Common Mistakes Beginner Belly Dancers Make

The primary dance in belly dancing requires the skill of isolation. Because of this, people who are familiar with dance jazz or ballet can do basic belly dance moves well. Instead of just using the muscles outside the body, each move is made by the dancer’s core muscles. Most of the movements come from the hips and pelvis, but isolating the shoulders and chest is also essential for a performance that looks fluid. 

There are many steps in the different styles of belly dancing that are done all over the world, but some steps have been used for a long time. 

• Shimmy: Using the muscles in your lower back to move your hips back and forth. To make this vibration, you can shimmy from front to back or side to side; sometimes, it can also be done in the shoulders. 
• Undulations are smooth, flowing movements all over the body, such as the chest pulsing and the hips and stomach twisting in a circle. 
• Hip hits are when the hips move quickly and sharply away from the body. When done quickly, it looks like the pelvis is swinging, but this is just an illusion caused by the legs’ weight pulsing swiftly back and forth. 

Common Mistakes

Here are the most common mistakes beginner belly dancers make.

Not Stretching

Stretching before dancing is one of the most important tips we can give. Not stretching is a common mistake dancers make that can hurt them. This will make you more flexible and keep you from getting hurt. As a dancer, you need to be very flexible. Stretching before a workout helps both save you from getting hurt and make you more mobile in the long run. But if you stretch too much before a game, you might be too loose and more likely to get hurt. We start each class with just the right amount of stretching and warm-ups to help your kids become better short- and long-term dancers. With belly dancing, you need to pay special attention to working the core abdominal muscles before you begin belly dancing. As you become more skilled with various belly dancing moves, you will find it easier to recover after you have done a routine. 

Dancing When You Are Too Tired or Hungry 

When you’re tired, it can be a bad idea to dance. You’re already off balance, so you’re more likely to do silly things. When you’re hungry and trying to dance, your focus won’t be as good as it should be. Make sure you sleep enough and eat well before your dance class. Belly dancing requires a considerable amount of energy. You sould eat some higher carb foods when preparing to belly dance. You should also look at the amount of sleep you are getting when active with belly dancing. Recovery is another important thing to take into account when belly dancing. You need to take a day of recovery doing other forms of lighter exercise. 

 Poor Posture 

Another mistake that dancers often make is having bad posture. You can fix this by working on your posture while not dancing. When you dance, standing or sitting up straight will help you look more balanced and graceful. On the other hand, if you slouch, you’ll look messy and unprofessional. Think of a string pulling up from the top of your head while standing. This will help you keep your spine extended as well as your core muscles in balance. Practicing good posture will help focus your abdominal muscles. 

Trying To Do Too Many Things

This is a mistake that many new dancers make. When starting, you should go slowly and not try to do too much. This can make people angry and hurt themselves. Start with the basics and build from there. As you get better, you’ll be able to add steps and moves that are more complicated. For now, concentrate on getting the basic moves down! Thre are more than twenty American belly dance moves and dozens of Egyptian moves, as well as other moves for things like Tribal fusion. Start with the basic belly dance moves first and master those before moving onto more advanced techniques. 

Not Practicing

This is probably the mistake people make most often. If you want to be a better dancer, you will need to dance often. The better you get, the more you practice. Unfortunately, when it comes to belly dancing, there are no shortcuts. Only hard work and dedication will make you a good belly dancer. 

Not Paying Attention to Your Teacher 

Not paying attention to your teacher is another mistake that many people make when they first start dancing. It’s important to listen to your dance teacher and do what they say when you’re in class. This will help you learn the correct way to do the steps and improve your skill. If you are having trouble understanding what your instructor is saying, ask them to repeat themselves.

How to Do the Belly Dance 

There are many moves in belly dancing, and these moves leave a lot of room for improvisation. People like to shake their hips and roll their shoulders, so it’s essential to know how to perform these moves easily. This will give you a great place to start, and once you feel comfortable, you can slowly add more advanced moves. 

How to Move 

Start with your knees bent a little bit. This is important, so you can do hip lifts, which we’ll discuss next. Put your arms above your head and use your stomach muscles to help you move. You can start using your back, but you should switch to your abdominal muscles when it gets stronger. 

It is also very important for belly dancing to learn how to separate different parts of your body. In belly dance, dancers often layer different movements on top of each other in strange ways to make a genuinely mesmerizing movement. It can take time to get good at isolated movements and build up your range of motion, so keep at it and practice as much as you can! 

Counting 

Rhythms in belly dance songs can be different, but most have the same beat pattern. To count this, you’ll have to keep saying “1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” in time with the music. Most of the time, you’ll emphasize moves that happen on a count (1, 2, 3, 4) and less on movements that occur on “and” counts. 

How to Do Hip Lifts in Belly Dance 

Now that you know the basic shape and timing of belly dancing, you’ll need to learn how to do the hip lifts, which are the most critical moves. This move will make your hips move from side to side, making your stomach move slightly. Here’s how to do hip lifts in belly dance: 

• Start by bending both knees and standing with your back slightly arched. 
• Keep your feet on the floor and slowly straighten your right leg while keeping your left leg bent. Your right hip should rise as a result. 
• Bend your right knee slowly again to get back to where you were. 
• Now, straighten your left leg while keeping your right leg bent. Your left hip will rise as a result. 
• To get back to a neutral position, bend your left knee again. 
• From here, you’ll keep alternating, straightening, and bending your knees to lift each hip in turn. 
• Once you’re used to it, try going faster until your hips start to shake. 
• The primary hip lift is now over. Remember to “pull” your hip up by using your stomach muscles.

Relax and Have Fun!

Belly dancing classes are entertaining to get in shape and improve your dancing skills. Take it alone, with friends, or with a family member! Remember to relax and have fun to get the most out of your belly dancing class experience.

Find an Online Class

Taking an online belly dancing class is easy and affordable. You get to learn in the privacy of your own home. Sign up for one today at PursueIt!