How to Belly Dance

How to Belly Dance – Basic Movements

The beauty of belly dancing is that it begins with a few basic movements that are combined to form elegant and fluid choreography.

Hips

• Shimmy - The shimmy is perhaps the most famous belly dance movement, and there are numerous variations. The walking shimmy calls for two hip shakes with every step. The forward and back shimmy requires the dancer to rock the pelvis forward and back, with an emphasis on the backward motion. Including a twist, or placing emphasis on a different beat adds more variety to the basic move.
• Figure Eights and Circles – The name says it all--you trace an imaginary eight or circle through the movement of your hips.
• Lifts and Drops – Dancers make pronounced hip movements with lifts and drops, such as the drop back and Lebanese lift jump.

Torso

• Stomach - Since it's called "belly" dancing, it may seem surprising that more movements focus on the hips. However, the stomach does have a few special rolls and flutters resulting in an undulation of the entire lower torso.
• Ribs - Although there aren't as many official variations, the ribs are used in movements that are very similar to those of the hips, including circles, shimmies, lifts, and drops.
• Shoulders – Shoulders can also be used for lifts, drops, thrusts, or shimmies.
• Arms – Snake arms is the most common arm movement, with numerous variations, depending on where dancers hold their arms as they move them in a snake-like pattern. Other arm options include falling leaf and windmill, names that are evocative of the image the arms create as they move.

Head

• Slide – The key to performing a proper head slide is to make sure your head is moving independently of your shoulders as it travels side to side.
• Circles – Just as with the slide, moving your head without affecting your shoulders is key. In addition, your head should stay on the same horizontal plane as your trace the circle, not moving up or down. Moving your head back and forth in a half circle is another variation.

Accessories

The following are common accessories used by belly dancers, each lending itself to unique new movements:

• Baskets
• Canes
• Fans
• Fire
• Scimitars
• Veils

However, dancers should take care to master the basics before moving on to these more advanced methods that use accessories.

Belly Dance Instruction

Of course, descriptions can only give you a hint of how to belly dance. Viewing dancers as they perform the basic movements is essential.

Online Instruction

• Cassiopeia's How To Execute a Bellydance Move includes numerous short videos focused on a single movement.
• Aspiring dancers can also take advantage of more involved belly dance lessons online from BellyCore. There is a fee for these classes.
• You can also find numerous illustrative clips by searching for "belly dance" on any online video site, such as YouTube.

Belly Dance DVDs

The following are just a few of the many DVD options available:

• Discover Belly Dance, a 3-disc set, features twin dancers as they introduce you to Egyptian belly dance, including fundamental movements and choreographed routines.
• The International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance sells dozens of instructional DVDs, including titles focusing on finger cymbals and shimmies.
• You Can Bellydance! Absolute Beginner Belly Dance is an introductory video for those new to the art form.
• Bellydance Fitness for Weight Loss combines classic belly dance movements with modern rhythms for a high-energy workout.

Finding a Class

Search for local instructors at Yasmina's Joy of Belly Dance and Zaghareet's online directory of teachers. If you don't find an instructor in your area on one of these lists, check the phone book or online white pages for local dance schools.