Module Six: Ghawazee

L Arms: Extend your right arm out to the side at shoulder level with your palm facing down and your left arm straight up with the upper arm close to your ear and your left palm facing the left wall. There are a number of things you can do to change to the opposite side.

1: Holding the ‘L’ shape, lower the left arm and raise the right arm so that you now mirror your original position.

2: Cross your hands at your chest (the arm that was extended to the side crosses in front) and extend to the opposite direction.

Angle Arms: Extend your left arm straight up with the palm of the hand facing the left wall and fingers pointing up to the left diagonal then left upper arm should be a few inches away from your left ear. Extend your right arm out from the body (as if you had a tennis ball under your right armpit), with palm facing the floor and fingers pointing down and slightly back to the right diagonal. Your arms should form a pleasing asymmetric line from left upper to right lower. This is a useful position for hip work, or when ‘resting’ between movements.

Aladdin Arms: Place the palm of your left hand on the back of your head just behind your left ear. Extend your right arm out to your right side at shoulder level. Alternate.

Hip Work

Large Hip Circle: Standing with your feet about, to slightly more than, hip width apart push your hips way out to the right and then bring them around to the back leaning forward with your upper body. Now, bring your hips out to the left and then to the front leaning slightly back with the upper body, (to keep better balance).

Bouncy Circle: Just follow the same steps as you would for a big hip circle and then lift your heels off of the ground and drop the back down as you go around. You might want to "bounce" out to the right, when your coming around to the front - the front, when your coming around to the left - out to the left, when your coming around to the back - to the back, and when your coming around to the right. Try ‘bouncing’ on the count of 4 – using the 4th count to accommodate the transition back the other way should you want. The same applies on a count of 8 – using the 8th count to pause before bouncing the other way.

Multiple Hip Drops: Start with both knees bent slightly. Place your right foot slightly in front of the left touching only the ball of your foot to the floor. Most of the weight should be in the standing foot. It may help your balance if you lean backward slightly, but if you lean back make sure that your back is kept straight. Now raise the right hip up and to the right diagonal (this is your start position) and drop it down on the beat – take the hip up again, this time a little further back that the start position and drop. Repeat this three times in all, with a progressive backwards movement on each drop. Use the 4th count to return your hip to the start position, or to accommodate a forward multiple drop.

Travelling Step

Swerves (aka Tunisian): Stand with your feet parallel to each other at about hip width apart. Your right foot should be flat on the ground while your left foot touching only the ball of the foot to the floor with your weight distributed evenly. Now step on to the ball of your left foot and twist that hip forward (it's important that you do not make this into a lift) keeping it parallel with the floor. Your weight should shift into your left foot as you step onto it, this leaves your right foot free to slide towards your left foot (Tiny movement). After sliding your right foot you may shift your weight back onto it as you step down and pull your left hip back. When you shift your weight back to your right foot your left foot will be free to kick forward (just a little kick, as a release). Repeat.

Step Ball Change: Step forward onto your right foot (STEP). Bring your left foot forward towards your right foot but not in front of it and step onto the ball of the left foot (BALL). Change the weight so it's back on your right foot (CHANGE). Repeat it starting with your left foot. Step forward onto your left foot (STEP). Bring your right foot forward towards your left foot but not in front of it and step onto the ball of the right foot (BALL). Change the weight so it's back on your left foot (CHANGE). Repeat as many times as want.

Step Ball Rock: Step forward onto your right foot (STEP). Lift your left foot up and replace it (BALL). Step back onto the ball of your right foot. (ROCK). Take you weight back onto your left foot ready to repeat.

Step Together Step: Step your left foot out to the left side, bring your right foot to it and then step out on the left foot again. Repeat.