Belly Dancing and the MA!!

[sensei8]

Ballet is suppose to accentuate the MA, therefore, many MAists have either learnt or are learning ballet in the hopes that their MA betterment might be increased as having been applied in their MA training/knowledge.

I overheard a very recent conversation, and yes, I was being rude by eavesdropping on some students during a break at our Hombu's Annual Testing Cycle.

Two of the students involved in their conversation were describing how they were taking Belly Dancing lessons, and that they believe that that has accentuated their MA betterment in the long run, especially when it come to hips and the MA.

Really? How? Hhhmmmm?

I slowly walked away, as discreetly as I could, so as to not being found out...I'm so ashamed of myself! Not just because of my actions of eavesdropping, but because I never ever thought, not even once, of belly dancing as to how it might and/or does accentuate the MA concerning the HIPS across the board. My male card wouldn't allow me to think along this line!!

So what do I do when I get to my office? I do some quick research, and I mean quick research, about Belly Dance through the guise of the internet via Wikipedia for a general overview.

Check this out, please...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belly_dance

Please pay close attention to this section titled..."Movements found in belly dance"

How hips are utilized in Belly Dance might, and could have a dramatic influence as to how MA movement might be made to be that direct correlation to and from what many of the "movements characteristic of belly dance can be" beneficial in the long and the short of it all.

Words, for example, like "hip drops", "vertical hip rocks", "outwards hip hits", "hip lifts" and "hip twists" might be more than just words, albeit, clues as to what MAist might be overlooking with an intent, more than an avoidance, especially for the male MA student.

Then there are more words, like, "horizontal or tilting hip circles", "undulations of the hips and abdomen", "Shimmies", "shivers", and "vibrations", these might be the unheard of hip movements that we MAist haven't known about and/or refused to know and/or learn about for whatever reason(s) one might or might not want to confess.

In conclusion, read that section in its entirety as many times as one has to in order to capture an understanding, as if it'll be of help for you and/or your students. No, I'm not saying that one has to learn Belly Dance, I'm just saying that Belly Dance shouldn't be cast away because, and I'm referring to males here and at this moment, our ego won't allow us to at least examine how some of the Belly Dance movements might give us a edge up over our current experience concerning hip movement in an overall generalization, as well as in a structured understanding.

Your thoughts, please!!

[Bulltahr]

Interesting read. In my neck of the woods (South Pacific) there are many tribal dances throughout the pacific islands that do a similar thing with the female hips. They seem to be isolated from the rest of the torso , with the grass shirt accentuating the movement.

Seems to be that they have great control over the hip movements.

See here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abqjRWfddwo

for a slow version where you can see the movements better.

[bushido_man96]

Well, some football players have found ballet to be valuable to their balance on the field as runners.

There are lots of movements that can be found outside MA training that can be beneficial to MA training.

It could also be merely that this person learned the same thing in a different way through the teaching methods of belly dancing, providing a valuable "ah-ha!" moment for them.

[DWx]

I guess it would contribute to their all round athletic ability but I would guess there are quicker and more targeted approaches. But definitely complimentary.

[Alan Armstrong]

All forms of dance can benefit a martial artist Bruce Lee was a Cha Cha Cha Champion. Hip Hop uses gymnastics, great footwork coordination, lockin and popin that gives martial artists inch power with every part of the body. Batuka, Latin dance moves that incorporate Brazilian martials. Even English Morris dancers could show us all a move or two worth avoiding. Many dance moves are actually martial art movements disguised as something pretty to watch.

[sensei8]

It's the unnoticed movements of Belly Dancing that caught my attention. However, the initial phase of their movements might add something of value to Karate Hip Movements. However, not the entire Belly Dancing Hip Movement, as some, are quite exaggerated and ineffective to Karate Hip Movements.

If Belly Dancing can provide another way of utilizing ones hip movement effectively, then I suppose that it bears to be looked into. I'm open minded enough to take a real close look at it.

[Alan Armstrong]

Yoga and Belly dance movements for the abdomen are similar for men and women.

It is the hip control of the belly dancer that women do that men can't do very well, because women need the extra hip structure to grow and carry a baby inside them and give birth as men do not. This is why women have the hour glass shape and men do not.

Women martial artists find it easier to stack their hips than men do, for kicking. Women are more flexible than men in general also. This is due to slender muscles due to not carring heavy weights.

The up side is that, us martial art men are more flexible than the general population of men because we work on hip rotations more than other sports.

Male dancers on the other hand win the prize for flexibility. The reason for this is that they don't need to tense muscles for hitting things, unlike martial artists.

This is why flowery martial art movements are considered ineffective.

Any type of extra hip control exercises will help your martial art. All of the joints need extra consideration to be good at martial arts. Joint rotations is a major part of Chi Kung exercises; it is sad that many martial artists miss this point...