Wouldn't you love to learn to belly dance? This ancient dance form can transform an ordinary person into a whirling dervish of flying scarves, shimmying shoulders, and gyrating hips. Taking a belly dancing class to learn basic belly dancing moves will ensure that you learn each move properly, increasing the effectiveness of the move for muscle toning purposes, and reducing the risk of injury.

Where to Take Belly Dancing Classes

Dance studios and community colleges offer classes in belly dancing. Occasionally you can find a Middle Eastern restaurant that offers belly dancing classes as a marketing strategy. Using the Internet to find classes near you is a great way to save gas and time.

If you cannot locate a belly dancing class near you, you can also use the Internet to learn to belly dance. Many sites offer online lessons, complete with music and video instructions. Here are some of the belly dancing moves your class will teach you.

Snake Arms

Fluid, incessant arm movements are the hallmark of belly dancing. Learn to slither your arms as if they were snakes in your belly dancing class. If you are interested in toning your body while you dance, you will be happy to learn that Snake Arms tones the arms and shoulder muscles.

Shoulder Shimmy

This classic belly dance movement is used in other genres such as swing and jazz. Shoulders move back and forth in opposite movements. Beginners can learn the shoulder shimmy by slowly moving their shoulders back and forth to music, then bringing the speed up to tempo. The shoulder shimmy engages the muscles of the upper back and shoulders.

Hip Circle

The hip circle gyration is used in virtually every belly dance. To practice this motion, imagine you have stepped into a waist-high pipe that is a few inches wider around than you are. Circle your hips slowly as if you were polishing the inside of the pipe. Don't forget to add style to your dancing. As you get comfortable with the moves, feel the inhibitions give way to the beat of the music and the sultry, sensual nature of the dance.

Hip Piston

This move is just what it sounds like: a pumping of the isolated hip muscle. Like the shoulder shimmy, you may need to learn this move slowly at first. Gradually increase the speed until you are moving at full tempo. Above all, belly dancing classes should be fun.