Tribe.net. Local Connections Carrie http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#466d3f7e-19ef-4212-8aee-938e957dfd0a 2009-07-20T17:21:11Z 2009-07-20T17:21:11Z

The woman in my troupe who I've been dancing with the longest has a very different body than mine. I totally have Megha's body type(just not as tall), and she is really short and narrow. But we've been dancing together for so long that we look the same. Every show we duet together, usually fast.

Carrie 2009-07-20T17:21:11Z Zymirrah http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#e2cee5fe-41bb-4497-b14f-b38874c39798 2009-07-17T17:16:15Z 2009-07-17T17:16:15Z

Hey all... Sharon - Sahira and I get the same comments - and while we are not as different as you and Renee we certainly are not the same. I have been teaching a workshop on movement synchronicity. Absolutley! technique, form & posture are huge parts of this. Also interpretation of timing, when/where a movement 'starts', where it originates etc - these last 3 work best if a common basic language exists. so i start the workshop establishing just that>>>- forget what you know - think about it like 'this'... that way we will all mean the same thing when we say "xyz"... then we take it from there. It seems to click w/ folks.

Zymirrah 2009-07-17T17:16:15Z Ottavina http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#a6d32825-ba1d-4729-8b81-4c461ebc020d 2009-07-01T12:22:04Z 2009-07-01T12:22:04Z

Thanks, everyone. It just confirms to me that it really is all about precise form, posture, and execution of moves.

Ottavina 2009-07-01T12:22:04Z Alicia http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#4f15e88a-80f2-4390-a4b6-f73d58ee709d 2009-07-01T12:19:49Z 2009-07-01T12:19:49Z

I just had a vision of Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible!" girls doing ATS. How very, very frightening!

Alicia 2009-07-01T12:19:49Z Valizan http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#c7716167-26df-4a68-bb40-5ecfc62afe4b 2009-07-01T07:09:13Z 2009-07-01T07:09:13Z

Said Wendriffica: "I think if two dancers of different body types try to compensate by changing the way they do a movement (i.e. pulling in longer arms, etc.) it's more glaring than if the same two dancers have similar technique, and can shape their bodies in the same way. Does that make sense?" I was mentioning something similar in class today. There should be no compensation for different body types, because that is what keeps the dance interesting. Seeing how it looks on different people. That is how each of us contributes something unique to the whole experience. How boring would it be if we all had exactly the same body, the same hair, same skirt, same tassle belt (Yay Tassle belt!!...) the same chesty bits and/or dangly bits? And then all did the exact same movement? We'd be robots and it'd get boring real fast. The tiny imperfections are what keep the humanity in dance. :)

Valizan 2009-07-01T07:09:13Z Valizan http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#c9d290a1-c487-4382-a26f-62a83449b6cf 2009-07-01T07:04:43Z 2009-07-01T07:04:43Z

::sighs:: I hate to break this to you, Etta, but that magic is a human being thing.

Valizan 2009-07-01T07:04:43Z Joan http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#c080a2ed-5ad0-4f14-87a0-5e8c184a21d9 2009-06-30T20:21:48Z 2009-06-30T20:21:48Z

Keeping in mind the "flock of birds" concept certainly helps with synchronization and interpretation.

Joan 2009-06-30T20:21:48Z Etta http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#c0e4a699-3a2e-4faa-abfc-29a237ecb05d 2009-06-17T23:21:08Z 2009-06-17T23:21:08Z

aren't we just the coolest creatures on Earth? Women? Slightly egotistical...and I get the idea behind the topic, looking coherent...but, seriously, when we get it together...we're like, umm....magic! With all respect to every other creature on Earth, of course.

Etta 2009-06-17T23:21:08Z principessa crankypants http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#76f98d29-e7b1-47c3-8d86-bf8b6a68ff86 2009-06-17T23:20:48Z 2009-06-17T23:20:48Z

I think if two dancers of different body types try to compensate by changing the way they do a movement (i.e. pulling in longer arms, etc.) it's more glaring than if the same two dancers have similar technique, and can shape their bodies in the same way. Does that make sense? The one thing I've encountered is a difference in flexibility among dancers. More flexible dancers have a tendency to push the movement to its limits, because that may be the only way they can physically 'feel' like they're doing the movement properly, where a less flexible dancer won't have the same range of motion, no matter how far they push themselves, so there can be a disparity if you see two such dancers working together.

principessa crankypants 2009-06-17T23:20:48Z Alicia http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#9ca4e046-c8c3-4a43-8f59-00e8bbde218e 2009-06-17T20:41:18Z 2009-06-17T20:41:18Z

And I was actually really shocked to see Carolena and Megha just standing next to each other when they weren't on stage. When they dance together you just don't see that there is about a 3 foot height difference, you just see two powerful beautiful women making magic.

Alicia 2009-06-17T20:41:18Z "Shay" http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#829eff1f-60f0-445d-8ce4-91f1371feb12 2009-06-17T18:36:35Z 2009-06-17T18:36:35Z

Really interesting observations, Ottavina! I have observed the same thing about newer vs. more experienced troupes/dancers and the size of the moves. Part of it is the way the brain interprets what it sees and tries to emluate--there is a breakdown in that communication when you are newer, and it becomes clearer and easier as you get more experienced. As for synchronicity, I think it has more to do with time together and really "seeing" each other. Look at some of the best ATS troupes out there, and you don't see the disconnect in movement due to body type. Everyone looks seamless. I remember once, backstage at the teacher's showcase at 3rd Coast, my co-director and I had just come offstage after our performance. Now, if you have ever seen Renee and I next to one another, you would see the Laurel and Hardy of the bellydance world. Renee is tall and long limbed (5'9"), and I am short and quite round (5'3" on a good day). We could hardly look more different, and next to each other that is really driven home... So as we started mopping our brows, Sharon Kihara was sitting nearby and commented something along the lines of, "Ya know, you guys have such different body types, and look so different, I expected you to look really different on stage. But the way you move is so perfectly in synch... You guys obviously have been dancing together a long time." We loved that comment, and have gotten similar ones to it before. We have been dancing together for 8 years, and it shows, regardless of our body types. Our quality of movement is the same, even if our bodies are really different. She will always be noticed for her looooong arms and shapely torso. And I am always noticed for my wide slinky hips and sassy smile. But somewhere in the midst of our dancing together, we found common movement that we can use to communicate together. And that is something I have always loved about tribal! We love

"Shay" 2009-06-17T18:36:35Z Ottavina http://ATS.tribe.net/thread/762699b7-f50e-42d6-a7bf-0d4b477a0bad#b692af3e-2460-4c2d-9288-e71258d239b2 2009-06-17T16:16:50Z 2009-06-17T16:16:50Z

Per Sooz's request, I'm copying/posting this blog entry here to the ATS tribe to see what you all have to say about this: --- I noticed when watching a fusion troupe dancing (YouTube, from TF9), that the group was good, but that there were definite synchronicity problems. not just because there were slight expression/interpretation differences, but also because those differences were exacerbated by the difference in body type. Two of the troupe members had about a medium torso length but long arms and legs, while the other person was shorter in stature, with shorter limbs, and a longer torso, in contrast to her troupemates' proportions. This kind of thing is also present in ATS troupe dancing, and, I'm just wondering if there's a way to synchronize more effectively. Troupe practice, of course, is key, but I'm not in a troupe at the moment. Good form and posture is a must. I'm also beginning to think that it's very important to keep the movements small. ATS or ITS-inspired troupes at TF9 seemed to give away their troupe age and/or level of experience based on the size of the steps. (I'm thinking this particularly showed up in moves like the Turkish Shimmy or the Sunanda.) But, is there something I should do differently with my steps and moves as a long-torsoed, short-limbed person? Or is it all about good form?

Ottavina 2009-06-17T16:16:50Z