Arm Movements
The main arm movement in bellydance is snake arms (or arm undulations) there are 10 variations here but keep in mind that the movement stays essentially the same no matter what direction they are done in or how large or small they are done. This is why only one basic video for snake arms is shown. Also, with snake arms you can do them directly out to the sides but this will wear your arm out faster. If you plan on doing lots of snake arms and don't want tired arms make sure to keep the arms at an angle slightly forward at 45 degrees or less. Your arms will thank you for it.
Snake Arms 1 (Singles)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. The arm you intend to move
should be out to your side (this does not mean straight out to the side but,
at a slight angle to the front around 45 degrees or less). To start lift your
shoulder up. Next, bring your elbow up, then the wrist up. Now, drop the
shoulder, elbow, wrist. To get the "snaky" effect smooth the move out.
Let this ripple flow down your arm and out the fingers.
Snake Arms 2 (Side)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be out to
your side( this does not mean straight out to the side but, at a slight angle
to the front).To start lift your right shoulder up. Next, bring your elbow up,
then the wrist up. Now, drop the right shoulder while lifting the left. Now
drop the right elbow while bringing the left one up. Then follow with
bringing the right wrist down while bringing the left up. To get the "snaky"
effect smooth the move out. Let this ripple flow down your arm and out the fingers. It may help to think of one arm as
holding a barrel (right when you start going up) and painting a fence (When you start going down).
Snake Arms 3 (Down, In Front)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be down by and in front of your hips at about a 45
degree angle to your side. To start push your right elbow out to the side, while pulling the left towards the right. Next,
bring your right wrist out to the side, while pulling the left wrist in towards the right. Now, do this the other way
around by pushing the left elbow out and the right elbow in, following with the left wrist out and the right wrist in.
Never let your arms go in front of your hips. It may help to think of an imaginary string running from one hand
through your hips to the other hand. Your hands should be approximately the same distance from each other the
whole time.
Snake Arms 4 (Down, In Back)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be down by and behind your hips.
To start push your right elbow out to the side, while pulling the left towards the right. Next, bring
your right wrist out to the side, while pulling the left wrist in towards the right. Now, do this the
other way around by pushing the left elbow out and the right elbow in, following with the left wrist
out and the right wrist in. Let your arms go behind your hips. It may help to think of an imaginary
string running from one hand through to the other hand. Your hands should be approximately the
same distance from each other the whole time. The .gif image to the right shows this on one side
only but these directions are for doing both sides. She is not slapping her side the arm and hand
go behind the body.
Snake Arms 5 (Up)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be up above you head . To start push your right
elbow out to the side, while pulling the left towards the right. Next, bring your right wrist out to the side, while pulling
the left wrist in towards the right. Now, do this the other way around by pushing the left elbow out and the right elbow
in, following with the left wrist out and the right wrist in. It may help to think of an imaginary string running from one
hand through to the other hand. Your hands should be approximately the same distance from each other the whole
time.
Snake Arms 6 (Up, Together)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be up above you head . With your palms facing each
other. To start push both elbows in towards each other. Then push the wrists towards each other. Next, push your
palms towards each other. Next, pull your elbows away from each other then they wrists, then the palms. Don't pull
the arms very far apart. Try to keep the arms close and emphasize the rolling of the wrists and hands the most.
Snake Arms 7 (Up, Apart)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be up above you head . With your palms facing away
from each other. To start push both elbows away from each other. Then push the wrists away from each other. Next,
push your palms away from each other. Next, pull your elbows in towards each other then the wrists, then the palms.
Don't pull the arms very far apart. Try to keep the arms close and emphasize the rolling of the wrists and hands the
most.
Snake Arms 8 (Up, Forward)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be up above you head . With your palms facing
forward. To start push both elbows forward. Then push the wrists forward. Next, push your palms forward. Now, pull
your elbows back, then the wrists, then the palms. Don't push or pull the arms very far from each other. Try to keep
the arms close and emphasize the rolling of the wrists and hands the most.
Snake Arms 9 (Up, Back)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be up above you head . With your palms facing
towards you. To start push both elbows towards you. Then push the wrists towards you. Next, push your palms
towards you. Now, pull your elbows back, then the wrists, then the palms. Don't push or pull the arms very far from
each other. Try to keep the arms close and emphasize the rolling of the wrists and hands the most.
Snake Arms 10 (Forward)
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be straight out in front of you. With your palms facing
down. To start push one elbow up and the other down. Then follow with one elbow up, one elbow down. Then
continue with the wrists and palms one up one down then reverse it so the other arm goes up and the other goes down.
Don't push or pull the arms very far from each other. Try to keep the arms close and emphasize the rolling of the
wrists and hands the most.
Waterfall
Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your right hand should be positioned wherever your wish to start from,
in this case we'll start with it up at the left side of your face with the palm facing away from you. Now... first you need
to press the palm down towards the floor, then pull it back rolling the hand (Press, Roll, Press, Roll). The next step is
to think of your hand tracing a waterfall or steps. Press your hand down when your tracing the fall of the waterfall or
the back of the step. Roll it back when your tracing the top of the waterfall of step.
Falling Leaf
In this move you combine a wrist circle and lotus 1 together. Bring your pointer in when you push away from you and
out when you circle towards yourself. The next step is starting up by or above your head and circling downward. This
looks similar to a leaf floating and twisting as it falls to the ground.
Broken Twigs
This is the staccato version of Snake Arms.Your shoulders should be relaxed and down. Your arms should be out to
your side( this does not mean straight out to the side but, at a slight angle to the front).To start lift your right shoulder
up. Next, bring your elbow up, then the wrist up. Now, drop the right shoulder while lifting the left. Now drop the
right elbow while bringing the left one up. Then follow with bringing the right wrist down while bringing the left up.
Windmill
This is a very simple move to do and yet it can look very elegant. Starting with both your arms down at your sides,
raise the right arm up keeping the palm down or facing the right. When you reach the top and your right arm is over
your head turn your palm so it faces the opposite direction ( left). Now do the same thing on your left as you lower
your right arm. When your right arm reaches the bottom your left arm should be at the top. Turn your left palm to
face right and your right palm to face left. Raise the right arm as you lower the left arm. When your lowering your arm
make sure your right palm stays to the left of your head and your left palm stay to the right of your head. never cover
up your face your arm should only pass by it for a brief second.
