Essentials
Here you’ll find extracts from all the classes, breaking down the key moves.
29 thoughts on “Essentials”
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Here you’ll find extracts from all the classes, breaking down the key moves.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hi Charlotte – I’ve just noticed that there is no option to comment in the Extras section, not that I have anything to contribute just yet. It may be deliberate but just in case, thought I’d let you know. Also wondering, without adding to your workload, is there any possibility of having comments flagged up so we know when and where they occur? It’s interesting to see what others have to say about the lessons. Love that I can get around from any page to any other page via the Navigator, great planning. Thank you. x
Hi Sue, I just enabled comments under each individual lesson, rather than the ‘portal’ page, because I thought that would be where people might want to comment. But actually it’s probably a nice idea to have them on the portal page for the extras section so people can ask for particular things to be taught. I’ll get that done now and thank you ?
Thanks Charlotte. I received an email from you just now but I can’t reply – odd. My answer was that I couldn’t see anywhere to be able to change those settings, only to change details and payment etc.
Charlotte the “kenya” isn’t a move I really use – it’s nice, are layering a slight undulation as you step & release the opposite foot? Hope that makes sense….!
Hi Emma, yes I am. I’m pulling the belly in when my foot comes across and then releasing it when I step, so it creates an undulation. I also lift the ribcage at the end which accentuates it a bit more x
Hi Charlotte, sometime in the course could you cover Omi’s , i see some really beautiful ones done , small ,neat and quick, ive never had a proper explanation of the mechanics of it , im still struggling with numb abs after my hysterectomy last year but slowly getting my camels back again, so at least if i see the proper technique , i can still have a good stab at doing them
Thank you Charlotte,
that helped clear up the technique needed, no wonder i had problems i had been taught to think about my actual pelvis , i gave up trying to make heaving a large bone around at different points and just went with the moving the legs like in your beginner style, its going to take some work to get my abs to comply again but im determined to get it right
Blimey I’ve just tried that and, as you say it feels really heavy! And not very safe for your back either…
If you’ve had abdominal surgery it might take a while for your abs to comply (if ever) but you can concentrate more on the obliques and also see if you can feel the psoas and get that engagin. Both of those should hopefully still be working…
I tried the jewel and omis video’s, love the technical advice re the muscles to use. I will be working on perfecting these.
Thank you so much for your comment Linda – I’m really glad the advice was helpful! xx
Always thought of Omi’s as an internal hip circle using either glutes or obliques or a combo of both. Going to try and find my psoas now!
I guess you could use your obliques, but the psoas is the muscle that directly moves the pelvis so it makes more sense to me… but I think we need to avoid using the glutes too much as it sets dancers up for having periformis syndrome, which is a literal pain in the bum ?
Love the omi/umi (!) video thank you – I know how to do them but always like to hear how other people “teach” them for if it helps for when I am teaching them to think about it from a different angle. And I am so glad you mentioned about preference in direction as I will ALWAYS favour omi-ing clockwise!! 🙂
Yes, I’m like you – always looking for new ways of teaching a move in the hope I can help someone get that ‘aha’ moment…
As for the omi directions, it’s a nightmare when you’re choroegraphing for a group – there’s always 50% of them unhappy!!
Hi Charlotte, thanks for these videos – I love Omi one as I was taught the way using glues and when I tried using psoas, I felt it more natural and smoother. The Arabesques video – it looks it was cut off at the end (3:09 mins long). Have I watched the full length or is there any technical issue?
Hi Kana, I’m really glad you like the omi technique and found it helpful. The arabesque video is cut out of the main class and so it does end abruptly, but I’ll do a better video specifically on the subject of arabesques x
That’s great thanks Charlotte xx
Hi Kana, the new arabesque video is up now, I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Charlotte
Loving the Arabesques…. especially the last one that you learnt 15 years ago. I am hoping it might fit into my choreography somewhere. I will let you know and when l get to that part will send you a video. Still working on the first part though….promise ?
Hi Pauline, I’m so glad you enjoyed the arabesques and I look forward to seeing them!
Hi Charlotte. Thank you for your arabesque lesson. I tried going over the first technique with my pilates teacher – an ex principal dancer at ENB (brave I know!). All she said was “make the floor your friend”. I’m not quite sure what she meant but I guess it’s the pushing down on the floor as you go up with the standing leg?
Hi Stephanie, I’m so sorry I’ve only just noticed your comment…
Yes, your pilates teacher is indeed meaning to push down on the floor as you go up on the standing leg. But you don’t want to just push down, you also want to pull up in the core (lower abs) at the same time. That creates a core of steel from the floor to your torso and right up through your body and gives you strength and stability.
Hi Charlotte finally got round to watching the arabesque video thank you – some great tips for foot placement. I actually love using the backward step arabesque it usually features in most of my solos at some point! I just love how graceful it is!
Ahhhh I’m so glad that someone is still doing them!! xx
Hi Sureya, Charlotte, just finished watching the fluttering video. Thank you for the tips 🙂
Wow those belly flutters are amazing !!!!!
She’s brilliant isn’t she!
Dear Charlotte, I love how wonderful dancer and teacher you are. so happy to learn from you, i want to ask you to. please make special series with all the footwork, i see alot of dancer name Arabic 4 steps different , Grapvine step, Chasse step, scissor, samba step, step touch or step tap, V steps, shuffl steps, and much more i can’t find any series about foot work or hand work can you please teach us all footwork steps?
Hi Dareen
Thanks so much for your lovely comments and for your question about footwork – that’s a really good idea! Footwork is the absolute foundation of dancing and it’s not really taught that much. I’ll definitely add some footwork videos into this section. Just so you know, I also teach any steps we use as we go through the lessons because I believe so strongly in the importance of footwork – hopefully that will help too.
The only thing I would say though, is that teachers have different names for different things – because we are teaching a dance from a different language we often literally make them up! So for example, I’ve never heard of the scissor step. And the step touch and the step tap are probably the same thing (although I’m not sure – I always call it a step touch.)
So thank you for the suggestion – it’s a great one and I’ll definitely do it soon!
Charlotte xx