catherine l. tully

Dance Bloggers

December 6, 2009 by 4dancers

Dance Bloggers is a wonderful site that I highly recommend. Keep up on the dance blogs that are out there by hitting their site to see what is new from around the blogosphere, or get a daily e-mail with the headlines and first few sentences of posts for the day. It’s a great way to stay connected to the dance world without doing any work–they’ve done it for you! Started by two dance bloggers in Israel, it really is a terrific site.

If you are a dance blogger, sign up!

American Tribal Belly Dance

July 30, 2009 by 4dancers

: Copyright 2006, Catherine L. Tully

Belly dance is a form of movement that many women find liberating. One style that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years is a style called American Tribal Belly Dance. I wrote a bit about this dance form for an article which can be seen online at Her Circle E-Zine. Here is an excerpt from the piece:

“One of the first dance styles I photographed was American tribal belly dance. This form is largely improvisational and eclectic and it borrows elements from different dance styles, such as Flamenco and Egyptian belly dance, and blends them together in a beautiful, unique form. Interestingly, this dance style echoes the history of the United States in that it is both fairly new, and it is also a “melting pot” of styles, but with a distinct stamp of its own.”

Belly dance is just one of many dance styles that will be featured periodically on 4dancers. Check back often for updates and new posts. We aren’t just about one dance style–because there are so many to experience. Upcoming posts will look at everything from Irish Step Dance to Indian Dance.

5 Tips For Better Turns

June 11, 2009 by 4dancers

Many dancers find that turns are a difficult part of dance. If you don’t take to turns naturally, there are some things that you can do to improve. Here are five tips for getting those pirouettes on track:

Practice spotting. Learning how to spot well can take some time. Dance Teacher magazine has a great article online here that explains the details on how to get the most out of this technique for not getting dizzy while you turn.
Get feedback. Listen to what your teacher tells you about your turns and try to apply it. This can be difficult, because you can’t see your body at the same time you are turning. Still, your teacher can work with you to correct any problems they see with your turns.
Pay attention to your body. If you are always falling forward out of your turns, you may need to keep your shoulders back more or watch that you are not looking down at the ground. If you are falling backward, see if you are raising your arms too high or letting your back sway. Whatever the problem is with your turn, it will also help give you a clue as to what the solution may be.
Watch and learn. Keep watching those who turn well and see what they do to prepare and execute their turns. If you learn visually this will be especially helpful.
Be patient. Turns are one of the most difficult things to master. Don’t get discouraged; if you keep practicing, they will improve!

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