How To Perform Undulations in Belly Dancing

Modern belly dancing comes from variations and adaptations of several traditional folk dances, especially those from the Middle East. It is not only an enjoyable form of dancing but a mentally and physically beneficial one, as it requires the movement of isolated muscle groups to produce the snake-like, wavelike body motion that characterizes this dance form. Often, learning belly dancing requires you to master the basic steps or movements, which you can combine or improvise for variation later on. One of the basic and most important moves is the undulation, which simulates the movement of your upper torso when you ride a camel. In an undulation, your chest rotates forward, then up, then back, then down again. This article describes the steps in performing undulations in belly dancing.

1. Stand flat on the floor. This is a basic undulation, and you will need to balance your body to master it. It is important that your heels are flat on the floor so that you will not outbalance yourself when you bend your knees. Start with your knees slightly bent and with your arms and hands stretched outwards slightly for balance. Keep your head upright.
2. Bring your chest forward. This is the first movement in the basic undulation. As you do so, tuck in your pelvis, although this seems to occur naturally and simultaneously as you pull your chest forward. This brings your belly close to your spine. Remember to keep your shoulder in place as you tilt your chest forward. Do not make them move together with your chest. The chest should move in isolation.

3. Lift your chest. As you do so, your belly will come forward, as does your hips.
4. Push the chest down and in. The movement appears as if you are scooping your chest in. As you do, your belly and groin will move forward, simulating the initial movement that happens when you sit.
5. Tuck your pelvis back in. Tucking your pelvis in will also bring your belly back in. This movement simulates the final movement when you take a seat.
6. Repeat from step 2. Perform each movement slowly at first until you can smoothly transition from one isolated movement to the next.

If you perform the above steps smoothly in succession, the effect will be snake-like or upright wave-like motion. This motion is also similar to the natural movement of your body when you ride a camel. You can also perform the reverse undulation, which is basically just a reversal of the steps listed above.

Once you have mastered the basic undulation movements, you can begin learning more advanced undulation techniques that use two isolated parts of your belly: the lower belly and the upper belly, in addition to your chest and your pelvis or hips.

Belly dancing is great at improving your cardiovascular system and at increasing your stamina because it requires you to make undulations that need complete and conscious muscular control. Now that you have learned one of the basic movements in belly dancing, you can start having fun in learning the other basic moves or learning more advanced variations of the basic undulation.