Belly Dance How-To's

By Shira

• Belly Rolls. Exercises you can do to gain control over your abs.
• Backbends. How to build the strength and flexibility required for both standing backbends and kneeling ones.
• Forward and Back Shimmy. Explore this shimmy done by Egyptian dancers such as Nagwa Fouad.
• Walking Shimmy. How to shimmy and walk at the same time.
• Squeezing Glutes. How and when to use glute technique.
• Expressive Arms. Bring a fluid, emotional quality to your arm movements.
• Okay to Show My Palms to the Audience? Is it insulting to show your palm to ethnic audiences? Read this to find out!

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by John Rickman Photography, San Jose, California.

By Arabella

• Turn, Turn, Turn. Compares spins from ballet and kathak dance with Middle Eastern.
• Exploring Figure Eights. Variations on the basic Figure 8.
• The Camel Walk - Way to Move! Analysis of the technique for doing this move.
• Whirl Like a Dervish! How Sufis do their whirling.
• The Mysterious Zar - What Is It? What Can It Do For You? How Arabella uses the African movement meditation for her own renewal or stress relief.

By Zabel

• The Importance of the Pelvic Floor. The role of the pelvic floor muscles in doing floor work.

By Saqra

• Belly Dance Spins Without Vomiting. Several tips for taming nausea when spinning.
• Walk Like a Belly Dancer! How to place your feet gracefully for walking and dancing. Placed online February 9, 2020.
• Pop, Drop, & Lock Technique in Drum Solos. How to use accents in ways that enhance your dance.
• Belly Dance Tips for Arms. Tips for graceful arm technique, costuming, and posing.
• Hands Off Hips for Rib Cage Isolations! Why you need different hand placement for rib cage circles and other torso movement. Placed online February 9, 2020.
• Exploring Undulations. How to create an endless variety of undulations in your dance.
• Drum Solo Accent Chains. How to build sequences of accents that make sense together.
• Dance Technique for Lovely Hands. How to hold your hands attractively when you dance.
• Becoming the Best Belly Dance Performer You Can Be: Part 2, Technical Skill. Checklist for assessing your technical dance skills.
• Finishing an Extended Leg Pose. How to do it, and why it matters. Placed online November 24, 2019.
• A Few Quick Tips for Double Veil. Here are a few ideas to make double veil easier to learn and perform. Placed online November 25, 2019.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Sarah Selwood, Leeds, United Kingdom.

By Shira

• How to Improvise
• Is It Okay to Show the Palms of My Hands to the Audience While Dancing? Is it insulting to show your palm to ethnic audiences? Read this to find out!
• Tips & Tricks for Dancing With Swords. Lots of ideas for learning to dance with a sword.
• Bigger Isn't Always Better. The pitfalls of trying to do each move as large as possible.

By Arabella

• How to Become a Better Dancer Without Really Trying. A few easy tips for upping your game.
• Hints for Remembering Choreography. Arabella's suggestions for overcoming an issue many dancers struggle with.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by William M. Smith, Iowa City, Iowa.

By Saqra

• Go to the Light! Saqra shares a dance tip on being aware of lighting when you perform belly dance.
• Using Your Hair to Extend Movements. How to use your hair, real or imagined, to bring extra life into your dance movements.
• Drum Solo Builds. How to build the energy in a drum solo.
• Drum Solo Accent Chains. How to build sequences of accents that make sense together.
• Alternatives to Shimmies When Dancing to Drum Solos. Placed online December 1, 2019.
• The 70% Rule. How to use restraint to keep your audience captivated.
• Continuity of Movement. Use "glowing green goo" to lead your audience's eyes through your dance.
• Holding Accents. After the accent, then what?
• How to Improvise in Floor Work. Use this simple format to make your dance flow beautifully.
• Entrances, Song Transitions, and Stage Presence. Make the connection with your audience and your music.
• Belly Dancing to Fast Drum Solos. Musical interpretation for drum solos, by Saqra.
• Adrenaline Effects on Belly Dance Performance. How your body's chemistry affects your dancing.
• Connector (Transition) Steps for Belly Dance Improvisation. A technique that will help you learn to improvise.
• Learning Choreography. Easy-to-use tips for learning a choreography.

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Denise Mannion, Mount Shasta, California.

• Learning to Belly Dance: What If There's No Local Teacher?
• How to Structure a Belly Dance Practice Session at Home
• Learning to Belly Dance from Videos
• Learning to Belly Dance from Books and Web Sites

PHOTO CREDIT: Photo by Lina Jang, New York City, NY.

Video Reviews

• Shira's Video Center. Reviews of more than 60 instructional videos.

Book Reviews

• Nefertiti Presents... Belly Dancing, the Basics
• Belly Dancing for Health and Relaxation