How to Do a Reverse Figure Eight in Belly Dancing

Belly dancing is an exciting art form and a whole lot of fun once you get the basics down. Learning how to do a reverse figure eight in belly dancing, for example, just takes a little bit of practice. The more you practice, the more flexible and limber you'll become, making the common belly dancing movements even easier and more fun.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get the stance down. All good belly dancing moves start with the correct stance. Place your feet flat on the ground about a foot apart and tuck your pelvis in. Relax your shoulders and keep them back. Your chest should be out, with your arms relaxed and out to your sides.

2. Get the moves down. Imagine that you're drawing a figure eight on the floor, with your belly button as the center of the eight. Then use your hips to trace the outline of the number. Since you're trying to do a reverse figure eight, you begin by pushing your hips back and then bringing them forward.

3. Put it all together. Continue to do the figure-eight pattern several times to get the motion down. It may feel awkward at first until you loosen up a bit, but the more you practice the reverse figure eights, the better you'll become. Keep going back and forth and then move on to the other side.

4. Isolate the muscles. As you become proficient with the movements, you learn how to train your body to isolate certain muscles in the hip region to achieve the reverse figure eight. Pay attention to where it hurts the next day; these are the muscles you want to use the next time around.