Movement Handbook

Introduction to “The Prima Beladi Handbook of Movement –
A Resource of Movement Vocabulary & Photo Demos for Class Use”

The Prima Beladi Handbook of Movement was developed from the Amaal Handbook first written in 1976. The Amaal Handbook was created as a way for members of the Amaal Dance Ensemble and Theatre to have a common movement vocabulary. Dancers from the company came from many states; at the time, there was no thought given to standardized vocabulary and much time was wasted in trying to communicate rapid verbal cues for movement
execution and choreography notation.

Founder/Director Ne-Kajira Jannan developed the text first as a manual for Amaal dancers; later, teachers requested permission to begin using the manual in their classes. Over the years, the book has been revised many times to facilitate awareness of movement concepts for dancers in many regions. The Handbook was intended to be initially used with a Master Class to ensure teachers understood how to use and interpret the text, but this on-line edition can be used as a guide for instructors. It includes articles on movement theory, warm-up exercises and stretching exercises, a movement vocabulary and more.