Can a person succeed at belly dancing if they have trouble coordinating their body movements?
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M$2 Answers
In classes that teach choreographies right away--even simple ones aimed at beginner level dances--it can be hard to really "get" the individual skills when it's just 16 counts of this and then 8 counts of that, etc., and there's the additional strain on the brain of not just knowing the movements but remembering the order they come in.
I have been a professional tribal fusion teacher and performer since 1996. A funny thing ... 20 years ago I felt just like you :-) For me, the success was all about finding instruction focused on "owning" each of the basic skills before having choreographies thrown at me.
Personal experience--I'm a professional (tribal fusion style) bellydance instructor and performer
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M$
You can train your body in the following ways:
1. Take private lessons from an instructor for any dance form you really like.
2. Take group lessons from an instructor. The disadvantage is that you may not get all the attention you need but it will be the cheaper alternative.
3. Buy dance instructions DVDs and learn. This is not a very good alternative if your body needs training on the basics of movement.
4. Look for dance training videos on Youtube. The videos are free and will give you an idea about the dance form and its movement patterns.
The main thing to remember is not to be discouraged :) Irrespective of your natural body rhythm, the money you can afford for lessons or many other restrictions there WILL be an alternative that you can work out to learn dancing :)
Good Luck
My Wife (who wrote this)
- Learned Indian classical dance for 13 years.
- Currently teaches Bollywood (all the hip-shaking you can imagine) dance.
- Learning Ballroom and Latin dancing for the past 2 years.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
If by succeed you mean get into it and enjoy it then yes! I have been taking belly dance classes for years and have seen all types of dancers. Some have a very natural ability and progress quickly to performing while others slowly work on building their basic skill set (and of course there is every level in between). What I think all the dancers I've been around have in common is that they enjoy it and get something all their own out of it.
If your budget allows, try a group class, especially if it isn't too large. That way you won't feel like the center of attention, but will also get some quality time with the instructor. If you are doing your best and having fun no one should label you a "helpless cause" and if a class or instructor makes you feel like that, look for another. Also remember that there are a lot of moves in belly dancing that don't really seem natural to the body (or at least not to how most of us are used to moving our bodies) so very rarely is it going to look great after just a class or two. Give it time and regardless of whether you end up performing on a world tour or just taking basic classes, enjoy it!
