I’m sure you’ve had this experience: time slows down, every movement is exquisite, and you can practically feel the dance in your own body. And yet you can’t put your finger on what, exactly makes her so mesmerizing.
 
Chances are, it was her sensuality.
 

Don’t Shy Away from Sensuality

 
Sensuality is one of the most under-used performance skills, but also one of the most powerful.

For one thing, focusing on your senses relaxes you and helps you stay in the moment. You move with more intention and grace, and are much less likely to rush from move to move. It’s a great antidote for scribbling!

More importantly, sensuality is a gift to the audience. Dancing feels great. And part of what makes belly dance so special is that we get to show the audience how wonderful it feels to fully be in your body. It’s beautiful to watch, but more importantly, your example invites them to experience their own embodiment.

When you shy away from sensuality, you’re withholding that gift.
 

Why Do Dancers Avoid Sensuality?

 
Dancers shy away from sensuality for many reasons:

• We’re so worried about being seen as “bad girls” that we overcompensate
• We may not feel like we’re “allowed” to experience our bodies and senses
• We’re so focused on what we’re doing that we miss out on the experience of dancing

But I Don’t Want to Be a “Sexy Dancer”!

 
This is the biggest misunderstandings about sensuality: sensuality is not the same thing as sexuality.* Sensuality is just an awareness of your senses. There is nothing “naughty” or sexual about that.

After all, babies are the most sensual people: they are much more aware of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell than adults.

So How Do I Bring Sensuality to My Dancing?

 
To bring sensuality into your dance, you just need to focus on your senses. But that’s easier said that done, so let’s try an exercise:

1) Set the mood

Put on some music that moves you. I recommend a chiftetelli or other soft, slinky music. If possible, turn off or dim the lights.

2) Try some simple moves

Don’t worry about “performing” or even “dancing”, just play with movement.

3) Focus on your senses, one at a time

Sight: Without looking in the mirror, picture the pathways your body is tracing as you dance. Then picture what your body looks like as you dance. (Again, do this without the mirror- no cheating!)
 
Touch: What does the movement feel like in your body? What temperatures are you aware of? Include your body, the floor, the air, your clothing, and any props you’re holding.
 
Smell: What does your skin smell like? Your perfume? Your dance space? (Tip: try this again with incense burning)
 
Taste: If the music were a food, what food would that be? Sticky caramel? Fragrant curry? Spicy peppers? (I know that sounds wierd, but humor me – it works!)
 
Sound: What sounds are you making as you dance? Include your breath, your feet, your hip scarf, and anything else you can think of. What does the music sound like? Focus on just one “voice” in the orchestra at a time. Don’t worry about dancing “right”, just drink in the sound.

4) Reflect

Take a few minutes to jot down some notes about what you experienced. Which senses were easy to focus on, and which were difficult? What felt good, and what felt “off”?

5) Continue to observe

For the next 24 hours, observe how you use your senses in everyday life. Are you paying more attention to some than to others? Try to focus on each one of your senses at least once during the day: smell your cat’s fur, listen to the hum of your car’s engine, etc.

The more you become aware of sensuality in your “regular life”, the more automatically it will appear in your dancing.

Watch Out for the Sultry Face

 
One caveat: when you take this into a performance context, don’t try to “communicate” your sensuality. This leads to the infamous “sultry face”, which looks silly and gives people the wrong impression.

Your sensuality will communicate itself. Just let the tension out of your face and breath, and focus on your senses. Your body will do the rest.

Summary

 
Sensuality is an incredibly powerful tool for creating beauty in your performance, and a wonderful gift to share with your audience. Many dancers confuse sensuality with sexuality, and so it’s often under-used. But you can bring it into your dancing by paying attention to each sense as you move. But don’t try to actively communicate it to the audience, or you run the risk of doing the “sultry face”. Just relax and focus on the experience.

What You Can Do Right Now

 
Put together a playlist to use while you practice working with your senses. If you have time to practice now, try the exercise listed above. If not, schedule a time to do it.
 

What Do You Think?

• Are you using sensuality in your dancing already?
• If so, do you have any tips to share?
• If not, what’s getting in your way?

 
Leave a note in the comments.
 
 
* Not that there’s anything wrong with sexuality either. It’s a unique part of who we are. It’s being seductive on stage that paints belly dance in a bad light. But that’s a whole other conversation.

The clutter starts to build up again pretty quickly, but until it does, there’s a little oasis of clarity.  That’s when I like to think about what I’d like to do in the new year.

I got an early start this year, and put together a first draft of my project calendar:

(click on the picture to see a larger version)

Before I finalize that, I’d like to know: what would you like to see from me in 2012?

I’d love to know:

• What questions do you have?
  (about improv, performance skills, or anything)
• What would you like to see more of?
  (or less of, or done differently)
• What are you or own plans for 2012?

Let me know what you think in the comments.

This DVD series is a system of practical, step-by-step exercises, to make improv as natural as breathing.

Hi There!

Welcome to the new home of the Taktaba Project and the Improvisation Toolkit!

This site is still under construction.   In the coming weeks, I’ll be merging my old website and blog here, for a one-stop resource on improvisation and dance composition.

In the meantime, here are some links to help you find what you’re looking for.  
All of them will take you to pages on my old web site or blog.
 

If you don’t find what you’re looking for, or if you have any questions, drop me a line!

This episode includes:
- Simple exercises to get the patterns into your body
- Theme & variation exercises to explore different ways to use timing patterns
- Do-it-yourself exercises to spark your creativity
- Four combinations that use timing patterns
- Two ways to adapt timing patterns to zils

 
Runtime: 69 minutes
 
Music:
This episode features music from Belly Dancing for Fortune and Fame, courtesy of Stella Grey.
 

 
 
Buy on DVD:
Episode 3 is also available on DVD through Amazon.com:

But I’m offering the DVD just for your convenience: it’s 100% free to download!
 
 

This episode deals with long-term repetition. That’s repetition over the course of a song or an entire routine.
 
We’ll discuss:
- Maximizing intellectual satisfaction by balancing length & complexity (with graphs!)
- Maximizing emotional satisfaction by balancing frequency & drama (also with graphs!)
- Using theme and variation to keep repeated elements fresh and interesting
- Using the structure of your music to guide your repetition
 
In the process I’ll be sharing:
- Low-, medium-, and high-complexity combinations
- Several ideas for medium- and high-drama movements
- Combinations that demonstrate Theme & variation
- My “cheater’s drop”, a less intimidating alternative to the Turkish Drop
- A DIY exercise on working with your musical structure
 
This episode also includes performance clips by me, as well as by Badriya al Badi’a of Boston.
 
Runtime: 60 minutes
 
Music:
This episode features music from Belly Dancing for Fortune and Fame, courtesy of Stella Grey.
 

 
 
Buy on DVD:
Episode 2 is also available on DVD through Amazon.com:

But I’m offering the DVD just for your convenience: it’s 100% free to download!
 
 

This episode treats the twin topics of repetition and alternation, including:
- When and how repetition can be effective
- Different alternation patterns, and their psychological effects on your audience
- Exercises
- Combinations
 
Runtime: 24 minutes
 
Music:
This episode features music from Belly Dancing for Fortune and Fame, courtesy of Stella Grey.
 
Download Episode 1

Buy on DVD:
Episode 1 is also available on DVD through Amazon.com:

But I’m offering the DVD just for your convenience: it’s 100% free to download!