June 25, 2008
Shimmy on Fit TV Part 2 - Can you learn at home?
Wow, since the first post about “Shimmy” which airs on Fit TV was such a hit, I’ve decided to write about it again and will, most likely, write more in the future. I had no idea that so many people were interested in the show!
In my first blog I mentioned that Shimmy does go over a variety of moves, however, it’s difficult for a beginner to really catch on just by watching. I want to go into more detail as to why I believe this is the case. In the beginning the nararrator gives a quick run down of the moves they will be using, and visual examples are given by the belly dancers. This is great if you’ve done the moves before, but if you are completely new and are just learning how to belly dance, it’s highly likely that you will be holding the position incorrectly and could potentially injure yourself.
I certainly don’t mean to scare anyone away from trying, but one of the things you will learn from a live belly dance instructor is exactly how to hold your hips, your pelvis, your abs, etc. so that you are not only getting the best muscle movement possible, but also how to avoid pulling a muscle or putting unnecessary strain on your body. Belly dancing gets you using muscles that you may not even know you have and is an excellent form of exercise, but only if done properly. As with anything, I think it’s important when learning, to learn correctly. I’m not so sure that all of that is conveyed over the boob tube.
I absolutely love shimmy,my body just keeps getting better and better. I have had professional instruction and still attend some classes in Long Beach. The only problem is that they only air twice a week during the evenings.
xochil thank you so much for your comment. Shimmy is a great show. Are there other shows or maybe DVDs and/or videos you’ve enjoyed?
Shimmy is a great show. There is a problem. No more episodes will be made. The powers that be have decided to end the show after only 26 episodes. I say “only”, because 26 episodes hardly covers the full scope of learning the dance. They still want you to buy the first dvd for 13 episodes for $50. Sad.
Hi there, Kim Pechet here… off-camera teacher, choreographer, writer and narrator of Shimmy. So pleased you like the show… yes wish we could do more. Join our shimmy group on face book and let your comments be heard. Thanks again for you lovely comments… Kim.
Not all instructors teach the correct way of doing belly dancing. You know your body, so listen to it. Some belly dancing schools are a rip off. Save money. Buy the Shimmey videos and practice. http://www.shimmy.tv
It is all about practice. I wasted a lot of money on useless teachers. I have learned more from the shimmy videos. It is far less expensive.
Where can I buy the dvds?