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Belly Dancing Technique: How to Shimmy

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By Marisa Wright

Every new belly dancer wants to know how to shimmy, and every intermediate bellydancer wants to know how to shimmy better.

Basically, a shimmy is just a fast vibration of the lower body - but there is much, much more to it than that! Join any belly dance forum and you'll even find lively debates on how they should be driven - hips, thighs or glutes.

First, as inspiration, let's look at someone who really knows how to shimmy - in fact, she's choreographed a whole routine using nothing else!  - Georgette, a performer and teacher from Sydney, Australia:



Knee Shimmy

Beginners assume that the shimmy comes from the hips, but it doesn't. The shimmy is always driven by other muscles - the hips just come along for the ride!

If you try making a shimmy with your hips - which is the obvious thing to do - two things happen. One, the muscles tense up and you won't get that gorgeous wobble. Two, there's a tendency for the hips to sway out to the side instead of straight up and down.

The most common driver is the knees. When you practice, try to focus on the knees and let everything else relax. That doesn't mean you should let your core go - make sure you are holding your stomach muscles gently so your butt doesn't stick out. It may look sexy, but doing shimmies in that position will injure your back!


The video above shows a very "big" shimmy which affects the whole body. If you keep your heels on the floor and relax your upper body, you'll find the shimmy is confined below the waist. By varying the speed of your knees and varying the flexion (i.e. how far you bend them), you can vary the shimmy.

Changing the emphasis of your movement will also change the shimmy - try concentrating more on bending for a while, then shift your focus to straightening, and see how it affects the hips. The video on the right shows the effect when a dancer varies the way she moves her knees. 

The Thigh Shimmy

Not everyone agrees that using the knees is the way to go.

Below is a demonstraton of a shimmy driven from the thighs. It looks the same on the surface - the knees are still bending and straightening - but if you look carefully, you will see the movement is more controlled. Done by an expert, this shimmy will produce a sharp, shimmering vibration, in contrast to the jelly-wobble of the knee shimmy.


The Glute Shimmy

Some people claim the glute shimmy is the only "right" way to shimmy. Others argue that the knee shimmy is more traditional. Personally, I think there's room for all varieties.

Suhaila is the queen of the glute shimmy. If you want to emulate her, the exercise below (from her belly dance DVD) is an essential drill. The shimmy itself is just this exercise brought up to speed - alternately tightening and releasing each glute.


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Like the thigh shimmy, the glute shimmy is sharp and shimmery rather than soft and voluptuous.

Whatever your preference, once you've mastered the basic shimmy standing still, you can layer it with a multitude of moves - figure eights, hip slides, turning, walking, on one leg, etc.

There are variations too, with various names depending who you learn from, what style you're learning and what country you're in - the rocker shimmy, the choo-choo, three-quarter, washing-machine - the list goes on!

And I haven't even mentioned shimmying with your upper body - that's a whole other subject!

Happy shimmying!

*

Text copyright Marisa Wright. Photo courtesy of John M on Flickr.com.

Comments

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Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
15 months ago

Brilliant! - especially the last film clip. How do they do that?

A friend teaches belly dancing in the other half of the gym we have the karate classes in, and we become mesmerized by the music and movements at times. IN one part, they dance with long flowing shawls and it is hypnotic...Many thumbs up on this one!

Lissie profile image

Lissie  says:
15 months ago

Nice hub: I can't imagine getting my gluts to do anything! At least in ballroom dance I just have to keep everything lined up LOL

Dottie1 profile image

Dottie1  says:
15 months ago

Don't think I'll be leaning how to shimmy anytime soon but it was fun to learn about the different moves through reading and demonstrations in videos. Maybe I'll secretly try this later! lol

Zsuzsy Bee profile image

Zsuzsy Bee  says:
15 months ago

Are you sure a body is suppose to move like that? I think I was born with a fused spine... It ain't going to happen no matter how nice or fun

Loved the hub Marisa

regards Zsuzsy

kerryg profile image

kerryg  says:
15 months ago

Very neat hub!

I'm not a belly dancer, and haven't had dance training of any kind for 5 years now, but just experimented a little with these. The knees were pretty easy, but the glutes, wow. I started losing my rhythm and/or squeezing the wrong muscles entirely within, like, 15 seconds. The people in those glute videos are amazing!

ajcor profile image

ajcor  says:
15 months ago

Great hub - it all looks so effortless until you try to do it then the story changes quite radically!

Ryan Hupfer profile image

Ryan Hupfer  says:
15 months ago

Oh my goodness....the glute shimmy. Amazing.

MaryCola profile image

MaryCola  says:
15 months ago

wonderful Hub. I have always wondered how they did all that shimmying. You answered all my questions.

2patricias profile image

2patricias  says:
15 months ago

This looks so much fun. Will give it a go. We saw a fantastic belly dancer at a women's business networking event last month, it looked great exercise.

Amanda Severn profile image

Amanda Severn  says:
15 months ago

Brilliant hub! There's a belly dancing class across the quad from where my art group meets, and we're often entertained by their displays on summer evenings. I tried a few of the different shimmies, but my butt would not oblige me with any kind of rhythm for the last one! It's a very sexy dance form, and ideal for the more voluptuous amongst us!

Princessa profile image

Princessa  says:
15 months ago

This hub is great, and that first dancer is awesome!

Now I know exactly where I was going wrong,I was trying to use my hips all these time, no wonder I could not get it right.

Thanks for sharing the secret ;)

chloefaith profile image

chloefaith  says:
11 months ago

Nice hub. Thank you for sharing. I too am past 50, not involved or remarried like you, but I survived. Your site is fun. Please visit my hubs when you have a chance, my link for my book is there too. I would love your feedback.

packerpack profile image

packerpack  says:
10 months ago

A very good Hub I must say. I came here following a link from one of your other Hubs and found that this one is lot more informative. Honestly speaking I got to learn one new word "Shimmy, I didn't know about it. And this Hub also cleared one of my misconceptions too, I used to think they really vibrate their hips but now I know it the work of knees. Really a good technique and an equally good Hub.

Wire-Zone profile image

Wire-Zone  says:
8 months ago

Wow... great Hub!

K.D. Clement profile image

K.D. Clement  says:
8 months ago

Just took my first belly dancing class last night and was wondering about how to properly shimmy. Thanks for the informative hub.

jonty  says:
5 months ago

Wow ..... really nice hub ...... very informative ..... very nicely explained ...... thanks ...... keep up the good work ....

mediaspin profile image

mediaspin  says:
3 months ago

Very nice!

http://skirtappeal.blogspot.com/#

S.J.J  says:
2 months ago

Very good, I'd love to learn how to belly dance :)

dnrkrishnan25 profile image

dnrkrishnan25  says:
2 months ago

good info

LittleWing<3 profile image

LittleWing<3  says:
2 months ago

Very helpful! Thank you

Bhawna Sharma profile image

Bhawna Sharma  says:
6 weeks ago

This is something I was looking for. Next is to find a dance instructor. Oh! i can't wait...

Nell Rose profile image

Nell Rose  says:
5 weeks ago

I had to see how it was really done, as a friend at work used to keep nagging me to join. I still have'nt got the nerve up yet! thanks for the hub it made me realise what I am missing...still don't know though my body has'nt got the the right shimmy!! Nell

Marisa Wright profile image

Marisa Wright  says:
5 weeks ago

Nell, everyone can shimmy, including you. You just don't know it yet!

Many women are convinced they don't have the flexibility to move their hips independently, but we all do it every day. The trick is for a teacher to show you that, then you're off!

Nell Rose profile image

Nell Rose  says:
5 weeks ago

Ok I'll have a go! cheers Nell

Nell Rose profile image

Nell Rose  says:
5 weeks ago

Just to say I had a go and I can shimmy!!! yehey!! I will be back for another go.

Ps. that was fun. Nell

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