The Secret Role of Shimmies in Egyptian Dance
Shimmies have always been one of the most popular parts of the Egyptian Dance Technique.
Insiders want to master them; outsiders wonder how insiders do it. Shimmies are beloved, mocked, misunderstood, and desired by dancers and nondancers alike.
I, like most dancers, was taught how to execute Shimmies from a technical, purely physical point of view. It took me years of research, performing, teaching, choreographing, and observation - of myself and other dancers - to understand they´re more than physical vibrations.
Here´s what I discovered:
1. Shimmies are NOT a gimmick, a circus act you put on in order to impress an audience, even if that audience is just you, in your room.
2. Shimmies are NOT something you "add" to your dance but an integral part of your movement flowing, naturally, from the inside out.
3. Shimmies are Self-Expression Tools although most dancers don´t see them or use them that way.
4. Shimmies have a Healing Function that most dancers don´t even know exists. I started to notice it years ago when my journey in Egyptian Dance was just starting.
5. Shimmies are Co-Creation Partners that no dancer I know ever uses.
How did I uncover these jewels?
I was practicing my Shimmy Technique at home, in my tiny Madrid (Spain) apartment, when I noticed an increasingly hot sensation growing in my belly. It felt like my tummy was burning from the inside out.
When I lifted my shirt, I saw an expanding red round spot just below my belly - it looked like a new country - on fire - marked on the map of my body.
At first, I was scared. Then, I asked my teacher at the time - the Magician, Shokry Mohamed - about it. What I discovered changed the way I saw Egyptian Dance, Movement, and the power of Shimmies.
Shokry didn´t offer many explanations. He was a "do it and figure it out by yourself" kind of teacher. Yet, he always said the essential, what really mattered:
- That´s the magic of shimmies happening in your belly. - He whispered in his husky voice, half-smiling as if he knew something naughty was about to be revealed.
-Magic? What magic? - I asked, confused.
- You did your Shimmies right. Therefore, your roots were activated and you felt the power of your Kundalini rising. It´s the fire of life happening inside you.
Ok. Now, I was definitely confused. Roots? Kundalini? Life, happening inside me? What the hell was he talking about?
He rushed me into the class and told me to remember our conversation, offering no further details.
This was how I learned most things in Egyptian Dance, the important ones - through personal experience, charades nobody dared to demystify, and the revelations that come from being present and involved in my craft with all my heart, consistently, for more than 20 years.
With time, experience, and genuine curiosity, I understood what Shokry meant. I rediscovered the Sacred Function of the Shimmies, I´ve integrated it in my own dance - and life - and I started to teach it.
It never ceases to amaze me, the layers of ancient wisdom hidden in this Art form; how much we still don´t know about it.
Nope, Shimmies aren´t some sort of cool "Shakira move" or special effects you apply when you´re trying to impress - they´re a connection to the earth, our roots, our Co-Creation Power, the Power of Birth.
We can use them to heal ourselves, to release what needs to be released, and to activate our Co-Creation skills. With Shimmies, we can release the need to impress and embrace our true power.
If you wish to go deeper into the Magic of Shimmies in Egyptian Dance, I invite you to join our Pioneering Online Training "Shimmy Wonderland"
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