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Desert Touch the Sky

Piper Reid Hunt © 2002 & 2007

Choreographed by Piper in 2002 as a solo piece,

to Fatamorgana by Ofra Haza.





about Ofra Haza


click for Lyrics to Fatamorgana

from the Desert Wind Album





Start weight on left foot, right foot on the ball (ankle in), knees bent, W Arms, palms up, looking forward, chest lifted.

1 count of 8: slowly look right while circling the right hand in and then out from the elbow, then push the right hand in and out as though you were caressing the top, side, and then under side of a soccer sized ball.

1 count of 8: clench the left gluteus maximus and pull the lower abdominals in, so you can do a Torso Tilt to the right, still looking at your right hand, snake right arm.

1 count of 8: slowly straighten up and look left while circling left hand in and then out from the elbow, then push the left hand in and out, as above.

1 count of 8: Snake Arms, looking forward.

Count 1-4: bend knees and pull lower abdominals in, while scooping hands down to cross in front of the hips on 4.

Count 5-8 and 1-4: with “fire” on 5, start DNA Hands moving up.

Count 5-8: Body Rolls Down stepping back, hands curl in and up to Priestess Arms, looking up at “sky” on 6.

Count 1-4: Body Rolls Down stepping back, Priestess Arms.

Count 5-8: Turn palms to audience and raise them slightly on 5, on 6 begin to wave fingers for “colors” as you slowly lower hands, stop with weight on one foot.

1 count of 8: bring fingers to temples by 3 “her mind” and wave head as you slowly close your eyes.

2 counts of 8: bring fists into abdomen, and then open them downwards (palms up) with Cylinders, look down on 5 (1st count of 8) with “desert,” then slowly follow one hand with your eyes to look up by 6 (2nd count of 8) = “sky.” Swiveling your weight to the right foot, finish with fists in front of your chest as though you were holding something special there.

1 count of 8: Taffy Hands to lift the right arm up, left arm down and back with left Single Hip Figure 8s moving forward.

1 count of 8: for 5 counts, do one slow left Single Hip Figure 8, looking down at the floor on 5 with “die,” and then do a Torso Tilt out to the left.

1 count of 8: straighten up and look forward at the audience on 3 with “looking” while touching the fingers of the right hand to your right temple. Slowly bring the right hand forward and up, while stepping onto the left foot and turning to face stage right, focusing your eyes on the distance for “far” with one half-time Body Roll Down for 7, 8.

2 counts of 8: quarter-time Body Rolls Down stepping backwards towards stage left, looking up past your right hand into the distance.

Count 1-4: step back onto the right foot with one quarter-time Body Roll Down while bringing right hand down body (fingers curl in towards the body and out again) for “escape.”

Count 5-8: curl right hand in, and end palm out, hand flat, facing stage right, right elbow straight.

Count 1-4: curl left hand and bring it next to the right hand, both palms out.

Count 5-8: with “prison,” tap left foot on 5 and then step onto the left foot on 7 to begin half-time Body Rolls Up.

2 counts of 8: half-time Body Rolls Up stepping forward towards stage right. With “bars” on 5, slowly separate hands by rotating arms from the shoulders, until they are behind you. On the second 5 with “only,” bend knees, butt back, and do one quarter-time Body Roll Up while bringing hand up body with a hand curl. Hand passes face by 8.

1 count of 8: finish your Body Roll Up with a big chest lift, right hand moving up, shoulder rising, and look up by 3 for “stars” and hold.

Count 1-4: step back onto the left foot to turn to face front, and slowly bring both hands down and then up to the right.

Count 5-8: with “running” open hands above head and arch body to the right to prepare for Swing Hip Travel Step.

2 counts of 8: Swing Hip Travel Step moving in a large circle around the stage.

1 count of 8: half-time Horizontal Hip Figure 8s stepping forward.

1 count of 8: scoop hands out and dip down to floor, bringing fists into stomach for “girl” on 5, abs contracted, head down. Then lengthen spine and pull your head high (a mini Body Roll Up) but still looking down by 8.

1 count of 8: with Hip Figure 8s, rise slowly on your knees and dramatically open hands outwards as you look forward on 3 for “longing,” and then up at the ceiling by 7 for “mother’s world.”

Count 1-4: continue Hip Figure 8s on knees.

Count 5-8: with “just” bring hands in again, and do a Hip Circle with slow Head Toss to end looking up.

1 count of 8: ½ Hip Circle forward and to the left and hold on 3, 4 for “Fatamorgana,” then reverse ½ Hip Circle to the right.

Count 1-4: Body Rolls Down bringing the left knee forward to point toes left so you can face stage right.

Count 5-8 + 8: with “ah ah ah ahh” Body Rolls Down, right hand to right temple, look back at the left hand as you slowly descend to sitting on your heels.

1 count of 8: rise to knees with Body Rolls Up.

Count 1-4: Hip Circle left to front to right while shifting your weight to face front.

Count 5-8: continue your Hip Circle until you are sitting to the left of your feet then put the left hand on the floor and extend feet and right hand towards stage right.

1 count of 8: bring your right hand across the left shoulder and do Hand Undulations towards your right at the level of your lips about 20 cm in front of your face.

2 counts of 8: Serpentines.

1 count of 8: reclining Stomach Undulations.

1 count of 8: push against the floor with your left hand to help bring the left knee forward, arch back and swoop the right hand around behind you and up in front of you.

1 count of 8: cross wrists and do Head Slides while you bring the right knee forward and step on the right foot, lean your weight forward over the right foot and slowly rise up off the floor.

2 counts of 8: eighth-time 3-D Hip Figure 8s moving back.

1 count of 8: quarter-time 3-D Figure 8s moving back, end with abdominal muscles contracted, shoulders contracted in, head down, both fists at left hip.

1 count of 8: slowly open hands beseechingly towards the audience, reaching out with your upper body.

Count 1-4: contract back in, bringing fists into stomach, head down.

Count 5-8: half-time Hip Rotation/Circles, turning to face back stage.

1 count of 8: Snake Arms facing back stage, traveling off stage.

1 count of 8: Hand Undulations with both hands to one side, traveling off stage with your back to the audience as the music fades.

W Arms: elbows point down from shoulders at a 45° angle, hands flat, palms face up at shoulder height, about 10 cm in front of the body (NOT straight to the side!).

Torso Tilt: pretend that your spine is perfectly straight except for a hinge at the level of your bellybutton. Squeeze your gluteus maxima and suck your lower abdominals in to maintain balance. Contracting muscles on one side of your waist, lean to the side.

Snake Arms: lead with the elbows, and let a wave flow out from your wrists, then knuckles, then finger tips. When one arm is up the other is down.

DNA Hands: trace a double helix with your hands crossing each other as they move up, first one in front, then the other.

Goddess Arms: pose like the Cretan Goddess Worship Statue (the one with the bare breasts and tiered skirt), arms at a 45° angle in front of you, palms up, abdominal muscles in, shoulders down, head high.

Priestess Arms: just like Goddess Arms except that you are looking up, lifting your chest and chin and arms to the sky.

Body Rolls Down: push forward first your chest, then ribs, then stomach, then hips. Keeping your hips forward and your gluteus maxima tight, contract backwards with your chest, then diaphragm, then abdominal muscles, then pull hips backwards while still keeping them tucked under in a pelvic tilt forward, and finally finish by tilting hips back and lifting the chest to start over.

Cylinders: hip draw opposing circles (but the circles move in the same direction) in a vertical plane that cuts through your body from front to back.

Taffy Hands: elbows out, separate hands with fingers pointing to the other hand as though you were slowly pulling taffy apart.

Single Hip Figure 8s: standing on the right foot, drop the left hip and turn the left knee out as you tilt the left hip back and then lift it up and forward towards the middle again. Drop the left hip down while turning the left knee in and tucking the hips under in a pelvic tilt forward, then twist the left hip forward and up and back to the middle again.

Swing Hip Travel Step: do a single swing of hips to the right with a Torso Tilt to the right while stepping right-left-right in a ball-ball-flat pattern for 1, & 2. At the same time, slowly extend your hands, backs first, then knuckles, then fingertips up to the right. For 3, & 4, swing the hips left with a Torso Tilt to the left while stepping left-right-left in a ball-ball-flat pattern. At the same time, bring the hands down wrists first to torso level, then curve them palm up fingers in, and then extend hands down to the left while opening the fingers. Your head should tilt from side to side with this step, but not bounce up and down.

Horizontal Hip Figure 8s: without letting hips move up and down, twist right hip forward, then shift hips forward as you step onto the right foot, then shift hips out to the right, and then twist the right hip back as you swivel on your right foot so that the toes point out. By twisting the right hip back, the left hip is twisted forward, so now shift the hips forward and step onto the left foot, then shift hips out to the left, and then twist the left hip back while swiveling on the left foot so that the toes point out.

Head Toss: do a Torso Tilt to the right but also tilt the head to the right so that your hair is hanging over your right shoulder. Then pull your chest in and back as you look down at your bellybutton and let your hair hang in front of you. Now look to your right, tilt your head left and do a Torso Tilt to the left so your hair is hanging over your left shoulder. Now tilt your head back by keeping your neck straight and arching your chest forward (NOT by bending your neck – bending your neck back will injure your neck, so don’t do it!) so that your hair hangs behind you, but is touching your back as little as possible. Repeat.

Serpentines: point your right foot straight out to your right and lie on your left side with your left hand pushing up against the floor. Bend your left knee so that the toes of your left foot point behind you. Lift your hips up so that all your weight is on your left shin and left hand and your body is straight from the knees up. Keeping your right hand and head still, tilt your right shoulder forward towards the floor, then your ribs on the right side, then your right hip, then as you twist your right knee to face the floor in front of you, start to pull your right shoulder back, then ribs, then hip back, and as you pull your right knee back, start forward again with the shoulder.

Piper Reid Hunt, PhD © 2002 & 2007

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