Workshops With Lisa Lumina
This page lists prepared workshops from Lisa Lumina. For workshops with our other teachers, please visit their individual websites, linked on their profiles.
History Workshops
Part One: Early History to '70s
We've all heard the myths, find out where they come from and what REALLY happened! This workshop includes video clips from youtube and photos. Pull up a chair and your favorite tea, because truth is much more interesting than fiction!
Part Two: '70s to Present
This workshop makes sense of the many different styles of bellydance: where did they come from and how did they get to looking like they do now? We pickup where we left off in the last workshop with plenty of examples to both entertain and educate you.
Musicality Topics
Feet and The Beat
Part One: Basics of Rhythm
We start with understanding the difference between the beat and the rhythms. First, with finding the one, then walking on the beat, and using legs with intention to keep the beat. Students will draw rhythms in the medieval way, to understand their circular structure as well as how finger cymbals fit into the beat.
Part Two: Basic Rhythms
This section covers common patterns of several rhythm families to help students make the long list of common rhythms more manageable. Which steps fit best with different rhythms, in the Egyptian paradigm, is introduced; as well as transitional cues to help the dancer anticipate changes in tempo.
Musical Qualities
Part One: Movement Variations
We explore how to use movement to capture the textures of your song to create dance that is prompted by what you hear, and expressed in your movements. We begin with a mini-shimmy clinic and will explore variation, AKA dynamics, to fine-tune your vocabulary’s ability to translate the music to movement.
Part Two: Instruments of Egypt
In this session, you will learn to recognize 8 of the most common instruments found in Arabic music and have the chance to apply your new skills in dynamics to match their textures. We use taxeem to practice hearing and reacting to the artistry in the melody.
Putting it Together
Part One: Phrasing
This section covers musical phrases. We start with different types of call-and-responses to get the hang of hearing a musical sentence, then build into musical paragraphs and chapters before using these concepts to explore song structures.
Part Two: Music Mapping
For Part Two, bring paper and pen/cil. This workshop will help you create choreography, or to structure your improvisation for extra contrast and drama without sacrificing your chance to flow with the moment.
Improvisation
Movement Recall
Improvisation is a corner stone of raqs sharki. If you've ever felt like you just don't know what to do next, this is the workshop for you. We will learn how to drill more productively and practice movement recall before exploring how dance dynamics, AKA variation, can help you un-freeze and give you an infinite toolkit to translate the music.
The goal is to show you how to train your body to work on auto pilot so that you can focus on having fun while you dance!
Transitions & Phrasing
Learning how, and when, to transition between moves is one of the keys to a smooth show, and ease during improv.
We'll learn to hear when the music tells you to change things up and practice the confidence needed to stick with a move until it's time.
First, we'll learn how to practice transitions without the need for pre-planned combinations, and about the techniques that make your transitions smooth.
Mood Management
Learn to pace out your dancing and strategies for keeping shows interesting over a whole show. We touch on old school Egyptian style sets and the 5 part Am Cab routine.
Drama in a performance comes from contrast. In this workshop, you'll learn about managing energy during a full set. We’ll explore the bravery of stillness, the excitement of explosive energy, and how to make use of what’s in between to feel confident and interesting.
Technique
Core Competencies
Get the secrets for juicy hip movements, and combos to explore transitioning in a smooth way.
Put the belly back in bellydancing with some focus on the core (pun intended) movements!
Egyptian Style & Arabic
Come learn how to put an Egyptian style twist on some of the basic moves you already know. We’ll learn technique and a little Arabic by matching words commonly heard in music to the Egyptian style moves we learn, no flash cards necessary!
Saidi and Beledi Cane
Basic cane work for Saidi and/or beledi styling. We'll learn the tricks to holding an assaya, and about the differences between urban Cairo style and the Upper Egyptian folk dance most commonly associated with the prop. Combos will also be taught to classic songs.
Book Now
Contact Lisa Lumina to book any of these workshops, or to inquire about other topics.