Improve Your Undulations With This Element
“April showers bring May flowers”
I remember hearing this sweet little phrase growing up.
“April showers” is our inspiration this month on fcbdU. More specifically the flowing, rippling and seamless qualities associated with the element of water.
The properties of each element: earth, air, fire and water can be found throughout dance. For instance, last month we talked a little about the element of Earth which applied to movements like the Mazin-Inspired Shimmy and Box Step (just to name a few). This month we are exploring water as it applies it to our Bodywaves and Rhythmic Undulation (Arabic) family.
Tapping into the element of water will help you find more softness and fluidity in your movements, more smooth transitions and an overall sense of calm or letting go. This is where you find more range of motion, longer figure 8s, more undulation in your bodywaves, bigger, softer hip movements and graceful, more balanced turns.
If fire is the exciting “active” energy in dance, water is the soothing “release”
Of course, you can’t have one without the other, but focus your energy on certain elements can greatly shift the quality and feel of the movement.
Our Bodywaves and Rhythmic Undulation (Arabic) family both have the initial lift/contraction to begin, but the movement is really showcased in the fluid release down the spine, the flow and letting go. The more you can tap into the element of water, the smoother, more fluid this release will feel.
Sure…spine mobility, articulation, isolating the undulation from the shoulders, etc. are essential to technique, but dance is both science AND art. Kinesiology AND energetics. Like a painter….we need to understand how to best use our tools, but having a vision or inspiration will help us truly create the magic.
This topic is much deeper than I can cover here today. In fact, I taught full 15 hour series on this last year and dedicate a full day of my Alignment course to this element, but for now I just wanted to inspire you to think about this elemental, energetic aspect this month and see how it affects your movements.
This week our class recommendations (and livestream) will guide you through just how to tune into this element for more fluid, isolated undulations. Dance with more ease, feel the magic of flow and embrace the element of Water. I want to encourage you to dance to a song before you take “Ride the Wave” and then dance to the same song right afterwards. I guarantee you will FEEL the difference and love it!
As always, I love to hear from you so feel free to email or DM me and let’s chat!