Improvisation - help! - Page 3

Aniseteph · 05-04-2007, 11:22 PM

Well I had a day off work today and have been practising a bit

I do like the sticking to a couple of moves approach; it really helps focus on moving to the music and takes away the OMG what am I going to do next pressures. Maybe that's why I'm better at micro-improvising at the bus stop with the MP3 player on - limited repertoire of very small moves to choose from, or I'll get arrested or cause an accident!

We've done a little improv before (class is about 1-2 years experience) and I really enjoyed it then. We did some taking turns in the circle - perhaps that's the no-mirror thing, and that you are getting support from everyone else, but it went a lot better than the last class where we just found a space.

And I wonder if this ties in with what Maria said about classic songs - we did a little bit to a fairly traditional piece and our teacher gave us a little story to work to, and I LOVED that - for a few moments I got it! So there is hope. Maybe I need to act a bit just to get in tune with my inner bellydancer...

belly_dancer · 05-05-2007, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

ME TOO!!! What is up with that?? I improv-ed about 3 minutes with Uncle Mafufo and LOVED it!!! But then I sat back down, horrified to do any more.

Why are we so afriad of this? When I'm on the regular dance floor, I'm a dancing fool, but stick me in any situation where there's the remotest hint of live drummers or middle eastern music and I freeze.

SStacy -- it does help if you've had a few margaritas beforehand. That's how I ended up dancing with Armando. Maybe if I'd had a few more, I would have done a whole song...

OOOOOHHHHH... Uncle M was my FIRST!!!!!(live music!

... sillies....way back... 1992 I think.... damn... that was FOREVER ago.... )
JUST do it (sorry for the Nike quote!!!!) NOW... before you are my age....
(ps... yep the Margarita approach may help some of you.... just don't over do it!!)

& I STILL WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE MY CHALLENGE.... just 15 min a day "improv" to unknown cd's (preferrably middle eastern.. the "patterns" of the music will get into your body faster, then you will be able to dance to any (ok.. well at least most!!) mid east music.. without knowing why)...

janaki · 05-05-2007, 01:41 AM

Hi all,

I would like to share with you all what Raqia Hassan(my favourite master teacher/choreographer) told me few years ago, when I asked her about improvisation. This is what she said;

1. Feel the music and the beat

2. Listen first, relax and enjoy the music. Music tell you what to do with your body.

3. Dance after. Listen first and dance later.

4. Of course, you need to have a solid techinque and understading of arabic rhythms and music.

5. Knowing the language helps !!!

One of my other american belly dance master taught me how to count music and notice the repeated patterns in the music. Once you finished listening to the music you will see a well structured repeated patterns in many pieces (classical music is very complex though) music. The sturcture remains the same more or less in many songs especially if they are pop no. Listeing to music is a good excercise!!! It helped me lot with bellydancing. But don't get into a habbit of couting your music though!!!!

These two approaches to improvisation are totally different. For a non arabic person like me, I like to follow both advises.

Cheers
Janaki

Aziyade · 05-05-2007, 04:29 PM

I ACCEPT your challenge!

Actually I did this last night and had a blast. It's just when I think about "performing" improv that I freak.

I can do 15 minutes a day -- let's see what happens in 30 days.

I'm excited!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by belly_dancer

& I STILL WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE MY CHALLENGE.... just 15 min a day "improv" to unknown cd's (preferrably middle eastern.. the "patterns" of the music will get into your body faster, then you will be able to dance to any (ok.. well at least most!!) mid east music.. without knowing why)...

belly_dancer · 05-06-2007, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aziyade

I ACCEPT your challenge!

Actually I did this last night and had a blast. It's just when I think about "performing" improv that I freak.

I can do 15 minutes a day -- let's see what happens in 30 days.

I'm excited!!!

WHEEEEE!!!!! I am excited for you.... (esp. cause I just asked for one week & YOU are giving me a whole month!!!!)
now will the rest of you jump on the "improv" wagon????
remember... "no thinking allowed"!!!!! just

maariku · 05-13-2007, 10:39 AM

I'll try to squeeze that into my morning routine this upcoming week.. Should give a good start to the day

Let's see how it works out...

Eshta · 05-13-2007, 12:44 PM

Ooh, can I take up the challenge too?! I used to love improvising but lately have been working on very 'choreographed' pieces and found I'm completely out of practice! It's only when I lost it that I realise the art of improvising takes practice

!!

15 minutes a day improv, let's see how it goes!

Meziena · 05-17-2007, 01:42 PM

Begginners really inspire me with their improvisation! They instinctively know to do similar things when the music repeats itself, they don't chase every single accent, if they don't know what to do next they have a default move, they stick with a few moves they know well and repeat them in different ways... because they don't "overthink" and they have a relistic expectation of themselves. It's all about how they perform it, not what they do.

sstacy123 · 06-22-2007, 06:31 PM

So??? Of the people who took the challege do you think it helped?

belly_dancer · 06-22-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sstacy123

So??? Of the people who took the challege do you think it helped?

I am sure it did.... even if they were not able to do EVERY day....I too would love to hear of your experiences with it!?!

05-13-2007, 10:39 AM	#26 (permalink)
maariku Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Estonia Posts: 1,146	I'll try to squeeze that into my morning routine this upcoming week.. Should give a good start to the day Let's see how it works out... __________________ "[A good bellydancer] must express life, death, happiness, sorrow, love and anger, but above all she must have dignity." -Tahia Carioca,

05-04-2007, 11:22 PM	#21 (permalink)
Aniseteph V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 1,687	Well I had a day off work today and have been practising a bit I do like the sticking to a couple of moves approach; it really helps focus on moving to the music and takes away the OMG what am I going to do next pressures. Maybe that's why I'm better at micro-improvising at the bus stop with the MP3 player on - limited repertoire of very small moves to choose from, or I'll get arrested or cause an accident! We've done a little improv before (class is about 1-2 years experience) and I really enjoyed it then. We did some taking turns in the circle - perhaps that's the no-mirror thing, and that you are getting support from everyone else, but it went a lot better than the last class where we just found a space. And I wonder if this ties in with what Maria said about classic songs - we did a little bit to a fairly traditional piece and our teacher gave us a little story to work to, and I LOVED that - for a few moments I got it! So there is hope. Maybe I need to act a bit just to get in tune with my inner bellydancer...

05-05-2007, 01:41 AM	#23 (permalink)
janaki V.I.P. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: hong kong Posts: 1,211	Hi all, I would like to share with you all what Raqia Hassan(my favourite master teacher/choreographer) told me few years ago, when I asked her about improvisation. This is what she said; 1. Feel the music and the beat 2. Listen first, relax and enjoy the music. Music tell you what to do with your body. 3. Dance after. Listen first and dance later. 4. Of course, you need to have a solid techinque and understading of arabic rhythms and music. 5. Knowing the language helps !!! One of my other american belly dance master taught me how to count music and notice the repeated patterns in the music. Once you finished listening to the music you will see a well structured repeated patterns in many pieces (classical music is very complex though) music. The sturcture remains the same more or less in many songs especially if they are pop no. Listeing to music is a good excercise!!! It helped me lot with bellydancing. But don't get into a habbit of couting your music though!!!! These two approaches to improvisation are totally different. For a non arabic person like me, I like to follow both advises. Cheers Janaki

05-13-2007, 12:44 PM	#27 (permalink)
Eshta Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 328	Ooh, can I take up the challenge too?! I used to love improvising but lately have been working on very 'choreographed' pieces and found I'm completely out of practice! It's only when I lost it that I realise the art of improvising takes practice !! 15 minutes a day improv, let's see how it goes!

05-17-2007, 01:42 PM	#28 (permalink)
Meziena Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cap Bon, Tunisia Posts: 8	Begginners really inspire me with their improvisation! They instinctively know to do similar things when the music repeats itself, they don't chase every single accent, if they don't know what to do next they have a default move, they stick with a few moves they know well and repeat them in different ways... because they don't "overthink" and they have a relistic expectation of themselves. It's all about how they perform it, not what they do.

06-22-2007, 06:31 PM	#29 (permalink)
sstacy123 Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama, USA Posts: 487	So??? Of the people who took the challege do you think it helped?