TUCK YOUR HIPS



By Norma Westover

The very first step any beginning belly dancer hears is usually, "Tuck your hips under". This is the first and most important aspect of successfully learning Middle Eastern Dance. To the dancer unfamiliar with the mechanics of the human body, this might seem like grinding on a small matter, but because bellydance uses the low back for support and the hips as the center of gravity, that’s where it all starts. This month we’ll take a closer look at the proper tuck of the hips.

There are two major issues solved by correct hips. The first is aesthetics; a spine straightened through the lumbar and sacral vertebrae creates a pleasing line in the posture.

The second issue is prevention of injury. The human spine has four “sets” of vertebral curves. (see illustration) The set of curves the hips attach to are called the sacral vertebrae. Just above the sacral vertebrae are the lumbar vertebrae, which support the lower back, which in turn supports the mid- and upper-body movements of bellydance. When trying to get the feel of correct hip position, many new dancers make the mistake of tucking the lower abdominal muscles up and in toward the navel, as is popular in many calisthenic and aerobic exercise routines. Rather than a focus on the lower abdominal muscles, the dancer’s goal is to tilt the sacral and lower lumbar vertebrae into a straight vertical line with the upper lumbar vertebrae. In this position, the tailbone, or coccyx, tips slightly down and forward to point toward the floor. The aligned vertebrae are held in a state of dynamic tension, but not locked. Although to the beginning dancer, this may seem horribly complicated and unnecessary information, understanding these mechanics properly significantly reduces the dancer’s chance of spinal injury. The simple fact is, an intervertebral disc (the part that can “rupture” and cause pain) with an equalized weight load from a properly aligned spine is much less likely to sustain damage from sharp movements and twisting. (see illustration)

Using the side view diagram of the human spine, the dancer should work on visualizing and feeling the coccyx and these vertebrae within herself, then practice keeping them in the proper position while doing her movements. Happy Dancing, and Happy Holidays from Helena and Katayna!