Diagram 1
The whole body can move inside this sphere.
Diagram 2
Three examples of focal points from where isolated movements can be created inside smaller spheres.
BASIC CONCEPTS
The Sarabi® method is a practical approach to learn the Belly Dance technique, emphasizing on body awareness. It is a simple and intuitive way in order to minimize the frustration of the student and to speed up the learning process. Very beneficial both for students and teachers, the Sarabi® method simplifies the comprehension, classification and learning of steps and movements, therefore anyone can focus on enjoying this dance and get the best of it.
There are twelve basic concepts that apply in this teaching method. The first 4 are:
1) Understand 3-D movements
2) Understand the idea of isolating and independently use the different parts of the body
3) Visualise the four basic forms: circles, spirals, infinites (horizontal eight-shape) and straight lines (by using additional images that are common in all the western-cultures, for example, a clock, you can understand and remember a specific movement ).
4) Remember that many belly dance movements originate in the peripheral axis instead of from the centre.
These four points get together in order to allow you to create all the possible movements inside a sphere.
 |
This work of art, which can be found at the Kunst Haus Museum in Zurich allows us to see a very graphical example of the space coordinates, which is what you need in order to be able to execute some of the most complex movements that are common in Belly Dancing. |
The other basic Concepts of the Sarabi® method are:
• Learn to work both sides of the body equally (bilateral movements)
• Belly dancing is basically a way of dancing that emphasizes the meaning of the upper-body movements rather than feet patterns.
• The moves are “simultaneous”. One thing that gives belly dancing its characteristic image is that the movement, the feet pattern and the music happen all in the same compass, unlike other forms of ethnic dancing that separates the feet patter from the rest of the body movement.
• The Sacred Geometry is the result of almost all the still poses in the belly dancing.
• The Arabic music is based on ¨polyrhythm¨ and not on the harmony between the instruments, the former being almost inexistent.
• It is essential to understand and move inside the music metrics (there are always three or four possibilities of following rhythm line).
• The emotional expression of the music is often more important than having a wide and complex repertoire.
• The final goal of your performance is music interpretation; it has to be a visual interpretation of the music band.
*Excerpt from the book: "Danza del Vientre" (Belly Dance)