Hip Lifts
This page lists descriptions of the hip lift as well as several variations. and combinations.
Lift
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly in front of the other
touching only the ball of your foot to the floor. Most of the weight should be
in the standing foot. It may help your balance if you lean backward slightly.
If you lean back make sure that your back is kept straight. Now drop the hip
down and lift it up on the beat.
Lift in a Circle
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly in front of the other
touching only the ball of your foot to the floor. Most of the weight should be
in the standing foot. It may help your balance if you lean backward slightly.
If you lean back make sure that your back is kept straight. Now drop the hip
down and lift it up on the beat. To circle around yourself while lifting you
need to step with your free leg. When you step you then pivot on your
standing leg and propell your body around. It might help to think of steping
towards a certain corner in a room and then the next corner and the next...,
or corner, wall, corner, wall.
Basic Egyptian
Start by stepping forward with your right foot and then bring your left foot
forward, just touhing the ball of the foot to the floor and lift your hip forward
by pushing against the floor. Step on to the left foot. Step with the left foot
and then touch the ball of the right foot to the floor and lift the hip forward
by pushing against the floor. Step on to the right foot. Continue to repeat
this sequence, step and touch and step and touch... This is the most basic
form of the basic egyptian. Other variations utilizing a different movement
in place of a lift include twisting, a lift-twist, a drop, a pelvic release, a drop
sit (drop followed by a pelvic release), a sway, and an inner hip circle. The
movement is also varied by adding a folksy bounce or hop when switching
feet and by varying the direction of the movement. The step is also modified
sometimes by putting the resting foot (active hip) out to the side instead of
to the front.
Basic Egyptian in a Circle
Start by stepping forward with your right foot and then bring your left foot
forward, just touhing the ball of the foot to the floor and lift your hip forward
by pushing against the floor. Step on to the left foot. Step with the left foot
and then touch the ball of the right foot to the floor and lift the hip forward
by pushing against the floor. Step on to the right foot. Now pivot 1/2, 1/4,
or 1/8 of the way around turning to your right (clockwise). Continue to
repeat this sequence, step and touch and step and touch and pivot... This
works with all Basic Egyptian variations. For interest try doing a series of
turns first using 1/8 turns, then 1/4, then 1/2 followed by an accent
movement such as a large hip circle or a 4/4 shimmy.
Lift Forward
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly in front of the other
this is the non-weighted foot. Most of the weight should be in the standing
foot. It may help your balance if you lean your torso backward slightly. If you lean back make sure that your back is
kept straight. Now drop your hip dowp and twist it forward a little and lift it up in front. Now drop it down and
continue to lift it up in front.
Lift Side
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly out to the side, this is the non-weighted foot. Most of the
weight should be in the standing foot. Now drop your hip down and lift it up to the side. Push up through the non-
weghted leg and contract your obliques (side muscles) Now drop it down and continue to lift it up to the side. This
movement can be done with an emphasis of the hip coming up or going out and up.
Lift Back
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly behind the other, this is the non-weighted foot. Most of the
weight should be in the standing foot. It may help your balance if you lean your torso forward slightly. If you lean
forward make sure that your back is kept straight and your chest remains lifted. Now drop your hip down and lift it up
in back by pushing off the floor with the ball of your foot. Now drop it down and continue to lift it up in back.
Lift Forward and Back
Start with both knees bent slightly. Put one foot slightly behind the other, this is the non-weighted foot. Most of the
weight should be in the standing foot. Now drop your hip down and lift it up in front and then down and back to center
and then up in back and forward and back, etc... This movement can be used traveling as well. It usually travels in the
direction of the active hip. So if you are performing this on your right hip you would move to your right. The standing
foot shuffles to towards the right when you push the other foot against the floor. You can do this both in the forward
and backward lift or on only one.
Lebanese Lift Hop
To do this you must balance on your standng leg while keeping the left knee lifted, it will make the move a little easier if
you lean away from the lifted knee. Now lift the hip of your free leg and at the same time you should jump just enough
to slide your standing leg a little bit. This move when performed correctly can be very gracefull and perfect for a litte
ethnic flare however, it will probable take a lot of practice. If it looks to you like an elegantly executed move, then
you've done it right. If not, practice more. Remember to keep your lifted foot pointed down towards the floor.
Pull
The hip pull is actually a special type of pelvic tuck combined with a straight leg and lift. Start by standing with the feet
hip width apart, feet parallel facing forward, knees soft. Now place all of the weight in one leg lifting the other non-
weighted leg just barely of the floor. Tuck the pelvis while sliding the hips back and lift into the movement. Imagine
someone threw a ball at you and it hit you in the lower abdomen/hip. When you slide back point the foot and extend
the leg forward so that it is straight. As you release bring the foot back under you.
Tush Push
Start with knees bent in basic position. Step forward, this is now your weighted standing leg. The other leg should be
directly behind you with a soft knee. Straighten the non-weight knee behind you pushing the ball pf the foot into the
floor causing the hip to push out and up behind you.
