How To Belly Dance

Start with your feet parallel and one foot apart. Your spine should be straight, your abdominal muscles slightly flexed, your knees unlocked, your shoulders gently pulled back, and your chin raised a bit above its normal level.

Bend your arms slightly at the elbow, raising them until they are at chest level. Then bend your wrists, which will raise your hands a bit.

Allow your hands to be loose, and lift the little fingers and forefingers.

Slide your left foot about six inches forward, then lift your heel as far as you can so you’re on the ball of your left foot. Over 50 percent of your weight should be on your back leg.

Now for some hip drops. Lift your left hip slowly by contracting the abdominal muscles on your right side. Keep your head held evenly by allowing your right knee to bed a little and your left knee to straighten a little.

Hold your lifted hip for two counts.

For the next two counts, drop your hip sharply by letting your contracted abdominal muscles release and using your pelvic muscles to force your hip down lower than it was when you started.

Now try it on your right side. Place your feet parallel again, about a foot apart, slide your right foot forward, then lift your heel so you’re on the ball of your right foot.

Now do the hip drop, this time allowing your right hip to raise and drop.

Now you’re going to shimmy. Start with your feet side by side, your arms out at chest level, and your hands in the same position as before.

Bend your left knee. Your right hip will lift. Straighten your left knee.

Now bend your right knee, letting your left hip rise. Then straighten the knee again. The key to this move is to concentrate on it coming from your knees, not your hips.

Slowly alternate bending your knees, allowing your opposite hips to rise, then gradually speed up until you are doing this as fast as you can. You now know how to shimmy with the best of them!