Hips

Here we will combine the 3/4 shimmy with chest slides, chest circles, the up-to-down body roll, and the down-to-up body roll. This spotlight is from Ashley's workshop, "3/4 Shimmy Variations & Layers."

This advanced class combines five upper body isolations with a few lower body isolations in yet even more challenging variations. Here we will start to venture in to poly-rhythms as well. This spotlight is a segment of Ashley's "Layercake: Crazy Delicious Layering" class.

Here we break down the basic 3/4 shimmy slowly, then speed it up. A simple traveling combination is included to practice going forward, back, right and left with the 3//4 shimmy. This spotlight is from Ashley's workshop, "The 3/4 Shimmy".

The strange and beautiful bodywave is performed differently according to your belly dance style. Here, we'll focus on the Tribal and Tribal Fusion approach, drilling it as a spinal roll in the back of the body. Rachel pairs this movement with a hip circle and an undulation down to up to give it a very sinuous and smoky feel. This spotlight is from Rachel's workshop, "Sinuous and Smoky Phrases".

This spotlight is part two of three from Ashley's "Built for Belly Dance: Lower Body Conditioning Workshop". This class will include bellydance drills and a combo that focus on the legs and hips.

This class is designed to get the dancer moving and sweating with a few combinations that contain a variety of belly dance moves fused with steps from other styles of dance, including hula and jazz. Combo "C" works with big belly dance hips, paddle turns, and undulations for an energetic and fun workout.

Each movement of each combination is first broken down through a series of drills that increase in speed. Once all of the steps of the combination are learned, they are quickly put together as a dance combination and are practiced slowly, then with increasing speed. This video also features a short Pilates-based warm up and cool down.

Get your daily dose! The daily dose is a short, efficient practice that has what you need to keep your technique strong, even if you have a crazy schedule: yoga, drills, a short phrase combination, a focus, and a cool down. This daily dose is part of the "Arabic Shimmy" Series.

Get your daily dose! The daily dose is a short, concise practice that has what you need to keep you strong, even if you have a crazy schedule: yoga, drills, a short phrase combination, a focus, and a cool down. This daily dose video is part of the "Arabic Shimmy" series.

Get your daily dose! These concise belly dance practices include what you need to keep your technique strong when you’re short on time: yoga, conditioning, technique drills, a short belly dance phrase called Pinball, and a cool down. Pinball #1 offers a stronger yoga practice and focus on leg strengthening and level changes.

This spotlight focuses on hip isolations (locks up and locks down), calf strengthening dills, and exercises to challenge balance. This video is designed to prepare the dancer for graceful traveling with hip movement. This spotlight is from "The 3/4 Shimmy" workshop with Ashley.

This fundamentals video pairs hip-work on the up and down with a very simple foot and arm pattern, and offers important information for the safe repetition of these movements. If you want to learn to belly dance, this is a great place to start after your warm up!

This short combination focuses primarily on hip work on the up and on the down. This video is meant to be used multiple times, so it starts slowly, with attention to detail, and is then drilled with quicker and quicker pacing to challenge the beginner through intermediate dancer over the course of one to six months. This combination is taken from Rachel's full class: "Hip Work and Level Changes".

Ten upper body isolations will be drilled with a few lower body isolations at varying speeds and combinations, culminating in a short combo. This spotlight is a segment of Ashley's "Layercake: Crazy Delicious Layering" class.

This short but hip-work packed combination focuses on 3/4 shimmies, hip-work on the down, hip bumps, posture, and simple arm placement. It is high energy and can be used in your combinations or choreographies.

This spotlight focuses on to a technique concept called “scales". In this video, Rachel will break down and drill the scale called "Pinball".

The Pinball scale combines undulations, rib cage circles, maya, side to side undulations, a simple lock pattern, and a more complex isolation pattern. These phrases can be used for improvisation or choreography, as well as being strong technique drills. This spotlight is taken from Rachel's "Serpentine Scales Workshop".

This video features a drill of the scale combinations Pinball and Sugar together. Use this spotlight to drill the phrases or for a more detailed breakdown of each of these movements, refer to "Serpentine Scales: Pinball and Sugar" Workshop.

A strong little phrase to keep your down-hip work nice and clean. Also includes hip circles and an undulation from the lowest-low belly to keep those abdominal isolations articulated and easy.

Slovenia Slam! This is a fun "scale" or isolation pattern, that involves chest locks, undulations, and a slight level change. Please be warmed up before doing this video. Enjoy!

This shimmy drill warm-up will get you ready for dancing in a hurry, while still being carefully sequenced. First we'll warm up the spine, then the joints, then move to hip work before our shimmy drill. Good to practice with other dance videos or practice, or just to keep your shimmies big and relaxed. Enjoy!

Side-to-side undulations-up-to-down and down-to-up take a bit of coordination and flexibility in the rib cage and lateral muscles. Here, the undulations are paired with foot patterns to make a movement that's great for drilling, improvisation, or choreography. This spotlight is from Rachel's workshop, "Sinuous and Smoky Phrases".

A short lead-and follow improvisation-drill to help you integrate side-to-side undulations, sidewinder, and bodywaves. Get warmed up for this one and jump in! If you need more information about these movements individually, they are explained in detail in Rachel's 'Sinuous and Smoky Phrases' class.

The Slow Burn Combo is an advanced combination for dancers already familiar with laybacks and drops. It includes the Cobra Basket turn, zippers, berber walks, a layback and drop, a fusion style Camel Walk Plunge, and a torso rotation. Get warmed up and give it a try! This spotlight is from Rachel's full workshop - "Laybacks, Drops, Zippers & Floorwork".

This spotlight breaks down the 3/4 shimmy on the “up” and the “down” and includes a traveling combo with a 3/4 shimmy, at three increasing speeds! This spotlight is from Ashley's "'The 3/4 Shimmy" workshop.

The Eagle's Shame warm up is a yoga based sport flow, designed to bring your heart rate up and add flexibility to your practice.

This combination includes a simple isolation pattern, hip work, a traveling step, and a slightly theatrical ending. It was created to be used over and over for several months: it begins simply and increases tempo three times so you can work at your current speed. It's suggested that you warm up a bit before trying this combination.

This spotlight breaks down three different 3/4 shimmy variations. The first includes a hip "up” accent, the second is the “over-shimmy” (using a figure 8 in the hips), and the third is a twist and drop variation... offering the experienced dancer three distinct flavors to play with! This spotlight is from Ashley's workshop, "3/4 Shimmy Variations and Layers."

A warm-up to prepare your for slow and sinuous movements. Can be used with other videos or all on its own. Included are side strengthening and stretching movements, as well as a dose of hip work.