| Rumpuree World Dance Studio: An Exotic Way to Escape The Mundane | |||
| UPDATE : 5 February 2010 | |||
| To avoid getting completely stuck in a daily routine and benefit from a refreshing new outlook, it sometimes makes sense to try something completely different. I recently paid a visit to Rumpuree World Dance Studio to take a look at an exotic and ancient form of dance that certainly fits this category – belly dancing. Origins unclear As is the case with many forms of dance with folkloric origins, the roots of belly dancing remain unclear. Busakorn 'Apple' Chantaravorameth, the founder and director of Rumpuree World Dance Studio, says that while it's not possible to confine belly dancing's origins to a precise point in time, it was certainly established centuries ago. Even the geographical origins remain hazy, although the Middle East and North Africa appear to be the most likely locations. One theory even suggests that caravans of nomadic people exported the dance to the Middle East from North Africa. Belly dancing has acquired several names throughout history, depending where you come from, such as 'Oriental Dancing' and dance du ventre ('dance of the stomach') in French. In Arabic, it is known as raks sharki ('dance of the East'). While belly dance is a western term, there are also some alternative descriptions, such as Middle Eastern or Arabic dance, as well as çiftetelli (in Turkish). The term belly dancing refers to the unique characteristic of using frequent movements of muscles in and around the midriff. “Beneath the gentle, flexible movement, belly dance involves muscular strength, like ballet,” says Busakorn. From this perspective, belly dancing can also offer an effective workout, as well as providing a refreshing experience that can really lift your spirits. A step-by-step approach I recently got the chance to check out Rumpuree's belly dancing program. Since I had no previous experience, it made sense to take a look at a beginners' class. The class begins by getting participants to isolate different parts of the body typically used in the belly dancing process, including the chest, the hips, the shoulders and the upper and lower abdominal regions. Students then have to practice moving each muscle or muscle group individually. Core movements taught at Rumpuree include the 'shimmy', which involves vibrating the hips and shoulders. The rotation of the hips and the chest involves moving or holding them in various different positions. Rotation refers to the circular movement, while undulation involves the coordination of movements between each group of muscles involved in the overall movement. This involves the upper chest, the upper abdominal and lower abdominal areas. Undulation requires the student to make this series of coordinated movements smoothly and quickly one after the other in an upwards or downwards movement, resembling a wave-like form. Most importantly, the student needs to learn to stay fully balanced while dancing. Even the individual movements can be fairly challenging for beginners, so you may find that you'll need to concentrate carefully during class. Nevertheless, the rhythms of the Arabic music can also help you to let off steam, so it can also be a very therapeutic experience. A chance to grow Once you complete a beginners' class, you can move on to the beginner-intermediate level, which involves the coordination of various parts of the body, including the arms, belly, chest, hips and legs, within various postures simultaneously. The intermediate class involves more complex and complicated movements in terms of the diversity of movement and the tempo of the accompanying music. The advanced class is for able and confident dancers who are interested in learning more about the related choreography used in belly dancing. “Dancing introduces you to someone you'll be surprised to see when you look in the mirror,” she says. Rumpuree, which literally means a 'city of dance', provides a variety of dance classes, including Afro-Caribbean, Argentine, Carnival Samba, Hip Hop, Jazz, New York salsa, striptease, swing and Thai. For further information, contact Rumpuree World Dance Studio on Tel: +66 (0)81 430 6684. Transport connections: Train: Located on the fifth floor of Amarin Plaza, Rumpuree World Dance Studio is accessible directly via a 'skywalk' from Chidlom BTS skytrain station. Just follow the signs for Amarin Plaza. | |||
วันอังคารที่ 9 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553
Rumpuree World Dance Studio: An Exotic Way to Escape The Mundane
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