Persian Dance | A Graceful Iranian Movement Language

Learn the most fundamental and commonly used hand movement and foot pattern in Iranian dance.

Note: We recorded these videos with the instructor often facing the mirror so that you, as the student, have the benefit of a studio experience.

Why is this important? You can see both the back and the front of the instructor, which helps:

• Make the direction of movements clear and easier to follow.

• Give a more complete view and understanding of movement, which makes it easier to embody and emulate the movement.

One of the challenges in learning Iranian dance is layering multiple movements. Can you isolate different parts of the body and move them at the same time? This lesson will help you practice that.

Combine one of the most common and rhythmic foot patterns in Iranian dance with this iconic hand movement. Feel the music and let it all groove into your body.

It’s all about the harmony between the movement and the music. Pay close attention to how the dance goes with the music as we assemble what you have learned so far into a sequence. This is where you go from just doing the moves to dancing!

Repetition, repetition, repetition! The more you practice, the more the movements become integrated in your body and become a part of your own expression. Practice until you no longer have to think about the technique, timing or order of the movements. Now you can enjoy expressing yourself!

Learn one of the most beautiful and iconic bodylines in Iranian dance. Join Delsie as she guides you step-by-step to achieving this graceful and important aesthetic and foundational element.

Learn one of the most fluid arm and wrist movements in Iranian dance. It’s like moving in water.

Combining movements together in a harmonious way is key to creating a graceful flow. You’ll get a breakdown of this timing and learn how to pull it all together into a beautiful flow.

This gorgeous pose that frames the face will be broken down into simple steps. You’ll have fun combining it with other movements into a pattern.

Here’s one of the moments of opportunity in this course where you can pay attention to how one movement connects to another. Smooth transitions are an important part of the aesthetics in this dance style.

Practicing is key to mastering any movement or movement pattern. We encourage you to run this video several times as you practice to really connect with the sequence and feel your expression continue to develop!

This signature Iranian dance movement is adorable! You’ll learn the details of all of its components and how to pull in important bodylines and foot placement. Learn to use subtle movement isolations to bring fun cultural flavor into the dance.

In this section, movements are more complex and transitions are quicker. How do we keep the movements graceful and the transitions fluid and timely? This lesson will walk you through how to make it all work together and connect with the music.

Do you recognize a pattern between Sequence 1, 2 and 3? This lesson will allow you to pull it all together, refine those quick turns and integrate the subtleties that define the cultural flavor in this dance. Get a good practice in before learning the ending phrase!

Strike a pose! The poses at the end of this dance capture the dynamics of the music and make quite a statement. Musicality and timing is key. Have fun putting the frosting on the cake with this exuberant ending!

We hate to be cliché, but it’s true that practice makes perfect. And we know practicing dance in pieces is important as well. Use the video to practice three times in a row without having to stop and restart. Enjoy!

Implement these important tips as you practice!

It’s always exciting putting all of the pieces together! You’ll see exactly how all of the choreographed sequences transition from one to another and fit just right with the music and bring it all together into a dance you can feel proud of! This choreography is set to a traditional piece of music honoring the melody, nuances and rhythm for a fun and expressive dance. Have fun with it! We believe in you.

Practicing Tips from Delsie and Shahrzad

• Challenge yourself and memorize the sequence.

• Peek at the video as needed to remind you of movements.

• Feel free to go back and practice the sequences separately to refine your technique and get more comfortable with the choreography before practicing the full combination.

• Try running the dance without looking at the video.

• Try running the dance without the music.

• Be kind to yourself, it takes practice to get it.

• This is also an opportunity to take a video of yourself as you practice and see how you look.

• Express your joy in your facial expressions as you dance.

• Feel the music and allow your own individual expression to come out.

Performing this combination in the mirror allows you to practice right along with Instructor Shahrzad! You may notice subtle stylistic differences between Shahrzad and Delsie! It’s good to have your own individual flavor, as long you stay within the aesthetic boundaries of the culture.

Practice along with Instructor Delsie! We hope you noticed the nuanced differences in Delsie and Shahrzad’s performances. We encourage you to find your own expression as well!

Iranian dance has bodylines and movements that challenge the body in different ways than other dances. This grounding cool-down focuses on specific muscles and joints to allow you to stretch and cool-down in the most effective way following Iranian dance practice.

Now what? Next steps on your journey...

There are many ways to continue your journey. Check this out for next steps!