[Nessani Kemenlo]

Nessani shook the water out of her hair like some feral animal exiting the river. The towel was pressed to her face and patted to remove what moisture remained. Once she was dry enough, the towel was tossed on the floor near the exit.

"Vertical," the chocolate voice called, "covers two more directions, both, as the term implies, move the torso up and down, rather than simply side to side."

The dark beauty slithered her torso first to the right, then up and left. She completed the rotation, bringing her rib cage back down to where it had begun. Her hard gaze came to rest on her student, indicating it was her turn.

Nessani's chest expanded with a deep, centering breath before expelling it forcefully. She attempted to get in tune with her body - the most difficult thing about this type of dance was the isolation of each muscle group. Her eyes narrowed in focus as she began to move, her torso shifting to the right as Nahara's had done. It was difficult and she could tell by the look on her mentor's face that her attempt was off somehow.

Nahara moved in behind the gypsy girl, her hands resting firmly against the younger girls sides. "A string dangles from the sky to hold your head upright. Now try." Nessani gave it another attempt, this time with assistance. She still found it difficult to move this way without the rest of her body following, but it came a little easier. She felt a hand leave one side to press between her shoulders, pushing her frame more upright.

On the third attempt, the hands were removed altogether and Ness found she was doing a (barely) passable job on her own. Nahara stayed behind her, moving in again once she felt Ness had a grasp on the concept. Her hands returned to their insistant perch at Ness' side and back.

"Now, the second variation. Forward and back this time."

The Air'riela didn't really need a visual lesson on the third type of 'rib circle'. She had the general concept down enough to apply it to the curt directions. The hand at her back literally pushed her torso forward to begin the movement. Moving 'up' without jerking her body around was strange, but she tried her best. The hand at her side moved to her shoulder, pulling her back and down as she completed the move.

"This is your homework for this darkening. I wish to see progress by morning. For now, lets move on to the lower torso, the belly. Yours is tight enough, it should work these well. For this, I wish you to lie down."

Nessani looked curiously at Nahara. She wanted her to... lie down... to teach her how to dance? Her shoulders shrugged, if your big sister tells you to lie down, then you do as she says, or she may change her mind about teaching you.

Nahara waited until Nessani was lying face up before crouching at her side. Her hand once again came to rest on the girl, this time on her stomach. "This is the easiest way to get in touch with your stomach muscles. They are not just there to carry a tattoo. Take a few deep breaths. Do you feel them against my hand? These, you are going to contract first. Go ahead."

With the teacher's hand on her midsection, Nessani tightened the muscles she approximated were beneath her hand. Nahara's right hand moved to the lower part of the gypsy's abdomen. "Now the muscles here." Ness pulled tight, her neck straining with the effort.

"Now, push against my left hand first, then the other." Biting her lip in concentration, Nessani pushed up with her stomach muscles, each in turn. "Do it again, all together." The girl obeyed, rolling her stomach muscles first in and then out in succession. Nahara lifted her hands, nodding for her student to continue. "Be aware of how you're moving. Let your body memorize the action."

Nessani continued to move her belly up and down as she lay prone on the ground, concentrating on nothing more than the way it made her feel beneath her skin. After a few moments and dozens of rotations, Nahara stopped her with a nod. "Up on your feet, show me you can do it."

The gypsy rose, standing proudly before her mentor. Her thoughts were still on the muscles that she had used when she was lying down. Her body parts had shifted as she stood vertically and somehow, it didn't feel exactly the same. It all moved the same, however, as she showed Nahara that she could, indeed, perform a belly roll.

"We wont practice it, but just know that it works in reverse as well. The same muscles. Just push out before you go in."

Nessani nodded gravely.