Module One: Egyptian

Anwar: With your arms resting at your side, bring your hands in to cross in front of your hips and raise them up to open over your head in a ‘V’ shape.

Floating: With your arms resting at your side, bring your hands in to cross in front of your hips and raise them up to open over your head in a ‘V’ shape, turn the palms of your hands to face out and lower your arms once more to your sides.

Snake: This is best thought of as a series of isolated movements that will flow into a continuous motion with practice. Keeping your shoulders relaxed and arms raise between your waist and shoulder level, raise your right shoulder, then elbow (so it points to the right wall), wrist (so the back of your hand faces the right wall) and hand (keeping the palm of the hand facing down.) Reverse this by rotating your right shoulder back and down (your elbow will now point diagonally back), drawn your elbow in slightly, drop your wrist and slowly left your hand relax.

Remember: Shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand. Repeat this on the left side and when you feel ready, alternate the movements so your arms / shoulders become an undulating snake.

Cairo: Extend your right arm in front of you at shoulder level and your left arm out to your left side at shoulder level. Bring your hands in to cross at your chest (right hand closest to your body, left hand on top of right) and extend your left arm out in front and your right arm out to your right side. Bring your hands in to cross at your chest (left hand closest to your body, right hand on top of right), extend your right arm in front of you at shoulder level and your left arm out to your left side at shoulder level.

Prayer: Place both palms together at chest level.

Temple: Place both palms together above your head.

Hareem: Place the palms of both hand at the back of your head with elbows pointing out to the side.

Shimmies

Shoulder: Keeping your shoulders down and shoulder blades relaxed raise your arms to just below shoulder level keeping your elbows relaxed. Take your right shoulder forward as you pull your left shoulder back. Reverse this action by taking your left shoulder forward as you pull your right shoulder back. Repeat this forward and back motion in rapid succession trying to keep your breasts still. They will shake, but place the emphasis on the shoulder movement.

Hip: Stand with your feet about 3 inches apart and knees slightly bent with your pelvis tucked under. Straighten your right knee, keeping the left bent. Straighten your left knee, keeping the right bent. Keep alternating the knee bends and speed this motion up, as you do so, you will notice that the movement becomes smaller and more isolated. With practice you will learn to keep the rest of your body quite still whilst your hips do the work.

Hip Lift, Drop & Hit: Lift Stand with pelvis tucked under and both knees bent. Place your right foot slightly in front of your left with the weight on the ball of the right foot and most of your weight resting on your left leg. Without tilting to the left, lift your right hip so it scrunches up your waist. Relax the hip back into place, placing the emphasis on the lift to the beat.

Drop: As above with your right hip raised, drop the right hip down on the beat.

Hit: Stand with weight placed equally between both feet and keep your knees bent. Place your weight onto your right foot (make a small step if your find it easier) and thrust your right hip out to the side – do not lift or twist the hip. Place your weight onto your left foot (or step) and thrust your left hip out to the side. Repeat.

Travelling Step

Front & Back Step: Stand with your feet together. Step forward on your right foot, pick your left foot up and place it down on the same spot, step back on your right foot. Repeat. Step forward on your left foot, pick your right foot up and place it down on the same spot, step back on your left foot. Repeat.

This is a useful travelling step and can be performed on the spot, to take your forward (emphasis on the forward step) or back (emphasis on the backward step), or to either side (cross the forward step over the opposite foot).