Filler
Photo of Shira

 

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Above photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

The 70% Guideline:
The Art of Restraint

By Saqra

 

Never do something at more than 70% of your ability. If you can move your shoulder forward this far then only move it forward that far (i.e., 70% of what you could do). If you can make a circle this big then only make it that big, and so on.

It is about showing your limitations.

Each person in your audience has a body, and when you dance each person can feel your movement in his/her own body. When you do something to your maximum, the audience can literally feel you hit your limit. Conversely, when you do something somewhat less than your maximum, they can feel the coiled potential.

You want your audience to see you as infinite in ability, so when you practice, drill it big, but when you rehearse for a show or do a performance, rein it all in.

This goes for trick athletic moves like backbends, splits and drops. Make sure you can do it several times in practice before you do it once on stage.

Saqra

 

---------------

Related Articles

 

 

---------------

Copyright Notice

This entire web site is copyrighted. All rights reserved.

All articles, images, forms, scripts, directories, and product reviews on this web site are the property of Shira unless a different author/artist is identified. Material from this web site may not be posted on any other web site unless permission is first obtained from Shira.

Academic papers for school purposes may use information from this site only if the paper properly identifies the original article on Shira.net using appropriate citations (footnotes, end notes, etc.) and bibliography. Consult your instructor for instructions on how to do this.

If you wish to translate articles from Shira.net into a language other than English, Shira will be happy to post your translation here on Shira.net along with a note identifying you as the translator. This could include your photo and biography if you want it to. Contact Shira for more information. You may not post translations of Shira's articles on anybody else's web site, not even your own.

If you are a teacher, performer, or student of Middle Eastern dance, you may link directly to any page on this web site from either your blog or your own web site without first obtaining Shira's permission. Click here for link buttons and other information on how to link.

 
 

Explore more belly dance info:

Top >
Belly Dancing >
Index to the Belly Dance Advice Section >
How to Belly Dance

 

Share this page!

On Facebook
 

 

 Top > Belly Dancing > Index to the Belly Dance Advice Section > How to Belly Dance

| Contact Shira | Links | Search this Site |