To get started in belly dancing, it helps to have Middle Eastern music, though your favorite CDs and tapes are fine as long as the tempo is right.

Friday, January 26, 2001

To get started in belly dancing, it helps to have Middle Eastern music, though your favorite CDs and tapes are fine as long as the tempo is right.

When moving focus on isolating the muscles you’re working, leaving the rest of the body relaxed. Do what comes naturally. The hip sways and rolls are actually based on the way women naturally move.

Hip Circle: This is similar to the hip action that keeps a Hula Hoop spinning. With good posture and knees slightly bent, rotate your hips to the front, side, back and then to the other side, as if tracing a circle.

Try to keep the upper body still. This movement strengthens the abdomen and helps trim the waist.

Hip Shimmy: This is the electrifying hip motion that sends a dancer’s coins jingling and her beads flying. With good posture and knees slightly bent, rock your hips up and down like a seesaw, when one hip is up, the other should be down. You can also swivel the hips forward and back like a washing machine rotor. Do short fast hip movements, keeping the upper body still. This trims the waist and hips, helping to define an hourglass figure.