Bicycle Shimmy

topic posted Tue, October 23, 2007 - 9:09 PM by  tArAbArA
Share/Save/Bookmark
Advertisement
Shay and Renee!
I read on bellydance movements someone was asking about a bicycle shimmy and when i took your workshop at 3rd C, Shay taught the bicycle shimmy..or emphasized it. That was my first time hearing about the bicycle shimmy and fell in love with the move =)
I want to start the topic here to help out a fellow dancer!
Thanks!
Tara
posted by:
tArAbArA
Houston
Advertisement
Advertisement
  • Re: Bicycle Shimmy

    Tue, October 23, 2007 - 10:33 PM
    Hey baybeeee!
    Bicycle shimmy is our default shimmy in our style (based on Gypsy Caravan). So when we just say "shimmy", that is the shimmy we mean. if we specify "up shimmy" or "down shimmy" or "ghawazee shimmy" then we mean something else.

    So you want to know how to do it, or just what it is?

    It is what many people know as a walking shimmy, or a fast version of the hagallah shimmy. Essentially it is a down 3/4 shimmy, but with a forward twist in the hips on each step, so your hips kinda rotate like the pedals of a bicycle.

    If this isn't enough to go on, I can try to break it down more. It's tough in mail, but I can try!
    • Re: Bicycle Shimmy

      Tue, October 23, 2007 - 10:41 PM
      And incidentally, you can see us doing it a few times in this video:

      infusiontribal.com/gallery/demo

      Two notable places:
      At about 1:30-1:40 the chorus is doing it. Smaller than usual since they are in chorus, but you can see the forward and down action on the 3/4 shimmy.

      Again at 1:48, traveling in a circle
      • Re: Bicycle Shimmy

        Wed, October 24, 2007 - 6:29 AM
        I think she wanted to know HOW to do it o.O

        could ya break 'er down? Thanks!

        *MWAH!*

        jooOOOoo RAWK!

        ;)
        • Re: Bicycle Shimmy

          Wed, October 24, 2007 - 11:31 AM
          Alright, this is like any other shimmy--you can break it down to the nth degree, but ultimately, you gotta just DO it , relax and go for it.

          So first let's break down the timing.

          The accent in this move sounds like this:
          and-a-DOWN and-a-DOWN and-a-DOWN
          Where the DOWN is your beats in the music so it would be
          and-a-ONE and-a-TWO and-a-THREE

          With me so far?

          Starting on your right side, let's do this:
          Tap the right hip down
          Lift the hip up
          Step forward and drop the hip down and forward

          Repeat left side
          Down
          Up
          DOWN

          Down
          Up
          Down

          This is the Hagallah shimmy, or what we call the articulated shimmy. It is am uber broken-down bicycle shimmy.

          When you speed it up, it becomes the shimmy you saw in the video posted above. The accent is on the THIRD movement. It corresponds with triples on your zills.
          1-2-*3* 1-2-*3* 1-2-*3* 1-2-*3*
          or as I say in class
          da-da-DA da-da-DA da-da-DA

          Does this help?

          As I said, you really have to try it and learn to let things shake. It is the balance between control and letting go that makes a shimmy really successful!

          Keep me posted!

Recent topics in "inFusion Tribal Belly Dance"