COPYRIGHT 2003

This  lesson plan page is my personnel lesson plan.  This is the order which my students learn and the terminology I use.  This is meant as a general guide or as a basic plan that can be used in teaching belly dance.  All dancers use diferent terminology, descriptions, and ways of teaching, which may or may not match the ones you shown here. This is for reference only. 

WARNING:  DO NOT ATTEMPT THESE MOVES WITHOUT THE AID OF A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER AS DAMAGE TO HIPS, KNEES, LOWER BACK, AND NECK CAN OCCUR IF DONE IMPROPERLY.  THESE LESSON PLANS ARE TO BE USED AS AN AID IN UNDERSTANDING THE MOVES AND NOT AS A STAND-ALONE LEARNING TOOL.

Beginning 2 - Basic Slow Belly Dance Moves
By Ankestamen

1. Lesson

Zills - Chiftetelli beat - Left, Right Right, Left, Right, Right Left, Left, Right Right, Left, Right, Left
(Dum, Tek Tek, Dum, Tek, Tek, Dum, Dum, Tek Tek, Dum, Tek, Dum)

Cross Step-kick (used for slow music entrance) (cross step and side hip kick other leg, cross step and side hip kick other leg)
Horizontal Figure-8 (backward) (parallel position, push hip forward, slowly move hip around to the side and continue around to the back - take other hip and move it forward, slowly move hip around to the side and continue around to the back - pretend your feet are standing in each circle of the figure eight - your hips will outline the figure eight. (Also known as Taxim)
Head movements:  Head Frames: Basic, hands backward, criss-cross above head, pharoah chest cross , Egyptian one above one below - Movements: left, right, left right (also known as head slides), round and around - Head shimmy (also known as Zombie head, or mini head slides)
Rib cage lift, drop - Lift chest (attention!), drop chest (let it fall back down).  (Faster becomes more of a bounce).

2. Lesson

Review moves
Belly-roll (push belly out, pull belly in, hold belly in and lift rib cage up - drop rib cage and push belly out, repeat)
Belly-flutter (diaphragm vibration)
Snake-arms (lift shoulder, elbow, bring wrist up - drop shoulder, elbow, bring wrist down)
Slow hip-lift (side-to-side, (like swaying) (used as a transition move during veil) (good start for learning infinity)
Little pushy turn (belly dance stance, push foot in front little bits at a time to turn you body in a circle - let back foot pivot) (like a paper compass)

3. Lesson

Review moves
Hand Movements: Review beginning hand movements, hand florishes, criss-cross, rolling hands, snake arms, pulling taffey. 
One-leg shimmy (belly dance stance, bend back leg then straighten it -  little vibrations) Also known as Egyption shimmy
Two-leg shimmy (parallel position, alternate both knees in little vibrations) Also known as freeze shimmy
Shoulder roll back, Shoulder Shimmy up (roll one shoulder backward, then the other (count 4 rolls back, come up with shoulder shimmy)
How to wrap your veil
Cymbals (review)

4. Lesson (Veil)

Review moves
How to take off veil
Wax-on, wax-off (helps to get veil untucked)  Wax-on/Wax-off - take your veil holding out in front of you - your right arm swoops over forward and down in a large cresent, return your right arm back out to the right and take your left arm swoop over forward and down in a large cresent, return your right arm back out to the left (makes a large figure eight with arms) (used to remove the veil by pulling the veil out from your costume.) Can be done one sided.
Use slow hip lifts while changing moves
Hold in front of body, with figure-8, belly-rolls with flutter, shimmy's
Front tent Bring arms up above head, hands together to drape face, head movements, belly-roll with flutter, figure-8’s
Side-drape, belly-roll with flutter, shimmy’s
Hold up in tent behind, belly-roll with flutter, shimmy’s, figure-8’s (also can pull forward to cover head)
Complete show from beginning to end of second fast
Cymbals

5. Review

Finish veil choreograph

6. Review

Review veil

7. Review

Review moves
Spin and Turkish drop to floor (backbend) (those that cannot go all the way back, go back as far as you feel comfortable or just down to knees) (do not try this if you have bad knees or back)
While on the ground on your back, do snake-arms, hands movements, belly-rolls and flutters
Roll arms (or hand) while sitting up, put arms on floor in back, lift hips out front, hip thrust, stomach movements
Sit up, snake-arms, head movements, hand movements
Come up on your knees, hip-thrust, hip-shake, head movements, snake arms, shoulder movements and bust, hand movements
 

8. Review

Review moves
1/2 Cleopatra, (also called a low wedge) belly-rolls, belly-flutter, figure-8’s (forward), one leg shimmy
Full Cleopatra (also called a high wedge), belly-rolls, belly-flutter
Sit down, turn sideways, roll down to lay on back
Move knees up, hips up, hip-thrust, belly-roll and flutter, sit up
Spin around, sit up onto knees, snake-arms, head movements, belly-rolls, belly-flutters, etc
Leg out, roll-hands while rising to a standing position

9. Review

Review moves
Finish floor
Review all FLOOR moves.
Practice dance.

10. Review

Review veil and floor

11. All Dance Session

Certification for those who have done all the beginning  REVIEW ALL BEGINNING MOVES - Everyone practice choreograph dancing. Circle dance. Possible guest dancer!