Hip Twists
This page lists descriptions of the Hip Twist and several of its variations.
Twist 1 (Accenting the beat with forward movement)
Standing in basic position, with both feet facing forward, apout hip-width
apart, feet parallel. Keep the knees soft and unlocked. Keeping the feet in
place and your upper body still, twist your right hip forward causing your
left hip to go back, then twist your left hip forward causing your right hip to
twist back. Try to keep your hips parallel to the floor while twisting, you
should not lift the hips up. The move can be done softly by keeping the
movements fluid and even or it can be done sharply by making the
movements more rigid and staccato. Your hips will always go forward on
the beat.
Twist 2 (Accenting the beat with backward movement)
Standing in basic position, with both feet facing forward, about hip-width
apart, feet parallel. Keep the knees soft and unlocked. Keeping the feet in
place and your upper body still twist your right hip backward causing your
left hip to go forward, then twist your left hip backward causing your right hip to twist forward. Try to keep your hips
parallel to the floor while twisting you should not lift the hips up. The move can be done softly by keeping the
movments fluid and even or the can be done sharply by making the movments more rigid and staccato. Your hips will
always go backward on the beat.
Tunisian
Stand with your feet parallel to each other at about hip width apart. your
left/right foot should be flat on the ground while your right/left foot should
be touching only the ball of the foot to the floor. Your weight will start out
evenly distributed. Now step on to the ball of your right/left foot and twist
that hip forward (it's important that you do not make this into a lift) keeping
it parallel with the floor. Your weight should shift into your right/left foot as
you step onto it, this leaves your left/right foot free to slide towards your
right/left foot. When you have slid your left/right foot you may shift your
weight back onto it as you step down d pull your right/left hip back. When
you shift your weight back to your left/right foot your right/left foot will be
free to kick forward (just a little kick, as a release). You can walk forward
with this movement by stepping forward after kicking the foot.
Tunisian in a circle
Following the instructions above for Tunisian, use this as a traveling step and travel in a circle around yourself or
your stage area.
Tunisain walking forward
This is a 3/4 move. It will be counted as 1, 2, 3, Pause, 1, 2, 3, Pause. You should be in the basic position with the right
foot slightly in front. Although this move can be done flat footed, most people will find it easier to do on the balls of
the feet. You will shift your weight onto the right foot twisting that hip forward, then back onto the left foot pulling the
hip back and then onto the right foot again once again pushing the hip forward. While shifting the weight on to the
right foot the last time kick the left heel out, this will leave your foot free to step forward. Step forward repeating the
above sequence on the left. You should go right, left, right, pause, left, right, left, pause.
Tunisian walking backward
This is a 3/4 move. It will be counted as 1, 2, 3, Pause, 1, 2, 3, Pause. You should be in the basic position with the right
foot slightly in front. Although this move can be done flat footed, most people will find it easier to do on the balls of
the feet. You will shift your weight onto the right foot twisting that hip forward, then back onto the left foot pulling the
hip back and then onto the right foot again once again pushing the hip forward. While shifting the weight on to the
right foot the last time kick the left heel out, this will leave your foot free to step backward. Step backward repeating
the above sequence on the left. You should go right, left, right, pause, left, right, left, pause.
