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Body Movement

The body should move zigzag or like waves as in snakes, or dolphins; this should move the limbs, like the arms and the legs.

Shoulder Exercise
Stand erect and fold both the arms in the front, such that the shoulders, elbow and the hands are in the same horizontal plane. Both the palms keep facing downwards. The fingers and the thumb are stretched and kept close. A very small gap between the fingers of the either hand is maintained.

In this position swing the elbows as far back as possible. This will push the chest forward. As soon as the maximum position is reached, relax immediately. Now let the elasticity of the body start bringing the elbows back to normal position. Repeat this twice counting "1, 2".

Next turn the hands so that the palms face upwards. In the normal position when the palms are near the chest then the elbows, shoulders and the palms remain in the same horizontal plane. Now swing the elbows downward and backward, as far as possible, such that the palms and the shoulders remain in the same horizontal plane. As soon as the maximum is reached relax and the body returning to normal position will bring the arms to the front. Repeat this twice counting "3, 4".

It is very important to get the feel of the body moving like a snake, in waves, which should result in the arms moving as described above.

In dancing the entire limb movements are due to the body movements.

Arm Circling
Standing erect stretch both the arms and fingers to ones side. Now move the arms such that the path of the movement is a small circle of diameter of about 6 inches. Thus the palms would move forward and up till it reaches the maximum height. Then it moves down and forward till it reaches the maximum in the front. Next it moves further down and back, and after this it moves upwards and back to come back to the starting position.

Here again one should feel the body moving like a snake, in waves, that should actually move the arms. In addition there would be slight up and down movements from the knees to facilitate up and down movements of the arms.

This action is very similar to the actions in the "Butterfly Stroke" in swimming. The dolphins, whales and seals swim in such a manner.

The same exercise needs to be repeated when the arms rotation is reversed.

Swinging Arm Up
Stand erect and let the arms hang loose from the shoulders. Swing the arms from the front straight up above the head, and then let them retrace the path back.

This action should be due to the body moving like a snake. In this case the back will bend a little more at the hip joint, as compared to the above cases.

When the arms swing up the chest is pushed forward. This is the way the chest needs to be carried when dancing.