Bellydance Terminology

= beginner     = intermediate      = advanced

• 3/4 SHIMMY
  • With your weight on your right foot, do 3 hip bumps (R, L, R) then pause. Shift your weight to your left foot and do 3 hip bumps (L, R, L) then pause. Repeat.
     
• ARABICS - body waves while traveling
  • With one foot in front of the other, step on front foot while starting a body wave. Halfway through the body wave, step with your back foot so your feet are together, or just shift your weight to your back foot if you want to stay where you are and not travel forward.  
     
• REVERSE ARABICS - reverse body waves while traveling
  • With one foot in front of the other, step on front foot while starting a reverse body wave. Halfway through the body wave, step with your back foot so your feet are together, or just shift your weight to your back foot if you want to stay where you are and not travel forward.
      
• BODY FIGURE 8
  • On left: Counter clockwise chest circle followed by a 1/2 taxeem (see definition below) with left hip.
  • On right: Clockwise chest circle followed by a 1/2 taxeem (see definition below) with right hip.
     
• BODY FIGURE 8 (hip drop variation)
  • On left: Counter clockwise chest circle followed by a 1/2 taxeem (see definition below) with left hip, kicking your right foot out and drop right hip.
  • On right: Clockwise chest circle followed by a 1/2 taxeem (see definition below) with right hip, kicking your left foot out and drop left hip.
     
• DEMI POINTE
  • French for "half-toe", meaning on the balls of the foot.
     
• CHEST FIGURE 8
  • A figure 8 pattern described by the rib cage. The chest moves front to back or back to front. This can be done in 2D (i.e. horizontally - back to forward or forward to back) or 3D ( add in a chest lift/drop and/or shoulder rolls).
     
• EGYPTIANS
  • Step to front with right foot, use the ball of your right foot to push your right hip up while you twist your right hip to the front. Release your right foot as you bring your right hip back to center. Step to front with right left, use the ball of your left foot to push your left hip up while you twist your left hip to the front. Release your right left as you bring your left hip back to center. Repeat.
  • Variation - add in a 1/2 or full turn after each set.
     
• FLUTTER
  • A fast, vibratory movement of the upper half of your stomach in and out by panting or by closing your throat and making a panting motion with your diaphragm.
     
• GRAPEVINE
  • Going to the right: start facing the front. Cross your left foot over your right foot. Step out to right with your right foot. Cross behind your right foot with your left foot. Step out to right with your right foot. Repeat as necessary, keeping your head and shoulders facing front at all times.
    
  • Going to the left: start facing the front. Cross your right foot over your left foot. Step out to left with your left foot. Cross behind your left foot with your right foot. Step out to left with your left foot. Repeat as necessary, keeping your head and shoulders facing front at all times.
     
• INTERIOR HIP CIRCLE / UMI
  • Clockwise: lift left hip, tuck pelvis forward, lift right hip, release to center, repeat, smoothing out to form a circle
  • Counter clockwise: lift right hip, tuck pelvis forward, lift left hip, release to center, repeat, smoothing out to form a circle
     
    
• MAYA - vertical hip figure 8 up to down without any horizontal twist
  • Without lifting your heels from the floor and while trying to keep your upper body still, use your oblique muscles to lift your right hip and drop your left hip. With your right hip lifted, push out as to the right far as you can. Drop your right hip and lift your left hip. Bring your right hip back to center while pushing your left hip out as far as you can. Drop your left hip while lifting your right hip... (repeat to form a figure 8)
     
• TAXEEM - vertical hip figure 8 down to up without any horizontal twist
  • Without lifting your heels from the floor and while trying to keep your upper body still, use your oblique muscles to drop your right hip and lift your left hip. With your right hip dropped, push out as to the right far as you can. Lift your right hip and drop your left hip. Bring your right hip back to center while pushing your left hip out as far as you can. Lift your left hip while dropping your right hip... (repeat to form a figure 8)
     
• TURKISH SHIMMY - 3/4 shimmy with steps
  • On the right: with your left foot staying in the same spot, step with your right foot out to the front, step back on your left foot, step out to the back with your right foot, step forward on your left foot, repeat (do a 3/4 shimmy with each step).
  • On the left: with your right foot staying in the same spot, step with your left foot out to the front, step back on your right foot, step out to the back with your left foot, step forward on your right foot, repeat (do a 3/4 shimmy with each step).
     
• YALLA YALLA (means "Let's Go" in arabic)
  • Going to the right: step to the right with right foot, use the ball of your right foot to push your right hip up while you twist your right hip to the front. Release your right hip as you bring your left foot together with your right foot. Repeat.
  • Going to the left: step to the left with left foot, use the ball of your left foot to push your left hip up while you twist your left hip to the front. Release your left hip as you bring your right foot together with your left foot. Repeat.
    
    
• more to come!