Move · Videos · Dance · 19 min

20-Minute Belly Dance Basics

Video by Belly Motions with Portia on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Miss P teaches beginner belly dance moves - hip slides, hip bumps, hip drops, shimmies and figure eights - puts them into a short routine, then finishes with a long stretch. A friendly first class for any body.

  • 19 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
  • Belly dance

Good forDancing for fun

Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Warm-up: slide the hips right and left with the arms out, then twists into figure eights. 0:00
  2. Hip accents: squeeze the glute and push the hip out to each side, keeping the feet flat. 1:26
  3. Hip bumps: squeeze and thrust each hip, singles then doubles, adding the arms. 3:02
  4. Hip rocks into a shimmy: hands on hips, shoulder blades down, upper body still, then pump the knees. 3:52
  5. Step and touch on the balls of the feet with hip punches, adding the arms, then dance around. 5:50
  6. Hip drops: one foot forward, lift the hip towards the ribs and drop it, then the other side. 7:14
  7. Shoulder shimmy: one shoulder forward, one back, with long arms, then step back into hip drops. 8:59
  8. Put it together: dance the moves as a short routine to the music. 10:37
  9. Cool-down: deep breaths, roll the spine down and up, side bends with the glutes squeezed, then a forward fold. 12:47
  10. Balance stretches, holding a chair or wall if needed: a standing quad stretch, then a figure-four glute stretch. 15:23

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep feet flat, knees soft and the chest lifted
  • Draw the shoulder blades down and keep the upper body still
  • Hold a chair or wall for the balance stretches

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movesshoulder shimmies, arm frames
  • Lower back moveship and rib cage moves, spine roll, side bends
  • Hips moveship slides, drops, figure eights, accents
  • Knees movessoft knees, knee pumps, shimmies, step-touches
  • Ankles & feet movessteps on the balls of the feet, shimmies
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.
  • Standing on one leg. Keep a chair or a wall within reach.

Easier option from the coach: Chair, wall or couch support offered for the balance stretches

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Belly Motions with Portia; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety