A vertical figure of 8 down, also known as a maya, is a wonderful snaky and versatile movement that every dancer should have in their repertoire. It can be danced strong, soft or sexy (think Shakira), but either way, once it’s in your muscle memory it can allow you to melt into a performance, as well as seamlessly from move to more. But you need to get the basics right in order to explore the many variations.
I’ve therefore created a short video breaking down the technique required for a vertical figure of 8 down. Good posture and a strong core is essential for all dancing, especially for a Maya, but the move is also perfect for practising these and defining your waist! (think of it as the ultimate bum, tum and thigh exercise – but fun to do too).
You can watch the video here.
A video on a vertical figure of 8 going up, also also known as a standard vertical 8, will follow soon.
Even experienced dancers can use these videos as a regular drill exercise, as it’s often the basic technique that gets forgotten once you reach a certain level. So practise when you have a few minutes, for example when brushing your teeth or waiting for the kettle to boil. You’ll be amazed what a difference it will make to your overall core strength and posture, as well as your technique 🙂
The video is part of a bigger series on ‘good bellydance technique’ that I’ve been asked to help compile for JWAAD bellydance training. You will therefore also be able to see it and many more videos on the JWAAD training YouTube channel.
I hope you find it useful, and if you have anything to add, such as ideas for visualising the move when teaching it to beginner and improver students, adding arms or your favourite variations, please leave a comment below so we can keep the knowledge sharing going and encourage good quality, safe and beautiful dancing.
Happy melting and moving with your mayas – always 🙂
Dorte
Did you miss my last post? Read it here: How to control your 3 step turns
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