KuteNurse

Hello to everyone,

I have recently started working on my 3/4 shimmy. I can walk with it in a slow to medium pace, but I still have a ways to go before I get the whole shimmy. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me learn and improve this move?

Tarabelly

You know the rhythm for a waltz? Impossible for me to write it out- Laaaa lalala laaaaa?

3/4 shimmies fit inside this song. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3- Up- down-shift (shifting weight), Up- down- shift, Up-down- Shift. If you can sing it and then add your 3/4 shimmy then you can play with speeding up the song and getting some speed. I've used this in classes and they love it. Other than that.... PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

xo Tara

Mya

When i learnt to waltz (years ago) we were taught it as quick-quick-slow. Is that what you mean here?


Also when i was learning to 3/4 i also had the desire to get it fast, i had to force myself to do it slowly for a long long time to make sure that i had the technique right - my advice is of course to do it slowly for as long as it takes you to do it with the right techniqe, (proper posture etc. no duck butt!) after you're certain that your technique is correct, work on building speed gradually. Also doing it slowly drilled it into my brain to the point where i didn't have to think about what i was doing, so that helped alot too when it came to doing it quickly and not having time to think!

Good luck

Zanbaka

Hi KateNurse!

You might want to find some practice music that starts out slow and increases speed. I have some pieces in 4/4 and 6/8 timing that I use for my classes. A 6/8 song is great for "3/4" shimmies with more of a "triplet" feel (1-2-3-1-2-3 or R-L-R L-R-L) with R and L sides accented to differentiate from an even shimmy. A 4/4 or 2/4 song works well for the timing (1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 or R-L-R-hold-L-R-L-hold).

When you start travelling with the 3/4, changing the accent that you're stepping on can create some exciting variations whether you're doing shimmies that originate from the core, legs, or a shift of weight.

You're on the right track with starting slow and picking up speed. Keep practicing and focus on the quality of the shimmy as you increase speed. Think about posture, isolating the upper body from the lower body, rhythmic clarity, and how you're shimmying/stepping in relation to the downbeat.

Take care and good luck! ~Zanbaka

_____________________
Zanbaka.com - Seattle Performer, Instructor, Choreographer - Online Bazaar

Farasha Hanem

Waltz music is written in 3/4 time, that's why they work so well with 3/4 shimmies. Think of "Blue Danube" with its one-two-three feel. If the rhythm of the song gives you that sort of feeling, it'll work for 3/4 shimmy practice.

Kashmir

Actually around here it is 1,2,3,pause - so not the same as a waltz.

Aniseteph

I agree with Kashmir. I heard it's 3/4 because you move on 3 out of 4 beats, not because it is a 3/4 (Western) time signature. It does fit to waltz time if you even it out, but if you need to be able to put the pause in to use it to 4/4 and 2/4 Arabic rhythms.

If you get used to it as 4/4 you get your ear in to where you can use it, and you've got far more music to practise it speeeding up to!

nightdancer

I got Gypsy Caravan's video a few weeks ago and she does a really good job of explaining the 3/4 shimmy. When I get home, I will got it and write down the explanation. I watched it and thought, "OH!! I get it!!" I've always had a problem with doing this one as well.

(I'm posting that I'll do it when I get home, because it will pop up in the new posts, to remind me, for those that are wondering. Otherwise, I'd tell myself to remember, then forget )

KuteNurse

Thankyou everyone for all the great advice! I will take everyone's advice and start of slowly, getting the correct technique and posture down before I work on speeding things up. I will also get some good music to help me out. I am definately open to more advice My 3/4 shimmy is going well I think. I have been practicing a little bit each day and I can tell that my body is starting to learn the movement to the point that I do not have to think about what I am doing all the time. I watched myself in the mirror and I have some work to do definately, but I think I am headed in the right direction.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.

Tarabelly

Ya, it's an even-ed out waltz, its true! You know how "triplets" in zills (teca dun, Right Left Right) fit inside 4/4? I think example is Baladi or maqsoom. Once the dancer gets the up-down-shift-step or 1-2-3-4, then it needs to leap to 1-2-3, 1-2-3, up down shift, up down shift. The pause disappears, the step gets sucked into the hip up and shift of weight. It has to for the speed to pick up. Easier to show than to write about. Ack!

Glad your 3/4 shimmies are moving you! They are so fun once they become natural.

xo Tara