Buzz
Everything you need to know about performing a belly roll, whether from the top or bottom
The belly roll, or undulation, is a crucial movement in belly dancing, a captivating art form that has its origins in Southwest Asia. This technique involves flexing and unflexing the abdominal muscles, creating a wave-like motion in the stomach while keeping the hips and spine stationary. With practice, you can control the speed of your belly roll and make it as smooth as you desire.
How to Perfect Your Basic Belly Rolls
To execute a top-to-bottom belly roll, start by pushing out your upper abs. Then, while extending your lower abs, pull in your upper abs. Next, draw in your lower abs as you push out your upper abs again. Keep repeating these steps until your belly roll flows seamlessly.
Instructions
Mastering Control Over Your Abdominal Muscles
Position yourself in front of a mirror. Stand facing the mirror with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Keep your arms by your sides. Relax your abdominal muscles and allow your pelvis to naturally protrude slightly. You should feel relaxed and at ease.
- Since you're practicing a belly roll, it's important to be able to see your stomach. Wear a midriff-bearing top or just a bra, and comfortable pants, a skirt, or shorts that sit below your belly button.
Identify your two sets of abdominal muscles. Your abdomen consists of two distinct muscle groups: the upper and lower abdominal muscles. Place one hand across your upper abs, just below your ribs, and your other hand over your lower abs, just below your belly button. Learning to isolate these two sets of muscles is crucial for performing a belly roll.
Keep your hips and spine steady. A belly roll uses only the abdominal muscles, so the rest of your body should remain still. Avoid moving your hips forward or side to side; stay completely still and focus on engaging the muscles in your abdomen.
- If you have difficulty isolating your abdominal muscles without moving your hips or spine, try practicing while sitting on the floor, lying on your back, or sitting on the edge of a chair. Lean back in the chair, supporting yourself with your hands, and extend both legs straight in front of you. Maintain a straight torso as you practice.
Engage your upper abdominal muscles. Allow your lower belly to protrude while pulling your upper abdomen inward toward your spine. Hold this position for a moment to get accustomed to the sensation of drawing in your upper abs while your lower abs push out. This is a vital movement in the belly roll.
- Practice flexing and relaxing your upper abdominal muscles. Pull them in, then push them out. Continue until you can easily control and feel them.
- It may help to place your hand on your upper abdomen so you can feel the muscles tightening and loosening. After practicing for a while, try doing it without your hand.
Engage your lower abdominal muscles. Draw your lower belly inward toward your spine while pushing out your upper abdominal muscles. This move is more challenging than its opposite, so it will require some practice. Think of pulling your belly button in while the muscles just above it protrude.
- Practice contracting and releasing your lower abdominal muscles. Pull them in, then push them out. Continue until you can easily control and feel them.
- Place your hand on your abdomen above your belly button to feel the muscles tighten and loosen. After some practice, try it without your hand.
Alternate flexing your upper and lower abdominal muscles. Start by pulling in your upper abdominal muscles, then contract your lower abdominal muscles. Keep switching between the two, making sure the muscle that isn't engaged is pushed outward. By alternating, you'll create the appearance of your stomach undulating. Once you master this, you're ready for the full belly roll.
- If you're struggling to isolate your upper and lower abdominal muscles, try doing ab exercises to build control. Crunches, sit-ups, and other core workouts can help you strengthen your abdominal muscles and improve control.
Mastering the Belly Roll
Perform a top-to-bottom belly roll. This is the classic belly roll that every dancer learns. Here's how it goes: push your upper abs outward, then your lower abs, pull your upper abs inward, and finally draw your lower abs inward. Practice these motions until they flow smoothly.
- Use a mirror to check if your belly is starting to roll. If you can't tell, exaggerate your flexes and really push out the muscles that aren't being engaged. When you contract your upper abs, push out your lower belly, and do the reverse when you engage your lower abs.
Perform a bottom-to-top belly roll. For the bottom-to-top roll, begin by sucking your entire abdomen inward, then push out with your lower abdominal muscles first. Next, extend your upper abs. Draw in your lower abs, and finally, suck in your upper abs as well. Repeat this sequence.
- Practice both this and the top-to-bottom roll; you may find that one direction feels more natural to you than the other.
Increase your speed. Focus on speeding up the flexing and unflexing motions so that as soon as your upper abdominal muscles finish flexing, you immediately move to the lower ones. Alternate quickly and smoothly, without any pauses. Gradually pick up the pace until you're rolling as fast as possible. Slow down and then speed up again. This practice will help you improve control over your abdominal muscles.
Find your rhythm. Like any dance, the belly roll requires a sense of rhythm. Alternate between your upper and lower abdominal muscles in a steady pattern, avoiding jerky movements. Watch your belly in the mirror and aim for a smooth, flowing roll.
- It can be helpful to practice with music. Play a song with a consistent beat and try rolling your belly to match the rhythm, just like you would tap your foot or clap along to the beat.
Learn belly dancing. The belly roll is only one of many movements in belly dancing. A full belly dance incorporates graceful arm and leg movements as well. Throughout the dance, the spine remains straight and the hips stay still, while the belly undulates. If you enjoy belly rolling, why not take the next step and learn the complete dance routine?
What You'll Need
- Mirror
