Things You'll Need:
- mirror (optional)
- hip scarf (optional)
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Step 1
The belly really is an important component of belly dancing, and seeing it while you shimmy will help you perfect the move. Dress in a comfortable skirt or pants, and wear a top that exposes your belly. If you have a scarf to tie around your hips, that can help accent the shimmy movement.
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Step 2
Unless you already have very strong abdominal muscles, some warm up exercises can really improve your shimmy. Try some side bends, crunches, and leg lifts to tone different parts of your abdomen.
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Step 3
Stand straight with you knees just slightly bent. Looking in a mirror if possible, raise one hip bone as high as you can without moving your foot. Try this with both hips, and also try lowering each hip as much as you can. Your legs will probably move a little, but try to get some of the action into your belly also. The abdominal muscles on the side of the hip you are raising should tighten. This lift and tighten motion, combined with relaxing and dropping on the opposite side, is the basis of the shimmy.
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Step 4
Put the hip lifting together into a slow, rhythmic shimmy. Raise your right hip, then your left hip, and repeat for several minutes.
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Step 5
When you feel comfortable with that motion, increase the speed. Make sure to keep practicing shimmying both slowly and quickly.
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Step 6
Try to isolate the shimmy in your hips. Your feet should not move, and your upper body and arms should not shake. Even your belly should not shake too much, although the muscles are tightening and relaxing. To help with this isolation, make sure you are standing straight, with your chest gently lifted, and your knees relaxed.
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Step 7
Once you have mastered the basic shimmy, play around with variations. You can shimmy while you walk forward or backward, while you turn around, or while you add different movements with your upper body.
