Spinning & Flutters

topic posted Mon, September 21, 2009 - 2:15 AM by  Sandra
Share/Save/Bookmark
Advertisement
I am trying to practise both but seem to have the wrong technique.
Plain spinning I am quite good at, I can spin fast while spotting and do small barrel spins no problem but I am trying to spin while looking up, how do you do that without getting really dizzy??
It kind of helps looking at my hand when I hold up my arms but without that I am lost!!!
And the second thing are the belly flutters - I know the theory (breath in, hold your stomach in, breath out, hold your breath and "breathe" fast with closed throat) but my stomach doesn't seem to relax enough or maybe my technique is just completely wrong, I don't know...
Any advice PLEASE????
posted by:
Sandra
Ireland
Advertisement
Advertisement
  • Re: Spinning & Flutters

    Mon, September 21, 2009 - 7:26 AM
    when you're practicing spinning you can "un dizzy" yourself by jumping straight up and down when you stop spinning, it helps redistribute your vestibular fluid (prob not the right term ^_^)
    let me say tho, good for you that you can spot! i get sick so quick when i practice that i still haven't learned, it actually makes it worse for me ^_^
    • Re: Spinning & Flutters

      Mon, September 21, 2009 - 9:06 AM
      Thanks Fariha,
      that's a great trick I have to try out.
      I had to laugh so much though cause I am picturing myself doing a really passionate double veil dance and spinning with my head back and then stopping and furiously jumping up and down! hahaha!!! ;-)))
    • Re: Spinning & Flutters

      Thu, October 15, 2009 - 1:04 AM
      Sometimes just tapping the heels down on the floor firmly works too (when a jump isn't appropriate to the dance). Also, try endng with one spin in the opposite direction. That also helps to disrupt the fluid spinning in your ears..

      Mahin
      www.shes-got-hips.com
  • Re: Spinning & Flutters

    Wed, September 23, 2009 - 6:43 AM
    One thing that helped me with belly flutters was "breathe of fire" it's used a lot in certain types of yoga and in Pilates. You rapidly breathe by pumping your stomach/belly button in and out. Before I started doing a lot of breathe of fire, I couldn't do flutters. Then one day, I took a tried again (no practice specifically on flutters in between) and suddenly, I could do them. I'm not entirely certain it was all due to the breathe of fire practice, but I do think it helped both to get my stomach moving quickly and shallowly and to also help me not feel physically uncomfortable while fluttering.
  • Re: Spinning & Flutters

    Thu, October 22, 2009 - 4:42 PM
    Hi!
    Flutters happen to be one of my specialties. :)
    First off, a very important note on safety - if you breathe in and out very quickly you have a chance of hyperventilating and passing out. You want to practice slowly at first. Pull all your stomach muscles in, then push them out. Once you get good at this you can do it faster. There is also an interesting thing - I don't know WHY it is necessary, but you must tense the throat and neck a little bit in order to do it at all. It's hard to explain over email - definitely easier in classes and workshops :P
    So, you want to tense the throat, and quickly contract and release the stomach. You also want to lift the chest forward and up just a little using your upper back muscles. This will kind of arrange your insides so that your abs have room to jiggle.
    Also, a very important note - always practice and perform with as little in your stomach and intestines as possible, otherwise you'll feel very strained when you attempt to do a flutter - and may not be able to do it at all.
    Hope this helps!
    • Re: Spinning & Flutters

      Mon, October 26, 2009 - 8:27 AM
      Nefabit: "There is also an interesting thing - I don't know WHY it is necessary, but you must tense the throat and neck a little bit in order to do it at all"

      When you are "tensing the throat" you are closing off the airway which keeps the lungs from expanding down into the abdomen when they fill (this is where the diaphragm muscles figures into the flutter). The diaphragm relaxes as the lungs fill and contracts to push the air out of the lungs - it's like a big dome below the lungs. By closing off the airway, the lungs don't automatically fill because of the pressure difference. This creates more space for the abdominal muscles to move freely.

      It's hard to explain over email - definitely easier in classes and workshops :P

      I've seen many threads on flutters over the years and YES, it is hard to describe even in person. I've found I need to use several explanations sometimes to find one that "clicks" for students. There was a great thread about 5 years back that had lots of imagery and explanations to add to your bag of tricks... wonder if it's still accessible?

      Mahin
  • Re: Spinning & Flutters

    Sat, October 24, 2009 - 6:41 AM
    Another way to help 'undizzy' yourself after spinning is to turn or spin ONCE in the other other direction....unwind but only one time or else you may just make it worse. It works...I do a lot of spinning with my wings and double veil dances....very smooth way to recover and it just looks like a finishing touch (when really you are just trying to focus). I slow down on the turn that is in the opposite direction so it gives me a chance to catch up if needed and focus in when I stop.

    I think the spotting and getting to where you can look up or even be in wings/veils that you cannot see without traveling or loosing your technique just comes from practicing and finding out whether you should spot the ceiling or your veil/hand. For some -- looking at the ceiling or at the tip of the veil works....for me trying to focus actually throws me off. I actually do not focus in on anything if I am not actually spotting when spinning or turning fast (I do always spot when doing barrel turns but not always with general spinning movements). This is more of a whirling technique.....you do not focus on anything. I use to do whirling exercises with Eva Cernik -- I was able to spin a lot before but always had to spot but now can spin and spin.

    Hope it helps....

    Phoenix
    www.phoenix-dancing.com
    • Re: Spinning & Flutters

      Sun, October 25, 2009 - 3:35 AM
      Spins - seriously try and find a friendly showgirl to help you with spotting without looking at your hands. My stage dance teacher was a former Tiller girl and she was the one that taught me to spot.

      I am still trying to master flutters myself but try taking a few singing lessons, theyll teach you breathing techniques and how to use your diaphragm which I reckon would help
    • Re: Spinning & Flutters

      Mon, October 26, 2009 - 8:19 AM
      I learned to spot with other dance styles i did growing up, but now prefer the "unfocused" spin or to spot my hand. That presents a problem for me too when I do barrel turns, especially since it's off-center with the torso leaning in. I can do it but it never feels as stable as I think it should. Any suggestions on that (other than more practice LOL) , Phoenix?

      Thanks,

      Mahin
      www.shes-got-hips.com
      • Re: Spinning & Flutters

        Wed, October 28, 2009 - 1:58 AM
        Mahin

        I do spot when doing barrels. I think I hear that you are saying...spotting now is more unstable for you. Make sure that you are turning the head around before the body (sounds funny...hopefully it makes sense). I would say it is just practice practice....I tell people to start practicing the barrels slow so that they do not have to think about the arms or body position (get that memorized in the body). After that..you can concentrate more on the actual speed and stability. I do spot but also will turn my barrel turn in a semi circle on purpose.

        So....I guess the answer is just practice....sorry really with it there are no other tricks. I will say that you may want to check and see if you are leaning too far forward as your balance point should remain over the feet......so check that too.

        I hope it helps....

Recent topics in "Bellydance Drills and Choreography"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
Maya technique Krista 28 December 20, 2009
how to loosen hips Crimskull 21 December 13, 2009
Hair Tossing Erin 2 December 12, 2009
Backbends and Turkish Drops offlineJasmine 10 December 9, 2009