Datura Vocabulary Phase 4: Make a Datura Style Step or Movement
What Is a Belly Dance Vocabulary? Even though the word “vocabulary” can refer to many things, for our purposes here it will refer to the steps and movements that make up the your dance language. Review the section on Datura Vocabulary in the Study Guide and answer the following with a partner: •
What is the definition of a “step?” What do steps include?
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What is a move?
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What is the main difference between the two?
Make a Datura Style Step Please read these directions carefully and use the checklist at the end of the assignment to ensure that you’re finished. If the work doesn’t meet the assignment criteria you will be asked to re-do the assignment, so check your list twice! Thank you! Part 1: Make a step Guidelines for making the step: •
Create a new step using elements from the Datura Technique chart on page 9 of the study guide.
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Start and end your step in Showgirl posture.
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Step or touch the right foot on 1.
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Length: Between 2 and 16 counts.
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Include one rhythmic change. For example, instead of landing on every downbeat, play with adding eighth and 16th notes to your foot pattern or isolation to change up the rhythm of the step (note: you can have slow & ooey-gooey counts in the middle of an otherwise fast step for contrast).
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Create a cue on “1” (but the leader will perform the cue earlier to give followers time to catch it).
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Test your cue: Dance your step with ATS® or Datura vocabulary to see if it fits easily. If not, find out why and re-draft the cue or the step.
© Rachel Brice 2017