How to Bellydance Like Shakira

Co-authored by Emilia Richeson-Valiente

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 Approved

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Colombian pop star Shakira is known for her effortless belly dancing in music videos and live performances. She takes traditional belly dancing moves and adds her own flare, making the moves that much more entertaining and sexy. To belly dance like Shakira, start by learning basic belly dancing moves. Then, add Shakira flare to the moves to emulate her dance style. You can also dress the part and perform to Shakira music to take your dancing to the next level.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Learning Basic Moves

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1
Stand with your feet flat and your arms at your sides. Make sure your hips are level and your legs are right under your hip bones. Bend your knees slightly and keep your chest lifted. This is the standard starting position for any belly dancing move.^{[1]
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- You should also tuck your lower abdominal muscles and engage your core. This will help to strengthen your abdominals and make your belly dancing moves more fluid.
2
Do a “hip lift” or “shimmy.” Bend both knees. Then, straighten your right leg. This should raise your right hip, lifting it upward. The hip bone should shoot up toward your rib cage. Keep your heels flat on the ground as you do the lift. Do not move your upper body at all. This is a hip lift on the right side.^{[2]
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- Bring your right hip back down to center and try the same movement on the other side. Straighten your left leg and raise your left hip upward. This is a hip lift on the left side.
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3
Repeat the hip lift on both sides at a faster pace. Skip the break in the middle between sides. It should look like your hips are lifting on the right and then on the left smoothly and fluidly.
- At full speed, your hips will shimmy from side to side at a quick pace. This is known as the “shimmy” move.
4
Practice a “hip drop.” Start with your right foot flat on the ground. Place your left foot a few inches in front of you with the heel lifted. Bend both knees. Keep your chest up and your arms out. Then, straighten your left leg, lifting your left hip. Release your left hip down so it falls to the level of your right hip. Keep your right leg bent as you do this. This is a hip drop.^{[3]
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- Repeat these movements at a faster pace. Over time, they should look fluid with no pauses or breaks.
Pleasant Gehman, Author and Professional Dancer

Undulate your torso and hips smoothly like a snake, then contrast with percussive steps and hip drops. Isolate ribs, hips, and shoulders with staccato movements. Frame it all with arm waves, accents, and hands that evoke intricate mudras.
5
Do a “belly roll.” Begin with your feet flat on the ground and your upper body lifted, with your arms relaxed at your sides. Bend your knees. Contract just your upper abdominal muscles, drawing them into your spine. Then, contract just your lower abdominal muscles, drawing them inward. Push out your upper abs and then push out your lower abs. This is a belly roll.^{[4]
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- Repeat these movements in sequence. Try to make the contracting in and the pushing out of your abdominal muscles fluid, with no pauses or breaks.
6
Try a “chest lift.” Assume the basic belly dance position with your chest up and your arms out at your sides. Keep your knees together and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your rib cage all the way up. Let your shoulder blades slide down your back as you do this. Then, release your rib cage back down. This is a chest lift.^{[5]
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- Repeat these movements at a faster pace, lifting your rib cage all the way up and then back down. Contract the abdominal muscles below your chest bones as you lift up and then release them as you come back down.

Part 2

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Adding Shakira Flare to the Moves

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Look at how Shakira moves in her big hit videos for “Whenever, Wherever,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “She Wolf” and “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)." Notice how she moves her hips and belly to create a fluid dance. Watch the videos several times so you can study her moves in detail.
2
Do some moves from “Whenever, Wherever.” In the chorus of the song, Shakira does hip lifts, hip drops, and chest lifts. She also moves her arms around in an artful, fluid way. Start by doing hip lifts following the pattern right, left, right, left. Then, raise your arms and chest lift to the right side. Do hip drops with your body facing the side.^{[6]
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- You can also add in foot and arm movements like crossing your right leg behind your left front leg and raising your arms. Then, cross your left leg behind your right leg, swinging your arms to the other side.
3
Try to do a belly dance sequence from “Hips Don’t Lie.” In the chorus of “Hips Don’t Lie,” Shakira does a series of very fast hip lifts and hip drops. Try doing hip lifts at a quick pace, moving around in a circle as you do this. Keep your arms raised by your sides or around your head. Do a chest lift and then end with hip drops at a fast pace with your body facing the side.^{[7]
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- You can also try slowing down your hip lifts and hip drops, as Shakira does later in the video for “Hips Don’t Lie.” Do a hip lift to the right and then slowly do a hip lift to the left. Keep your core tight so you can slow down the hip lifts to match the tempo of the music.
4
Do a dance sequence from “She Wolf.” In the music video for “She Wolf,” Shakira does a series of chest lifts to the tempo of the music. Hold your arms out at your sides and do a chest lift upward to the right. The, hold the chest lift for a beat and let it drop back down.^{[8]
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- Do several chest lifts towards the right and the center of the room. Try to move in a fluid circle as you do the chest lifts.

Part 3

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Improving Your Shakira Moves

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1
Dress like Shakira. Shakira sometimes wears traditionally-inspired belly dancing outfits, with a cropped dance top and a low skirt or pants with a belt. She also likes to wear more modern outfits, such as a bikini style top or a cropped shirt and low cut jeans. Put on low cut jeans and cut a top so it shows your torso when you dance. Don’t be shy about exposing some skin when dressing like Shakira, as this is her signature look.
- You can also make your hair long and flowing like Shakira’s hair to imitate her in more detail. She is known for her blond mane of hair.
2
Dance to Shakira songs in the mirror. Put on Shakira songs that you like and dance to them using your belly dancing moves. Try performing dances from songs like “Whenever, Wherever” and “She Wolf” to the music, or to the music videos. Stand in front of a mirror when you perform the moves so you can watch yourself as you dance.
- You can also show off your dance moves in front of others, such as at a club while a Shakira song is playing.
To take your Shakira moves one step further, take up belly dancing classes at your local dance center. Look for a belly dancing class that focuses on Shakira’s dance style. Sign up for the class with a friend so you’re more encouraged to show up and have fun together.

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Question

Can I belly dance even if I'm not skinny?

Community Answer

Yes, in fact, traditional belly dancers are not skinny.

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Is there a specific thing I need to wear to belly dance?

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No, you can literally belly dance in anything, but i suggest that you wear sweats if you are just beginning so you feel more comfortable and can move easily.

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Can I belly dance at home without going to a belly dance class?

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Yes, of course you can! They have great belly dance workouts and example dances on YouTube, or you can just make up your own moves!

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