Your thoughts on head slides

jenc · 02-09-2010, 09:30 AM

we are just learning a dance, a section of which we are to choreograph a nippet in small groups. One of my group of 3 suggested head slides with the other (an ATS dancer) agreed. I hate head slides
1 don't think they are Egyptian style.
2 they draw attention to your cute face, unless you are over 60 with developing jowls, grey hair, wrinkles and glasses in which case (mine) they are probably best avoided
3 can't do them except very occasionally and almost certainly not in the middle of a performance when they will make me feel like a self-conscious prat.

I feel that if they insist on these I will have to practice daily to do something that makes me miserable.

OK rant over. do you like them, do you do them

lizaj · 02-09-2010, 09:55 AM

What head slides has to do with ATS, I dread to think so why it should be a tribal dancer suggest mmm except that of course they are open to fusion. I've always known then as Hindi headslides and assumed they came from Indian dance. But I am open to correction. I have seen belly dancers utilise them successfully but sparingly and even in EGyptian there is always a borrowing form other dancers ballet,Latin.

I assumed that most teachers do them as an isolation exercise but I've always been told just as with chest lifts they are just dropped into a routine very very sparingly.
And when you talk about ATS dancers these days they had better be Fatchance trained

We call ourselves ATS-inspired!

jenc · 02-09-2010, 10:26 AM

The suggestion is that we each pick a favourite move and just string them together. I demurred, said I'd rather try out some things with the music first.

I just mentioned the ATS to show that she hasn't been dancing with us (egyptians) very long. They are ATS trained and I understood her to be the second in command. Anyway she talks as if she choreos stuff. But really. Suppose I chose a butt circle - we'd look so classy.

I guess one of my main peeves is that they make my neck look like a superannuated tortoise, otherwise I suppose I'd just grit my teeth (figuratively) and do it.

i suppose I should have said I'd always thought of those as an accent and where exactly do you think they fit the music.

I just said I couldn't do them and was told that I could (after trying a couple of times) BUT I know that mid-dance - just like my chest drops, the cool way to do them will desert me>

bellyfester · 02-09-2010, 10:38 AM

I like them as a lighthearted accent oriental style.

But Ive seen on a Fat Chance DVD Carolena do them well and they look very effective. I think you need a certain amount of attitude and flexibility though to pull them off. I can picture a scared performer with 'rabbit in head light' eyes wobbling her head unconvincingly may look a little freaky!

jenc · 02-09-2010, 10:59 AM

rabbit eyes and tortoise neck! How attrACTIVE!

Mosaic · 02-09-2010, 12:02 PM

I don't like headslides, they are kind of fantasy ancient Egyptian-y to me. In Indian dance they look natural as they suit the traditional Indian dances and are a part of the tradtion, same as the Balinese dancers they also do the headslide with rolling eyes. I would just say sorry I don't think they look right and give the reasons you have stated here.
~Mosaic

Azrael · 02-09-2010, 12:12 PM

I think that headslides can be a nice "accent" on a move. I do a lot of tribal fusion dance and we do more head "jerks" than slides... Much like Zoe Jakes in this clip (around 0.10) It's really creepy but I like it, I guess. (and that turn at 0.36! Wow)

I don't really like those Indian-style serious head slides as a move on it's own.. I don't think I've ever really seen it done where it doesn't look cheesy or cliché? If somebody could point me in the right direction (a youtube vid, perhaps?) then I'd love to see it!

Cheart · 02-09-2010, 12:39 PM

We use them but they are used very sparingly and are not the main focus. Mostly used as an accent. Even then it might just be 1 or 2 done in a row. I find that if they are not done well or corectly they can ruin a dance, as well if to many are used.

Also they need to be placed correctly so that it flows with the dance and music. If not then it just looks really, really out of place.

Gia al Qamar · 02-09-2010, 02:04 PM

Headslides have been adopted by Middle Eastern dancers the same way that 'snake arms' are also used...both of these are Hindi and have become a part of the dance...nothing wrong with it unless you, yourself don't like em!

mahsati_janan · 02-09-2010, 02:16 PM

Here is a classical Egyptian example of head slides as an accent from Suheir Zaki at a little past 2:00

YouTube - Suheir Zaki - a bellydance Legend

02-09-2010, 09:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
jenc V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Colchester UK Posts: 1,793	Your thoughts on head slides we are just learning a dance, a section of which we are to choreograph a nippet in small groups. One of my group of 3 suggested head slides with the other (an ATS dancer) agreed. I hate head slides 1 don't think they are Egyptian style. 2 they draw attention to your cute face, unless you are over 60 with developing jowls, grey hair, wrinkles and glasses in which case (mine) they are probably best avoided 3 can't do them except very occasionally and almost certainly not in the middle of a performance when they will make me feel like a self-conscious prat. I feel that if they insist on these I will have to practice daily to do something that makes me miserable. OK rant over. do you like them, do you do them

02-09-2010, 10:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
jenc V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Colchester UK Posts: 1,793	The suggestion is that we each pick a favourite move and just string them together. I demurred, said I'd rather try out some things with the music first. I just mentioned the ATS to show that she hasn't been dancing with us (egyptians) very long. They are ATS trained and I understood her to be the second in command. Anyway she talks as if she choreos stuff. But really. Suppose I chose a butt circle - we'd look so classy. I guess one of my main peeves is that they make my neck look like a superannuated tortoise, otherwise I suppose I'd just grit my teeth (figuratively) and do it. i suppose I should have said I'd always thought of those as an accent and where exactly do you think they fit the music. I just said I couldn't do them and was told that I could (after trying a couple of times) BUT I know that mid-dance - just like my chest drops, the cool way to do them will desert me> Last edited by jenc; 02-09-2010 at 10:30 AM..

02-09-2010, 12:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mosaic Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Melbourne Australia, but a Kiwi Posts: 3,786	I don't like headslides, they are kind of fantasy ancient Egyptian-y to me. In Indian dance they look natural as they suit the traditional Indian dances and are a part of the tradtion, same as the Balinese dancers they also do the headslide with rolling eyes. I would just say sorry I don't think they look right and give the reasons you have stated here. ~Mosaic __________________ When your soles rest on the floor and you balance your weight on both of them, then you can rest in yourself, you are in your centre. With every step, you renew contact and the connection to the earth, to matter, to Mater the Mother. ~ Rosina Fawzia Al - Rawi

02-09-2010, 12:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Azrael Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 149	I think that headslides can be a nice "accent" on a move. I do a lot of tribal fusion dance and we do more head "jerks" than slides... Much like Zoe Jakes in this clip (around 0.10) It's really creepy but I like it, I guess. (and that turn at 0.36! Wow) I don't really like those Indian-style serious head slides as a move on it's own.. I don't think I've ever really seen it done where it doesn't look cheesy or cliché? If somebody could point me in the right direction (a youtube vid, perhaps?) then I'd love to see it! __________________ To watch us dance, is to hear our hearts speak... http://thebellydanceblog.wordpress.com Last edited by gisela; 02-10-2010 at 02:48 AM.. Reason: fixed the youtube embedding

02-09-2010, 12:39 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cheart Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 567	We use them but they are used very sparingly and are not the main focus. Mostly used as an accent. Even then it might just be 1 or 2 done in a row. I find that if they are not done well or corectly they can ruin a dance, as well if to many are used. Also they need to be placed correctly so that it flows with the dance and music. If not then it just looks really, really out of place. __________________ um..... (insert some great signature here)

02-09-2010, 09:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
lizaj Moderator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: UK Posts: 4,247	What head slides has to do with ATS, I dread to think so why it should be a tribal dancer suggest mmm except that of course they are open to fusion. I've always known then as Hindi headslides and assumed they came from Indian dance. But I am open to correction. I have seen belly dancers utilise them successfully but sparingly and even in EGyptian there is always a borrowing form other dancers ballet,Latin. I assumed that most teachers do them as an isolation exercise but I've always been told just as with chest lifts they are just dropped into a routine very very sparingly. And when you talk about ATS dancers these days they had better be Fatchance trained We call ourselves ATS-inspired!

02-09-2010, 10:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
bellyfester Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Liverpool Posts: 78	I like them as a lighthearted accent oriental style. But Ive seen on a Fat Chance DVD Carolena do them well and they look very effective. I think you need a certain amount of attitude and flexibility though to pull them off. I can picture a scared performer with 'rabbit in head light' eyes wobbling her head unconvincingly may look a little freaky!

02-09-2010, 10:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
jenc V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Colchester UK Posts: 1,793	rabbit eyes and tortoise neck! How attrACTIVE!

02-09-2010, 02:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gia al Qamar Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Northern NJ New Jersey Posts: 693	Headslides have been adopted by Middle Eastern dancers the same way that 'snake arms' are also used...both of these are Hindi and have become a part of the dance...nothing wrong with it unless you, yourself don't like em! __________________ www.IDreamOfGia.com Shows & Classes by NJ Belly Dancer Gia al Qamar * VOTED FAVORITE NJ TEACHER by NJBELLYDANCING!

02-09-2010, 02:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
mahsati_janan Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Asheville, NC, USA Posts: 55	Here is a classical Egyptian example of head slides as an accent from Suheir Zaki at a little past 2:00 YouTube - Suheir Zaki - a bellydance Legend __________________ Mahsati Janan ~ Dance Artist