Beginning Middle Eastern Dance Class Outline
By Rabiah Banu - Fairbanks, AK
(Editor's Note: This is a suggested class outline for general use, generously
supplied on request by Rabiah (Thank you)! It is not in anyway 'official'
or definitive, so add or delete what you will, but this is pretty good.
If you have an independently developed outline you'd like to contribute,
please let me know --Stefan)
Beginner Outline:
- Basic Stance
- Basic Egyptian Walk
- Three Step Turn (with Hip, Touch, and Arms)
- Basic Egyptian Pivot Turn
- Grapevine
- Basic Choo-Choo Shimmy
- Full Body Shimmy
- Walking with the Shimmy (Flat-footed, on toes)
- Shoulder Shimmy
- Shoulder Shimmy combined with Three Step Turn with Touch
- Ribcage Slide
- side to side
- front to back
- up and down
- Ribcage Lift
- Ribcage Drop
- Ribcage Circles (Horizontal, vertical)
- Camel Walk
- Basic Hip Circle
- Basic Hip Circle Turn
- Belly Roll and Flutter
- Basic Veil Work
- several veil wraps
- how to hold the veil
- veil spin
- veil swoops
- envelope
- tent
- Basic Arm Movements and Positions
- Basic Floorwork
- how to get down to the floor
- movements while kneeling
- movements while lying on side
- how to get up gracefully
- Basic Finger Cymbals and Drum Rhythms
- how to put zills on
- what sounds they make
- beladi and cifetelli rhythms
I tend to strongly emphasize the correct stance in all of my classes. I
find that the bent kneed posture seems to be the hardest thing for beginners
to learn and it affects all the other movements. I just started learning
how to play the doumbec last December. This is the first class I have incorporated
simple doumbec instruction into. My students have indicated that it helps
their zill playing when they can listen to a clear drumbeat. This year I
will be teaching them how to play the drum as well as zill.
I hope this helps.
-Rabiah
Send questions/comments to Rabiah Banu (fnrlr1@aurora.alaska.edu)
This page last updated November 1, 1995, by Stefan, (dduncan@efn.org)