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Liverpool Posts: 52	Hi hun, Its addictive this isnt it I personally would take yoga instead to help you become more felxible. I did ballet for years and im now struggling as I have to unlearn all my ballet habits. Ballet lends itself well for the grace and posture etc to bellydance but the stiffness of ballet can give youer hurdles when you try and progress onto the whirly hip grooving bellydance moves. But....you might be ok as you will be taking BOTH classes...all I know is i have to really untrain my mind of ballet postures and movments!!