Module Five: Turkish

Serpent:

Relax your shoulders and bring your hands to your waist so that the palms face each other and are about 3 inches apart. Cross your hands at the wrist so that the backs of the hands now face each other with the fingers of each hand pointing to the opposite diagonal, (Think Egyptian Wall Freeze) and uncross your hands as your fingers point towards their own diagonal. Repeat this movement as you gradually take the hands up through the centre of the torso and above the head. Then try reversing the movement by starting with your palms facing each other above your head – the movement is then taken down through the centre of the torso.

Starburst:

Cross the hands at the wrists at chest level with the fingers facing the opposite diagonal. With an upward movement, uncross your hands so that the fingers point to their own diagonal, open the arms so that the palms face the ceiling and then drawn the elbows back down to your sides. This looks great as an added flourish to ‘Serpent Arms’.

Waterfalls:

Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your back right hand should be positioned wherever your wish to start from; in this case we'll start with it up at the left temple with the palm facing away from you. Press the palm down towards the floor, pushing the air away from you then pull it back rolling the hand (Press, Roll, Press, Roll, Press, Roll). Trace your hand down and diagonally across the body for 3 counts until it is level with your right hip on the 4th count. To add a flourish to finish this movement, try sweeping the right hand and arm up to the right side, over the head and bring to rest again at the left temple.

S Arms: Place one arm above your head, palm curved downward; and bring your other arm down to your side, palm curved inward, framing your hips and making the shape of the letter ‘S’. Now switch arms. This is a wonderful arm position for accentuating movements such as hip drops as your lower arms frames that part of the body that’s moving.

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.

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 forward slightly (this is your start position) and drop it down on the beat – return your hip to the start position and drop down on the beat. Repeat on the other side.

Hip Drop Kicks: Begin as above in the start position with your right hip up and slightly forward. Drop your right hip down on the beat once, return it to the start position and then the next time you drop it kick your heel out while you drop your hip. Keep alternating with your foot touching, foot kicking, touching, kicking, etc. Try to keep the rest of the body still and not bouncing up and down. Repeat on your left side.

Egyptian Circle: Standing with your feet about hip width apart push your hips out to the right (start position), to the back, to the left, and then slide your hips straight across to the right (it is important not to tilt your pelvis forward). It helps to think of making a half circle to the back and sliding the hips on the horizontal to return to the start position.

Grapevine: We are going to be travelling to the left in these instructions. The move can be done on the balls of the feet or flat footed, however doing it on the balls looks more elegant. Step in front of the left foot with your right foot and to the side with the left, now step behind your left foot with your right and to the side with the left, repeat. It's a"forward and back and" move. The right is the "forward" and the "back" while the left is the “and”. The right foot should cross over the left foot when it goes forward and behind the left foot when it goes back. Allow your body to swing or turn slightly with the move. Right side swings forward a bit when the right foot steps forward and the Left side swings forward a bit when the right foot steps back. Repeat on the other side and travel to the right.

3 Point Turn: Standing in basic position step out to the right with your right foot. Twist on that foot turning half way around to the right. Now step on the left foot and twist on it turning around to face the front again. Now step onto the right foot and then touch the ball of your left foot to the floor.

½ Pivot Turn: Stand in basic position facing forward. Step forward on your right foot (lead foot) and take your left shoulder back so that your body faces the left wall. Using your left foot as your pivot and taking your left shoulder back, make a ½ turn, pointing your right foot to the back wall and your body now faces the right wall. Try extending the same arm as the lead foot when stepping forward. Repeat on the other side.