How to Shoulder Shimmy

One of my favorite moves to throw in to latin or belly dance choreography is the shoulder shimmy.  It is fantastically feminine and adds an extra little pop that really jazzes up the dance.

But that shimmy can be tricky to learn… all you see is the upper body wiggling – is it the arms? the shoulders?  is she having muscle spasms?  what’s really going on there?

So I put together the following video to help break down the movement.  Please use the video along with these few tips, and you’ll be on your shimmying way!

• Take a deep breath and relax – the upper body should be nice and loose in order to get the shoulder rhythm going.  Tension in the neck, shoulders and arms will make the movement difficult and uncomfortable.
• Shoulders only – the movement is an isolation of the shoulder.  One shoulder at a time, move the shoulder only a smidge (technical term ) forward, then back.  As one shoulder moves forward, the other moves back.  Arms, torso, head, etc. should stay as still as possible.  Only the shoulders are working.
• Good things come in small packages –  in order to keep the rest of the upper body still, keep that shoulder movement tiny.  No need to utilize the full range of that shoulder joint – not even close to the full range.  That small movement ends up making a big impression, I promise!
• Practice is key – mastering the shimmy is all about building muscle memory.  Start with a slow movement and keep practicing.  When that speed feels comfortable, try to increase the speed a little bit.
• Be patient – it takes time, but suddenly it’ll just click into place, and the body will have that shimmy down!