Hey there!
We’ll be covering some foundational knowledge so you know how to get the most out of your belly dance moves and tone your belly!
Progress from Variation to Variation
7 ways to apply these belly dance moves
A couple of things to remember
Remember, this process will take time and you may make mistakes along the way. But don’t worry, just hop back on the dance train and keep going!
Start with one thing at a time and build as you progress.
Small changes lead to big impacts. Overwhelm will only hold you back.
Posture
Posture is uber important to protecting your body as you begin your belly dance journey!
It ensures that you can use all of these moves ongoingly, for an extended period of time, giving you the opportunity to shift your body.
Here are the things to look for when accomplishing great posture:
- Your feet are about hip join apart. Not your outer hip, but your hip joint (where you feel your hip flex and extend).
- Your pelvis is neutral. Meaning you’re not duck-tailing back at all (pelvis overly tilted) and not over tucking. Neutralize your pelvis by…
-hinging the hips so your pelvis comes to the front (like you’re tucking the pelvis under)
-feeling your lower back open
-imagining your butt cheeks are being tucked into the back of your leg - Engage your pelvic floor. This is the genital area to your anus. Do your best to not squeeze your butt cheeks.
- Your knees are bendy. They are never locked. You’ll know you’re in a good position when you stand straight up and your knees can bend slightly back and forth.
- Engage your stomach. On a scale from 1 to 10, a 2-3 is a good place to start.
- Stand up straight so that your chest feels lifted off of your stomach. Your back will feel and look tall.
- Look straight forward and relax your shoulders. Your neck is longer this way.
Here a few photos to demonstrate the above points:
Progress from Variation to Variation
You’ll notice below that there are 3 variations of each move.
This is designed for you to grow into the movements and continue to level up when you’re ready for the next challenge.
Variation 1 – Beginning application
Variation 2 – Intermediate application
Variation 3 – Intermediate to Advanced application
Everyone should start with Variation 1 when applying the 7 ways below.
Get a solid grasp on Variation 1 with each of the 7 ways before moving on to Variation 2. You will optimize the moves this way and therefore the benefits.
Take your time. Shifting your body and toning your belly is a long-term process and not an overnight one.
The belly dance moves
Let’s learn the 4 movements we will be using to tone your belly!
Hip lift
Serena
Pelvic tilt
Undulation
Below are video demonstrations of each of these movements and are grouped by variation 1, 2 and 3.
Be sure to study them well to maximize safety and results.
Variation 1
Hip lifts – Variation 1
(sides of the abdomen)
Download
Upward Figure 8 – Variation 1
(sides of the abdomen)
Download
Pelvic Tilt – Variation 1
(lower abdomen)
Download
Undulation – Variation 1
(front abdomen and obliques)
Download
Variation 2
Hip lifts – Variation 2
(sides of the abdomen)
Download
Upward Figure 8 – Variation 2
sides of the abdomen)
Download
Pelvic Tilt – Variation 2
(lower abdomen)
Download
Undulation – Variation 2
(front abdomen and obliques)
Download
Variation 3
Hip lifts – Variation 3
(sides of the abdomen)
Download
Upward Figure 8 – Variation 3
(sides of the abdomen)
Download
Pelvic Tilt – Variation 3
(lower abdomen)
Download
Undulation – Variation 3
(front abdomen and obliques)
Download
7 ways to apply these belly dance moves
You have the movements.
What’s next?
From the Variation 1 videos/movements, choose ONE movement.
Follow the 7 ways listed below with this one move.
I’ve listed them in order of importance. Start with #1.
As you achieve and acknowledge each point, go to the next.
The more you practice each of these points with your ONE move, you will get an excellent grasp on the flow of what to do.
You will then be able to incorporate not only the next move with its variation 1 but then all moves and all variations!
The more proficient you are, the more likely you will get your desired results!
You can do this!
With ONE move, Variation 1 in mind…
#1-Be okay with starting and progressing from the beginning
This is really, really, really, really important. 😊
When we start something new, you should expect that you will not be good at it when you start. There will be some struggling. It may feel uncomfortable (but should never feel painful).
Realizing this part of the process will manage your expectations so you can keep going and reach your goals.
You may tell yourself certain things along the way as you struggle…
“This is hard”
“I can’t do this”
“Forget it”
“I’ll do this later”
“Insert some reason why you are giving up”
Don’t give up! These thoughts don’t help you at all. They take you further away from what you want.
Acknowledge that those thoughts are popping up and move forward anyway. Welcome to being human. 😊
Don’t let those thoughts be the reason that you stop and don’t tone your belly.
Your desire to shift your body is greater than your non-supportive reasons.
#2-Dance intentionally.
Do the moves as they were designed to be done.
Watch the demonstration and be clear about what part of your body you are engaging.
It’ll be tempting to short cut or cheat the moves. Don’t.
When you can define and explain what you are doing to yourself, it will automatically make your movement cleaner.
After studying the videos, you will know…
How to engage the movement
What part of your body it’s affecting
Posture behind it
What to be mindful of in protecting your body
Where you should feel the muscles working.
If you can’t speak to these points, go back and watch the demonstrations again and get clarification.
#3-Dance slowly
Why slow? Because going fast allows you to do so many things wrong. 😊
You could cheat the movement
Hurt yourself
Not know what’s actually happening in your body and then you can’t recreate it.
So instead we go slow. So slow that it feels uncomfortable to go that slow. But that’ll be excellent.
Your brain will have a chance to catch up with what is happening in your body.
And when it does, you can catch on more quickly if you are doing the move correctly or if it’s off-course (remember point #2 above?)
If you’re not doing the move precisely, don’t worry, now’s the time to adjust, as you are still (yes, STILL) moving your body.
Don’t stop moving while you adjust. This methodology impacts the body differently and to your benefit.
There is a huge benefit to muscle engagement as well when you go slow. Toning can be done with light resistance and a slower tempo.
AND, you get to feel all the muscles in your belly engage! How cool is that! You can literally feel it working!!!!
#4-Dance consistently and frequently
Whenever you say you’re going to use these belly dance moves, follow through with it. Hitting your goal is just on the other side of it.
Schedule it in. (No, really…even if you keep telling yourself you don’t have a schedule)
Schedule all the times you plan to move.
Do it at a time when you are least likely to be interrupted.
Do it at a time when you are least likely to give yourself an excuse to not do it.
Do it because you promised yourself you would.
That’s how discipline is built.
That’s how the discipline of repetition is built.
Decide ahead of time you’ll show up for yourself.
Don’t decide in the moment. It doesn’t work when you are wanting to build consistency and frequency around toning your belly. However, if you feel super inspired to do it outside of your planned times, absolutely, bring it on! 🙌🏼
What you’re really cultivating here is the discipline of showing up for yourself each time you said you would. Like you don’t have the option of quitting.
Your reasons for not doing a session or doing it for less time will be really appealing. It’s still not a good enough reason to stop. (Remember #1?)
Start with 5 times a week for at least 1-3 minutes each time.
Does that scare you?
If yes…great!
If no…up the frequency but not the length of time you move.
You want to be at a place with your consistency and frequency where you fail some of the time.
Because failing is growth…
An opportunity for you to learn what’s been holding you back from showing up for yourself.
To learn why you don’t follow through.
To get that it’s not easy choosing yourself first yet you still can and will.
If you schedule it at a place where you are completely comfortable, you will lose out on the opportunity to see what you can do when hard shit comes your way.
And remember, you can do this.
And you will.
#5-Increase how long you do the moves.
You are accomplishing the “discipline of showing up”. YESSS!
Now that you are, it’s time to move for longer bouts of time.
Doing more of what you are working on with your variation and going forward in the process.
Increase each time you move by 5 minutes. You’ll be surprised at what an extra 5 minutes per session can offer you and your body.
#6-Dance with belly dance music you love
Choose music you enjoy!
Just because these moves and steps may be hard, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the process of it all!
Here are a few ways for you to find amazing belly dance music!
1 – Spotify
Search “Belly Dance”, “Raqs Sharqi”, “Raks Sharki”, “Middle Eastern”, “Drum Solo”, “Belly Dance Drum Solo” or “Tabla Solo”
2 – YouTube
Arabsounds is a great channel that you can subscribe too.
They list multiple top artists regularly that you can follow and search up their music.
Om Kalthoum is a famous singer from Egypt. You’ll find lots of her music.
Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Abdel Halim Hafez are famous Egyptian Composers and have wonderful pieces of music you can search.
3 – Facebook and Instagram Reels
Search “Belly Dance”, “Raqs Sharqi”, “Raks Sharki”, “Middle Eastern”, “Drum Solo”, “Belly Dance Drum Solo” or “Tabla Solo”
4 – Apple Music
Popular Artists to look up:
Wael Kfoury
Emad Sayyah
Wael Jassar
Nancy Ajram
Mohammed Ramadan
Amr Diab
There’s nothing wrong with using music that inspires you.
In fact, it’s encouraged.
In addition to the results you get, you are creating a moment of space in your schedule where you enjoy some ‘me time’.
#7-Dance with your goal/purpose/intention in mind.
There will be many things that can distract you.
-Negative talk
-Scheduling conflicts
-Exhaustion
-Insert another reason here
Keep your goal in mind.
-Tone belly
-Enjoyment of my own body
-Increased functionality
-Insert your goal here
Whatever it may be, remember that without a purpose or intention, it will be easier to stop, to give up on yourself, to not keep going.
This facet of the 7 ways is the most important.
Your goal, purpose, and intention pulls you forward.
Compels you to take action.
Keeps you present to what inspired you start in the first place.
This is the culmination of #1 – #6.
You do the first 6 ways because of #7.
And you do all of these because whatever you truly desire and want is important to you.
And when something is important to you, you take the actions to back up that belief. To back up the belief in yourself.
It’s all available to you now and you can get there.
A couple of things to remember:
When it come to the movements
For all the moves, keep your tailbone down and hold your posture.
For pelvic tilt, remember to not release the pelvis all the way back that you compress/squeeze the lower back.
For undulation, keep your tailbone down as you much you can towards the bottom/end of the movement.
Couple this with nutrition
Drink more water
Eat less refined sugar
Eat more veggies
You’ll see the impact quickly.
Mindset
You will get there. Even when you don’t see the results right away, keep the course.
Embrace that your daily work will show up in the future.
Small changes over time make huge impacts.
Focus on progress not perfection.
Acknowledge the wins. Any of them and all of them.
Everyone started at the beginning. There’s no secret sauce.
You are ready!
Let’s do this!
Want to take this all to go?
Download the pdf here
Download the videos here
