Learn how to do an interior hip circle, also called an “ummie” or “ommie”. These other names seems to come from Polynesian dance and the movements are similar through the dances are entirely different.
The interior hip circle is a bellydance basic and an important fundamental move because it combines several other muscular isolations, like hip ups and pelvic tucks and drops, into one beautiful and mesmerizing shape. The “hip ups” in an interior hip circle are the same movement that we use in a vertical figure 8 or sway, and even some walking 3/4 shimmies. The pelvic tilting we use in an interior hip circle is also used in camels and undulations.
Hip circles come in several sizes and variations from small and inside the body as in this version to very large circles where the dancer can even completely bend over – the music tells us what it needs! This hip circle is the smallest version but don’t let that fool you into thinking it is not an important bellydance move for beginners – or that it’s the easiest hip circle! This one can be a challenge at first but is well worth the effort to practice and will go a long way to helping you develop a good base of beginner bellydance skills.
Once you master these, try combining them with walking 3/4 shimmies or even growing them into larger hip circles and then back down to this small hip circle. Imagine what you might hear in the music that might make you want to grow or shrink you hip circle. Other practice ideas… try doing them in different timings – 4 counts per rotation, then 2 counts, 1 count each time around and maybe even 2 or 4 rotations per count which turns this move into a rotating shimmy! So many possibilities!
Now let’s practice our interior hip circles!
Check out our YouTube channel!
