"Dance the Elements"

WATER CANCER SCORPIO PISCES WATER CHOREOGRAPHY <click image for choreography>	The element of WATER in Bellydance is sensual, deep, soothing, mesmerizing and mysterious. Figure eights, shoulder rolls and undulations are a feature of the Water element. Water expresses femininity, intuition and beauty. Keep hands elegant and dance movements graceful and flowing. The Water element brings out emotion and sensitivity. Its energy and moods are a blend of receptivity, feeling and intimacy. 3 week lesson plan: Week 1: Teach the three WATER routines Week 2: Layer 2-3 lines of dancers performing water routines in choreography, like waves in various shades of blue Week 3: Incorporate the WATER routines into a theatrical improvised dance 'taqsim' - Cancer's feminine qualities, Scorpio's myserty and Pisces flowing elegance.
FIRE ARIES LEO SAGITTARIUS FIRE CHOREOGRAPHY <click image for choreography>	The element of FIRE in Bellydance is passionate, dynamic, proud, powerful and exciting! Aries rules the head, Leo the heart and back and Sagittarius the thighs. Shimmies, travelling steps and expressive gesture are a feature of the Fire element. Fire brings forth courage, boldness and creativity. Keep hands and face expressive and dance movements gesturing outwards. Fire's spirit is lively and flamboyant, generous in nature and always extremely confident. The Fire element brings out passion and strength. Its energy and moods are a blend of openess, reaching out and giving. 3 week lesson plan: Week 1: Teach the three FIRE routines Week 2: In red and yellow scarves and skirts, the group dances like flames, in close formation, in a circle facing both in and outward. Week 3: A dynamic layered choreography in reds, in a circle using a cane - each dancer in circle is an odd or even number. Saiidi Sagittarius step is the constant while odd no. dancers come forth to perform Leo and evens perform Aries routines, then swap.
EARTH TAURUS VIRGO CAPRICORN EARTH CHOREOGRAPHY <click image for choreography>	The element of EARTH in Bellydance is robust, sensual, grounded, rhythmic and strong. Taurus rules the throat and shoulders, Virgo the belly and Capricorn the knees. Earth signs are usually good at playing tabla and zills. Powerful shimmies, stealthy steps and grounded gesture are a feature of the Earth element. Patterns in the rhythms are the secret to keeping the power in the earth sign's dance. Keep hands and face relaxed, confident and hand movements gesturing downwards towards earth or at hips. The Earth element grounds the dance, giving it dynamic form and reality. Its energy and moods are a blend of receptivity and instinct; receptivity to drums (especially to live tabla rhythms) and instinctive technique (particularly with movements of the hips). 3 week lesson plan: Week 1: Teach the three EARTH routines Week 2: Live drums and jam session with earth routines Week 3: Layered choreography with dancers in a square formation, doing earth routines facing one another.
AIR GEMINI LIBRA AQUARIUS AIR CHOREOGRAPHY <click image for choreography>	The element of AIR in Bellydance is light, playful, flirtatious and free. Gemini rules the hands, Libra the hips and Aquarius the ankles. Air signs can spin, tur and travel with ease and have a sinewy graceful flow to their dance. Freedom and expressiveness are enabled through the added character shown through the articulation of the hands and face, with many upward gestures. The Air element requires freedom, space and room to move. Its energy and moods are a blend of changeability and clever expression. 3 week lesson plan: Week 1: Teach the three AIR routines Week 2: Use veil with each routines (see AstroBelly DVD Indi fusion) Week 3: Layered choreography with veil where dancers facing each other, two dancers at a time mirror and reflect each other with the flowing routines. Effect is light a bird or butterfly in flight.
	Finish the 12 week course with SOIREE with the "Elements in Dance" theme, with foods from each of the groups served on tables with different coloured cloths: Hot spicy dishes on the FIRE table, with a red cloth, yellow saffron rice and green vegetables on the EARTH table with a green cloth, friuts and drinks on the WATER table with blue cloth and Persian spun sugar dessert (white fairy floss) on the AIR table with a white cloth. Students can then perform the choreographies in groups for each Element!