Hipwork

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 workshop offers some upper body layering over the 3/4 shimmy as well as three different 3/4 shimmy variations in the lower body. Upper body layers include chest circles, up to down body rolls, and down to up body rolls. Each movement will be broken down into isolations and then practiced on top of the 3/4 traveling shimmy.

Each of the 3/4 shimmy variations combine an accent or shape in the hips: including hip locks up, hip locks down, twists, and slides. We’ll explore three specific variations that include these isolations.

This workshop is designed for the experienced dancer who is already comfortable with the basic 3/4 shimmy and is ready to layer and travel!

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.

This is a footwork focused combination with folky inspiration. It features locks, hip work, spins, and traveling all with a playful style. The combo will be broken down, then drilled at increasing tempos and then run through at performance speed. An overall fast paced and fun combo!

This short spotlight will clearly break down the technique of the Egyptian style shimmy. We will hold the shimmy non-stop for five minutes with various speed and intensity. With consistent practice this drill will help you achieve a gorgeous powerful shimmy.

This spotlight is from Sedona's "Super Shimmies & Shimmy Layers" workshop.

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".

This class is designed for the beginning belly dancer or anyone looking to revisit and practice some basic belly dance essentials. In this video, we will start by breaking down belly dance posture. Then we’ll work with some basic footwork and traveling, hip locks, upper body isolations, and snake arms. Have a mat ready as we’ll begin with a short yoga and pilates conditioning sequence.

In this class, we explore a simple traveling combination and then add arm movements on top. Basic hip and chest movement will also be drilled, with a focus on clean, strong, muscular articulation. A nice, long arm and shoulder drill is included to build strength and stamina for beautiful and graceful arms. We will warm-up and cool-down with a bit of yoga and Pilates so grab your yoga mat as well!

This beginning level ATS® class introduces basic slow moves including posture, taxeem, hand floreo and reverse turn, and presents four fast moves: Arabic, Shimmy Step, Egyptian and Choo-choo. A zill pattern is paired with the fast moves and drilled. We start with a warm up and end with a cool down.

After a quick warm up, slow arm undulations, arm flourishes, and Bodywave are presented in this ATS® basic class. Fast variations, including Egyptian 1⁄2 Turn and Arabic Arm Flourishes are introduced and drilled with zils. We break down and drill duet and trio formations, then finish with a cool down.

This beginning level ATS ® class starts with a warm up, then introduces basic slow moves including Camel Walk, Torso Twist, and the Propeller Turn. Fast movements will include Shimmy Step, and Turkish Shimmy, and adding a 1/4 turn to the Turkish Shimmy. Class finishes with a zil drill that rotates through the common drill patterns used in ATS® followed by a cool down.

After a quick warm up, Corkscrew Turn, Ribcage Rotation and layering Arm Undulations and Taxeem are presented in this ATS® basic class. Ghawazee Shimmy and Arabic Hip-twist are introduced and put into combos to drill with zils. Transitions and lead changes appropriate for duets and trios are broken down and drilled, then class finishes with a cool down.

This is the 4th class in Colette's Beginning ATS® series.

This beginning level ATS® class starts with a warm up then reviews posture. Wrap-around Turn is introduced and slow movements are layered onto level changes. We review Turkish Shimmy then add a 1⁄2 Turn and introduce Reach & Sit. Class finishes with a call and response zil drill which rotates through the common zil pattern used in ATS® and a cool down.

This is class 5 in Colette's Beginner's ATS® Series.

After a quick warm up, the beautiful Sahra Turn is introduced and Reverse Taxeem is layered with Arm Undulations in this ATS® basic class. We review fast foot positions then breakdown Arc-Arm Turn and Shoulder Shimmy. Ghawazee Shimmy and Arabic Hip-twist are introduced and put into combos to drill with zils. Transitions specifically suited for trios and quartets are broken down and drilled, then class finishes with a cool down.

This beginning level ATS® class starts with a warm up then arm position review. Circle Step is introduced and basic slow movements are layered with traveling steps. We review Egyptian Basic and introduce Up-Up-Down-Down-Down (Up2-Down3). Zils patterns used in ATS® but applicable to all styles of belly dance are reviewed and paired with movements. Class finishes with a fast drill and a cool down.

This class serves as a wonderful introduction to the beautiful art of belly dance. We will cover some of the most fundamental movements in a belly dance repertoire. You will learn various styles of hip figure 8’s as well as many gorgeous traveling movements. Each movement will be broken down, drilled and then put together in a drill style combination.

This workshop will be focusing on some of the most fundamental belly dance movements. This is the perfect intro class for someone new to belly dance or a more advanced dancer looking to fine-tune the basics. In this class you will learn the Egyptian Basic, various hip circles, and hip twists. We will do all movements in place and then travel with them as well. Each movement is broken down, drilled, and then finally combined with complimentary movements and danced!

In this Belly Dance Basics class we will be focusing on muscular hipwork. We will be working the hips on various planes to create strong lifts, drops and bumps. We will also drill interior hip circles as well as side circles. In addition to a warm up, cool down, break down and drill section, the class also includes a combination of all movements covered.

In this Belly Dance Basics class the focus will be on very muscular internal body movements and external traveling moves. After a short full body warm-up you will learn up-to-down and down-to-up-undulations as well as down-to-up hip figure 8’s. Basic hip bumps and twists will also be layered on different foot patterns. All the movements will be combined at the end of class into a great drill style combination. The class concludes with a short cool down.

An excellent class for a beginning student or advanced dancer looking to keep their basics strong.

Belly Dance Flow Drillz have been created for the dedicated dancer as a means to drill almost all dance movements for a well-rounded daily practice. In this workshop Zoe will encourage a balance of strength, flexibility, and technique, utilizing sun salutations, Pilates, and good old fashioned belly dance. This practice will make you sweat, so drink lots of water, and you'll need a yoga mat and a towel.

In this class we will be focusing on large, exaggerated hip movements. Big Hip Movements are one of the most exciting components in a belly dance repertoire, not only are they fun and dramatic but they also serve as the perfect contrast to intricate interior hip work and tight shimmies. We will break down and drill various favorite “Big Hip Movements”, then put them together to create a combination. The class will also include an extended warm up designed to increase hip flexibility and mobility as well as a hip opening cool down.

This is a fun, challenging, intermediate-level belly dance choreography to "Bounce" by Solace. In this fusion piece we'll play with some locking isolation combinations, layers, funky belly-dance based traveling steps and turns as well as a few Polynesian-inspired moves. This choreography is presented as a solo piece but with a few simple modifications, it can be done as a duet.

This workshop is from the "Built for Belly Dance Conditioning Series", which are fitness-based classes for belly dancers that build strength, flexibility, and technique.

This workshop is a 3-part-power-packed belly dance, yoga, and fitness workout focusing on the lower body. Class will begin with a yoga and fitness routine for strengthening, then we will proceed to bellydance drills and a combo that focus on the legs and hips. The workshop will conclude with a yoga and stretching segment to increase flexibility and range of motion in the lower body.

The "Built for Belly Dance Series" also includes workshops on conditioning and drills for the arms and torso.

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.

In this workshop you will learn a Classic Cabaret entrance choreography. The piece starts with a veil dance , then moves on to showcase some classic oriental stylization. Learning this choreography will help to improve your musicality and transitions as well as introduce you to some beautiful yet innovative cabaret style movements and combos.

The gorgeous feminine expression of Cabaret Style Belly Dance can range from light and airy to earthy and powerful. In this class we will focus on seven “classic” cabaret style movements. This class is perfect for someone just beginning to build their belly dance repertoire or for the dancer looking to fuse some authentic Arabic style into their dance. Each movement will be broken down, drilled, then put together into a combination. We will start with warm-up based on Kundalini Yoga and Qi Gong, designed to free up energy in the physical and energetic body, and we will conclude with a short cool down.

This class presents fast Tribal Style movements that incorporate classic foot patterns and traditional hip work which look stunning when performed by a group.  We will introduce the movements and flourishes, string them together into combos to drill, then drill them in formation with zils.  This workshop is appropriate for dancers of all levels and the moves are ATS® and/or ITS friendly.

This workshop is designed to get you moving & sweating with three combinations that contain a variety of belly dance moves fused with steps from other styles of dance, including hula and jazz. Do all three combinations for a complete workout or use one at a time to get your heart rate up before a dance class.

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 "A" works with basic belly dance moves, traveling steps, and some arm movements 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.

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 "B" works with cross over turns, level changes, and traveling hip movements 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.

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.

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 #2 has a more gentle yoga practice and focus on arms.

Daily doses are made in pairs so you can alternate practices for an all-over conditioning over the course of several days. This practice highlights the beautiful and complex phrase: Pinball.

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.

Learn a dynamic drum solo choreography. This high-energy piece features isolations, pop and lock patterns, shimmies, shimmy layers and various traveling movements. A fun and well rounded choreo to practice or perform!

Swords, zils, and quick shimmys – nothing pleases an audience more! In this Intermediate level class, fast movements for sword balancing are presented and drilled. Based on the ATS® fast vocabulary, but applicable for dancers of all styles, variations for dancing with a sword while wearing zils are introduced and concepts for fast sword presentations are discussed. Arm modifications are demonstrated and exciting combos are explored.

Amy Sigil presents Unmata's Level 1 Slow ITS vocabulary. Lesson one will cover low, mid, and high taxeems, taxeem transitions, and 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 turns. This class includes a warm up, technique, drill, and an inspiring pep-talk to work out your mind as well as your body!

Information about where to download the syllabus for Unmata's Level 1 Slow ITS vocabulary is at the end of the video.

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 belly dance flow drills class will focus on layering muscular hip work with arm patterns and footwork. Zoe Jakes has created a format that teaches complex layering in a concise and clear way, and that is geared towards intermediate and advanced dancers of all styles. A yoga warm-up is strongly recommended before taking this class.

This simple yet challenging class uses a technique combination that 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 beginning through intermediate dancer over the course of one to six months. It begins with a brief conditioning section to warm up your spine and joints, and ends with a relaxing yoga practice.

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".

This workshop is a study in combining basic movements together to create clear, distinct layers of simultaneous movement. We will address layering a variety of basic upper body movements with a variety of basic lower body movements. This class is targeted toward the dancer who is beyond beginner and is ready to move into more complex multi-tasking territory.

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.

Taking content from Unmata's Slow ITS Lesson 1 (low, mid, high taxeems, taxeem transitions, and 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 turns) and drillin' it.

Taxeem work is fundamental to horizontal figure 8s paired with snake arms, an ABC of ITS. This class breaks down the taxeem, illustrates the "how to" in executing seamless transitions of your low, mid, and high taxeems, concepts and rules of turning with the taxeem, moving with your taxeems, and last we will cover the stagger formation and rotation.

The material in this spotlight is from 'Full Lesson 1: Unmata's Level 1 Slow ITS'. To drill the material in this class in the stagger or for the warm up, please try the full class or the 'Drill' or "Eagle Shame Warm Up' spotlights.

This drill section puts together your upper undulations, floreo poses, and reverse turn, and includes the work from Unmata's Slow ITS Level 1, Lesson 1.

This segment is taken from 'Full Lesson 2: Unmata's Level 1 Slow ITS'.

Putting the first 4 lessons of Unmata's Level 1 Slow ITS Vocabulary together, this drill section includes camel step, spin set up 1 and 2, floreo taxeem, rib circles, arm dip, upper undulations, floreo poses, reverse turn, and all of lesson 1 taxeem work. Lets Dance!

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.

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.

In this class you will learn Sedona’s signature “Serpent Moon” combination. The combo has a theatrical style and is an interesting fusion of Cabaret Style Belly Dance, Tribal Fusion, and Modern Dance. In learning this combo you will come away with many innovative new movements and hopefully be inspired in creating your own unique fusions. We will open with a special warm up designed to increase spinal strength and flexibility as well as help to improve your balance. We will end with a brief cool down.

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!

In this challenging short segment we hold a consistent shimmy for 15 minutes while adding dynamic head, arm, chest, shoulder, and hip layers. We will also drill shimmies with weight and level changes. This high-energy drill will be sure to increase your shimmy endurance and guide you in executing many intermediate and advanced layers.

This spotlight is part of Sedona's 'Super Shimmies & Shimmy Layers' workshop.

In this class we will break down and drill the technique for lovely, loose shoulder shimmies standard to Cabaret style belly dance. Once we have a nice, strong shoulder shimmy we will begin to layer them with different step patterns, level changes, and chest isolations.

This spotlight is from Sedona's "Super Shimmies & Shimmy Layers" workshop.

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".

This workshop will teach you some of the gooeyest fundamental movements in Tribal Fusion vocabulary, and, when done regularly, will increase the strength and flexibility in the upper back and lateral muscles. It includes a warm up, three phrases: Bodywave, Side to Side Undulation, Sidewinder, an improvisation section including those phrases, and a cool down for flexibilty. Enjoy!

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.

Shimmies are one of the most impressive yet challenging movements in a belly dance repertoire. In this workshop we will go through a clear and concise break down of the Egyptian style hip shimmy and shoulder shimmy. We will dance through an extended shimmy session to help increase the endurance and velocity of your shimmy. Finally, we will begin to add exciting and challenging shimmy layers and level changes. The workshops begins with a full-body, classical dance based conditioning workout; designed to create a long and strong dancers body.

This workshop is designed to give the beginning or intermediate belly dancer a foundation for traveling with 3/4 shimmies. In this workshop, we’ll break down the basic 3/4 shimmy, focusing on an even pacing and smooth execution. Pilates mat work, isolation drills, and balance exercise will help to prepare the dancer for the movement. This video includes a basic traveling combination to exercise traveling forward, back, and to the sides. Great for beginning to experienced dancers looking to drill the 3/4 shimmy.

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.

Learn the 5 sections of a balancing routine in this short and simple choreography. This includes level changes, touches briefly on floorwork, gives a few turns to play with, and has a combination or two while balancing your item of choice. Make sure you're warmed up for this one, especially in the legs. Enjoy!

An up-tempo combination with a lot of changes, the Hagallah combo gives both your brain and body a bit of work. In addition to the hagallah, enjoy the Arabic Shimmy, optional level changes, and a few surprising transitions.

This spotlight will introduce the intermediate student to a technique concept called “scales”, through breaking down and drilling the Sugar scale. Scales are phrases that can be used for improvisation or choreography, as well as being strong technique drills. The Sugar scale combines a series of locks and undulations that travel up and down the body. This spotlight is taken from Rachel's "Serpentine Scales" workshop, which features a combination using both the Pinball and Sugar scales.

This class presents a combination that includes a simple isolation pattern, hip work, a traveling step, and a bit of a theatrical ending. It was created to be used over and over for several months, so it begins simply and increases tempo three times so you can work at your current speed and level. We begin with a yoga-based conditioning sequence for the upper back, and end with support for your hips.

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."