My Dance Drill Routine

[shanmonster]

Here's what I've been doing for "daily" dance practice lately. It's based a bit on a Rachel Brice practice routine, with my own trouble areas added in for extra work.

First of all, I load up I'd Hit It on Pandora, and then I do this:

100 hip ups
100 hip downs
30 chest lifts
30 horizontal chest circles in either direction
30 vertical chest circles in either direction
50 rolls down
50 rolls up
30 umis each direction
30 Rachel locks (roll down, roll up, umi, roll up)
30 Mayas
15 one-legged Mayas (per leg)
30 Taxims
15 one-legged Taxims (per leg)
30 hip slides
about 3 minutes of Egyptian shimmies
about 3 minutes of Egyptian shimmies layered over hip slides
about 3 minutes of Egyptian shimmies over hip ups
about 3 minutes of 3/4 shimmies

When I'm through work, I'll add in a floorwork practice routine, too.

I don't have a specific line-up for it yet, but it will certainly include dragons (side to side, and front to back). I want to work my way back up to doing pistols (one-legged squats from floor to upright, with other leg extended straight in front) again, too.

I both look forward to and fear this routine.

Comments

[ysathora.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for linking to Pandora in bellydancing! I'm loving all the cool new music.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I think it's an excellent resource.

[(Anonymous)]

No Goun Gee Kuen anymore?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Gung gee isn't dance.

Goun Gee Kuen?

[(Anonymous)]

I had somehow gotten the impression that you were at one time doing or learning the Hung Gar version of the strength program/form Goun Gee Kuen. Is that incorrect? Obviously you learned Gung Gee Fuk Fu Kuen. Goun Gee Kuen is the most valuable form I have learned in my 38 years in the arts, except for the Yang Old Form; it is 256 moves long (a double 128 set) and changes, improves, and informs every single thing that I and my students do. It vastly improves all movement, not just martial arts. If you have not learned Goun Gee Kuen, and are interested, I can mail you a video copy suitable for learning from. Let me know if you are interested--BDW

Re: Goun Gee Kuen?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Oh, I do know Gung Gee. I just don't do it as dance.

I'm sad to say I've done very little kung fu over the past couple of months, and not just because I can't attend classes. After I sprained my feet, I had to take it really easy on the footses. I tried doing forms a few times, but my feet hadn't completely healed, and parts of the forms re-injured my feet. Grr....

I think they're almost completely back to normal, now. My right ankle started twingeing in a distressing way last week, so I'm exercising caution, but I was able to do jumping double kicks a couple of weeks ago. That's a good sign....

I hope to be back to kung fu within the month. There's a Hung Gar kwoon nearby which looks promising. I just haven't been able to go because of work. Soon, that will no longer be the case. Whee!

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

What is the move you are referring to as "taxims?" And when you refer to "umi" vs "maya" you mean horizontal figure 8 with the hips vs vertical figure 8 with the hips, right?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Taxims are vertical figure 8s of hips scooping up from the outside and rolling down through the centre.

Mayas are vertical figure 8s coming up the centre and rolling down the outside.

Umis are a very isolated circular movement through the pelvis. It's pelvic tuck forward, hip up on the side, neutral to the back, hip up on the other side, and back to the pelvic tuck. It looks a bit like a hubcap wobbling its way to the ground after spinning.