How to dance like a belly dancer

How to Belly Dance | The 2023 Dancer’s Guide

Learning how to belly dance is a great way to connect to your body, strengthen your muscles and build your confidence. This distinct form of dance is one of the oldest known styles with a rich cultural history and many mental and physical benefits.

Although often performed solo, belly dance is rooted in connection, emphasizing the relationships between the dancer, the body, the community and the earth.

If you’re a beginner, you may be asking questions like is belly dancing difficult? Where can I learn how to belly dance? Or, can I lose weight through belly dancing? From in-person dance classes to online lessons, you can learn how to belly dance and explore the history and culture of this unique style with a group or in the comfort of your own home.

Whether you want to step outside of your comfort zone with a new type of dance or challenge yourself to shake your hips like Shakira, one of the world's most famous belly dancers, learning how to belly dance is a fun and energizing way to explore how your body moves while building confidence with each hip lift or belly roll.

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How to Belly Dance for Beginners
What is Belly Dancing?
Belly Dancing History and Origin
Egyptian Belly Dance
What Does Belly Dance Do for Your Body?

How to Belly Dance for Beginners

Belly dancing for beginners starts with learning to isolate various parts of your body before advancing to layered isolations in different patterns to create a unique and mesmerizing sequence of movements.

Foundational movements when learning how to belly dance include hip lifts, shimmies, belly rolls, figure eights and more. Newcomers learning how to belly dance might find it challenging at first, but thankfully, there are many instructors and resources available to help guide you as you master the basic moves.

Try Belly Dance Classes

Working with a seasoned instructor ensures the movements are performed safely and correctly and can prevent you from picking up bad habits and postures.

You can find classes available to help you learn how to belly dance at all levels whether you are looking for dance classes in NYC, dance classes in Las Vegas, dance classes in Orlando or dance classes near you.

If learning how to belly dance in person is a little too far out of your comfort zone or you can’t find a class in your area, there are also online dance classes available for you to try so that you can learn belly dance online and in the comfort of your home.

Once you are comfortable with the basics of how to belly dance, try a class with advanced techniques and begin to add your own unique flair to the routines.

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What is Belly Dancing?

Belly dancing is a distinctive form of dance that focuses on isolated movements of the hips and torso developed from rituals and customs from throughout the Middle East. This style of dance can be either performed solo or in a group and is well-suited to the feminine form.

The dance is often performed barefoot to highlight the connection between the dancer and the earth. Belly dancing costumes are made of flowing, brightly colored garments adorned with scarves, veils and jewelry. Some performers learn how to belly dance with accessories including finger symbols, coin belts or even swords.

Why Was Belly Dancing Created?

Contrary to popular belief, belly dance was not meant to be a dance of seduction or for the entertainment of men, but rather a form of feminine expression and celebration.

In some traditions, women gathered to perform belly dances together after the evening meal as an opportunity to socialize. This is where mothers of young bachelors could meet and observe potential wives for their sons.

In many cultures, belly dance, also called Oriental dance among other names, is a joyful dance performed by friends and family at occasions such as weddings and festivals. One of the foundations of learning how to belly dance with confidence, is that it is important to relax and enjoy the experience.

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Belly Dancing History and Origin

Understanding the origin of belly dancing and the rich history of this unique style is an important step in learning how to belly dance. As one of the oldest known styles of dance, with roots in ancient cultures from India to the Middle East, belly dancing has a long history layered with meaning and legend.

What Was the Original Purpose of Belly Dancing?

A fertility ritual performed by women thousands of years ago in honor of their deities is believed to be belly dancing’s origin and is depicted in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings, Greek sculptures and engravings discovered in Italian caves.

Other versions of belly dancing have been recognized in civilizations stretching from the South Seas and East Polynesia to Africa, Greece and throughout the Middle East.

One legend with versions across a number of cultures is of Ishtar and the Dance of the Seven Veils. Ishtar, a Babylonian goddess of love and sensuality who was both chaste and fertile, descends into the land of darkness covered in seven veiled costumes to retrieve her deceased husband.

To enter each seventh gate of the underworld, she dances, rolling her abdomen in circles, giving up a jewel and a veil. Despite the trials of her journey, Ishtar triumphs, returning with her seven veils to a bountiful homecoming.

When Did Belly Dancers Become so Popular?

In the eighteenth century, Europeans traveling in Egypt witnessed a distinctive style of dance, the Egyptian belly dance. A stark contrast to the fashions of England or France, the Europeans were mesmerized by the undulating movements. Belly dance continued to make its way to the West being introduced to America at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

What promoters described as “belly dance” became an instant success in turn-of-the-century America. Despite the remnants of modesty from the Victorian era, belly dancing spread to Coney Island and other major cities.

The popularity of belly dancing throughout the West extended from colonialists enjoying the dance as entertainment in nightclubs to the film industry both in Hollywood and abroad, where the sequined bras and belted costumes now commonly associated with belly dancing were first introduced.

A pivotal moment in belly dancing history arrived as these Western influences returned to the Middle East, changing the nature and appearance of the dance. Belly dancers such as Samia Gamal and Tahia Carioca became international stars as Egyptian belly dance was frequently performed in clubs and cabarets as well as on the silver screen, inspiring many Westerners to appreciate and learn how to belly dance.

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Why is Belly Dancing so Popular Today?

Today, travelers in many parts of the world seek to enjoy belly dancing as part of their experience of the local culture, whether taking in typical Moroccan nightlife or watching hula dancers in Hawaii.

Immigrants and descendents from countries throughout the Middle East and other regions where belly dance is practiced are free to express and share their native style of dance in restaurants, entertainment venues and dance studios throughout the West.

With its uniquely gentle movements and ability to tone often under-exercised muscles, learning how to belly dance as a form of exercise has also gained popularity and can be practiced in dance and fitness classes across the world.

Egyptian Belly Dance

Although there are many styles that make up modern Egyptian dance, the traditional Egyptian belly dance known as raqs sharqi in Arabic is most common for those learning how to belly dance in the West.

This form of Egyptian belly dance is traditionally performed solo as an artistic and emotional expression and grew largely out of films made in Cairo, Egypt’s Hollywood, that made Egyptian belly dancers famous around the world. The belly dancing costumes of the West were largely inspired by Egyptian belly dancer outfits of this style and time in Egyptian belly dance history.

Egyptian Belly Dance Costumes and Moves

Other popular forms of Egyptian dance include the social and celebratory beledi and sha-abi, often performed in groups at special occasions such as weddings and a variety of folk style dances such as melaya leff among others. Some dances feature props and garments such as canes, scarves or veils and each style has its own rhythms, costumes and character.

Some styles are more akin to the faster paced Turkish belly dance while others include lyrical movements similar to ballet. Elements of many forms of Egyptian dance are incorporated by Egyptian belly dance teachers in the United States and often serve as the foundation of learning how to belly dance in the West.

What Does Belly Dance Do for Your Body?

Is Belly Dance a Good Workout?

Years of research have shown that dancing of any style can have a number of physical and mental benefits. Learning how to belly dance strengthens the abdominals, thighs, calves, arms, back, glutes and hips as well as otherwise hard-to-tone muscle groups.

Learning how to belly dance can also help to improve posture and develop muscle control. Because of its relatively gentle impact on the body, belly dancing is accessible to individuals of all levels of fitness and can even be practiced during pregnancy to help prepare the muscles of the abdomen for childbirth.

Psychological Benefits of Belly Dancing

Dancing is believed to improve mental health, while belly dancing in particular may promote a positive body image for dancers as they embody the flowing, sensual movements.

As described in Science Daily, researchers have found that “belly dancers see their own bodies in a better light…and are less likely to be dissatisfied with how they look.” Regularly practicing dance and joyful movement has been shown to lessen depression, increase self-esteem and improve overall psychological well-being.

Researchers in Psychology Today explain that expressive practices and therapies such as music and dance, “could help lessen mental fluctuations before the onset of full depression” in addition to having creative, collaborative and social benefits.

Social Benefits of Belly Dancing

Participating in a class for belly dance for beginners will help encourage creative expression while building a sense of community. Many belly dancing classes promote socialization amongst members with a number of opportunities to bond available through gatherings, workshops and festivals.

For those hailing from countries where belly dance is a traditional part of celebrations and customs, practicing belly dance can strengthen connections to their heritage. Those who are foreign to the dance may find that learning how to belly dance helps them appreciate both the movements and their significance to belly dancing’s native cultures.

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Even for those with little dance experience, learning how to belly dance can be a source of enjoyment and strengthened confidence. Exploring the sensual movements of belly dance helps connect you to your body and develop your ability to creatively express yourself through the dance.

With a rich and diverse history celebrating the female form and a variety of physical and mental benefits, learning how to belly dance might become your new favorite activity.

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In Egypt, Foreigners Dominate Belly Dancing

When Lurdiana Tejas began watching belly dancing on TV as a young girl in northern Brazil, she never thought this passion would take her to the dance halls of Cairo, where she would become an internationally renowned star.

By most measures, Tejas has “made it.” She performs at some of the most prestigious venues in Egypt, is in constant demand to dance at the weddings of the elite and has over 2.5 million followers on Instagram.

Yet even the most successful belly dancers like Tejas occupy a complex position in Egyptian society. Belly dancing was once dominated by Egyptian household names and synonymous with stardom. This, however, has changed over the past three decades. With the growth of religious conservatism and the end of the golden age of cinema, belly dancing ceased to be an attractive profession and instead became synonymous with sex work.

International belly dancers hailing from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the United States were brought in to fill the space left by Egyptian dancers and now uphold what is viewed as a quintessentially Egyptian art. They are a must at weddings or popular concerts, and families can spend entire Saturday afternoons watching the latest performances on YouTube.

Yet their relationship with the Egyptian audience is filled with contradictions. Objects of fascination, they are also often blamed for bringing “decadence” to a previously “authentic” art form and held responsible for its hypersexualization. They are also under tight scrutiny from authorities keen to ensure regulations around the dance are respected. Even successful dancers are not exempt from short stays in prison.

“You don’t know for whom it is OK and for whom it is haram [forbidden], so I try to show them the art so they see I am not here to provoke or seduce,” said Tejas. “People assume I didn’t choose to do this,” she adds. “But I trained for years.”

While purists hold belly dancing to be one of the last authentic Egyptian art forms, citing its supposed pharaonic origins as evidence, modern belly dancing was never entirely local. Instead, it was born out of the negotiation between local practices and foreign fascination, in a process that allowed imported influence to remodel traditions. Dancers captured the imagination of 19th-century travelers who came in droves to see them. Their first claim to fame arose in this context of European Orientalism, which applied dancers’ sensuality to the whole female population and fueled tropes about the East as a place of transgression and immorality.

Twentieth-century cabarets, often owned by Greeks, Italians or Armenians, codified and refined the dance. They incorporated ballet techniques and Western-style orchestras to create the modern genre still practiced today. Elements now viewed as inseparable from the Egyptian art form, like the two-piece costumes or veils, never hailed from local folklore but were actually imported from Hollywood and French cabarets by trailblazers like Badia Masabni. Her establishments attracted the Egyptian intelligentsia and foreign clients, and King Farouk himself was part of Casino Badia’s clientele. Egypt’s flourishing cinema industry contributed to the burgeoning dancer-star system: Dancers also became actors and reached the rank of pan-Arab superstars.

The recent increase in foreign dancers has come partly because Egyptian women — who know belly dancing is both adored and deeply judged — no longer want to take on these roles. The golden era ended in the late 1960s, and was followed by a rise of religious conservatism in the public sphere. Dancing stopped being a respectable profession for Egyptian girls, and even became an insult. From the late 1980s onward, entertainers turned to foreign dancers to bring novelty to their shows.

“There is a big difference between old dancers and the new generation,” says Aicha Babacar, who has been teaching belly dancing in Cairo since 2006. “Dancing is in our culture and we love it so much, but when you say to a family your daughter will be a dancer they refuse. All families refuse, they would accept ballet but not belly dancing. Now almost all the dancers are foreigners. It is easy for them to dance in public.”

Yet the bad reputation associated with performers does not take away from the dance’s popularity. “I give classes to Egyptian ladies and the turnout is huge, huge numbers,” Babacar says. “We are Egyptians. We love dancing. We just won’t do it in public.”

Instead, Egyptians look fondly to the past for national icons.

“Old Egyptian dancers were more respected; the old generation used to respect dancers more than now. Here in Egypt, the most famous dancers also became actresses,” Babacar says. Yet it is not clear if it was the versatility of past generations’ dancers that earned their audience’s respect or if it was the audience’s respect that enabled this versatility.

One should not romanticize the past. Even the most iconic figures of dance were complex women who never gained full social acceptance. Shafiqa El-Koptiyya (Shafiqa the Copt), one of Egypt’s biggest dancing stars at the end of the 19th century, was disowned by her family early on for her career choice. She chose to highlight her religion as part of her stage name in a bid for acceptance. This private disavowal did not hamper public adoration, and Shafiqa amassed such fame and riches that she was known for her champagne-drinking horses. Tahiya Karioka, whose career spanned decades and who appeared in more than 40 movies, was estranged from her family. Her 14 marriages to men she later called “a shabby lot of bastards” in an interview with the scholar Edward Said never quite fit in with society’s standards. Regardless, she was admired for her public political stances and was given a state funeral after suffering a fatal heart attack in 1999.

Only a handful of Egyptian stars remain. Among them is Fifi Abdo, 77, who later reinvented herself as an actor and TV anchor. Famous for her energetic personality and trademark catchphrases, she is a national icon and occasionally still dances for her 6 million followers on Instagram. Dina Talaat, 57, is another notable example. Boasting one of the most prestigious careers in the art, she has danced for leaders all over the world. She often speaks of her family’s acceptance of her career choice: She grew up in Italy and earned a degree in philosophy before choosing dance. Both nonetheless paid the price for the ambivalent relationship the Egyptian audience sustains with dancers. Abdo faced regular lawsuits and public condemnation, while Talaat experienced relentless harassment after her ex-husband leaked a sex tape. She was even accused of sexual harassment after young men said their attacks on young girls were provoked by her dancing at an event she did not even attend.

After years of training, performing in Cairo is a crowning achievement for many dancers coming from abroad. Daniela Acevedo, a 32-year-old Chilean dancer who won several international dance competitions, is one such performer. “I danced all over the world, but never was it like in Egypt. The connection with the audience is magical, they understand the art and the music,” she explains. “But before you start dancing, everyone just sees you as a prostitute. It is very strange.”

The association between belly dancing and sex work is as old as the first mentions of the art in accounts dating back to the 15th century. The rumors cannot be entirely dismissed, as the lines between dancing and sex work can be porous in cabarets. There, costumes are shorter and moves more explicit, yet these venues can be an obligatory rite of passage for dancers in need of work. Successful dancers are not immune to this: Tejas recalls an incident where an older woman managing dancers in a nightclub was baffled that she refused to give her number to clients, asking, “How else will you make any money?”

Though Cairo is filled with dance enthusiasts, both Egyptian and foreign, these purists are often the harshest critics of the current foreign craze. “I would never go watch a Russian dancer,” says Martine Vey, a 66-year-old French dance enthusiast who set up a guesthouse and studio for dancers coming from all over the world, including China, Japan, India, Italy, and more recently from other countries in East Asia. “Dance is taking a wrong turn. I love the Egyptian dance, with its ancient roots and subtlety without vulgarity. Today we focus too much on technique, and things have become too sexual,” Vey said.

In this drive toward hypersexualization, rather than blaming the dancers themselves, Vey sees dance as a regulated outlet for broader sexual frustrations. “The problem comes from the current mindset. Young people are sexually frustrated — there are so many problems around that,” she says. The dancers merely mirror the vision of a society in which women are often sexualized and are consequently potential victims of violence. In Egypt, as elsewhere, harassment of women on the street remains widespread. In 2013, U.N. Women, the United Nations’ entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, estimated that virtually all Egyptian women were subjected to some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime. This summer, a wave of femicides shook the country. Two students, 21-year-old Nayera Ashraf and 20-year-old Salma Bahgat, were stabbed to death in broad daylight for refusing the advances of their assailants.

Hypersexualization is now a requirement, something audiences ask for. For Tejas it was nonnegotiable.

“I used to focus a lot on my technique because that’s what they want in Brazil, but here the most important thing is your look,” says Tejas as she points to a full face of makeup and a push-up bra. “A lot of foreigners come, and the market asks for this, especially in clubs. So they put too much extra sexuality.”

Dance is first and foremost a business in Cairo. While popular dancers can demand fees in excess of $1,000 for wedding performances, the profession is not so lucrative for most dancers. The salary for a night of work averages around $25, though this is now being brought down by an ever-increasing influx of dancers ready to work for less. Some venues do not even offer any wages but instead allow dancers to keep half of the tips they collect on stage. Contracts are also a rarity, and venue owners will not hesitate to switch to a dancer of a new nationality if they feel she corresponds to the audience’s demands.

The absence of contracts has created an opportunity for the police, who regularly check dance halls, to demand a cut of the night’s revenue if a dancer’s papers are not in order. Given that work visas are only granted after one year of residence in Egypt, rare are the dancers who can afford to fully conform to the law. To avoid the prospect of deportation, dancers rely on good managers to keep them away from venues that are regularly raided.

Costumes can also be a source of trouble for dancers. A Russian dancer, “Johara,” was arrested in 2018 on charges of “debauchery” for not wearing the shorts that Egyptian law requires as part of her costume. Most dancers I spoke to insisted this kind of case was rare and exceptional, and some even suggested she probably crossed a powerful persona and was arrested on false pretenses. Far from stopping her, Johara’s brush with the law only increased her popularity later on.

Such difficulties can be real obstacles, even for the most passionate dancer. Yet the hardest part is rejection in private, according to Acevedo. “People would mock me or refuse to befriend me because I am a dancer,” she said. “Even people I was friends with would never introduce me to their family or show me on their social media profiles.” Ultimately, foreign dancers have to choose between their profession and building a family life. “I know no man will accept me as I am. I’d have to give up my profession to get married,” says Acevedo. As a result, many plan to go back to their home country after a few years. “I want to come back to Brazil and open a center that mixes dance, yoga and therapy,” says Tejas.

Where foreign dancers narrowly escape, Egyptian dancers are often the targets of traditionalist critics, who use ill-defined laws protecting “family values” and punishing “debauchery” as tools of censorship. The dancers Shakira (Suha Mohammed Ali) and Bardis (Dalia Kamal Youssef) both received six-month sentences in 2015 for “inciting debauchery” in a music video. In 2020, the dancer Sama el-Masry was jailed for three years on the same charges, for pictures and videos on social media that were deemed sexually suggestive. The accusations are not limited to dancers but part of a larger crackdown against artists seen to violate a certain vision of morality. While Tejas escaped prison, mahraganat stars Omar Kamal and Hamo Bika were sentenced to one year in prison and fined for a video in which they danced with her.

Despite this, some Egyptians remain hopeful, like Babacar, who has taught various generations of Egyptians. “Every 20 to 25 years a different generation comes, and we don’t know what they will accept. Our generation is not accepting of belly dancers, but maybe the next one will be.” Vey, who remains a purist, agrees: “Foreign dancers are a trend. Like all trends, it will end and something else will come.”

how to learn belly dancing at home

Do you want to learn how to dance belly dance correctly? It is enough to learn a few basic movements and add a special mood to them. We have compiled detailed instructions on how to learn belly dancing so that you can dance no worse than a Colombian pop star.

Tatyana Shamanina

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How to learn to dance a beautiful oriental belly dance at home? Of course, it's not easy. Nevertheless, it is easier to dance it at home than any other dance style. Especially if you have never been into dancing before.

Basic movements

Starting position

Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Then slightly bend your knees and raise your chest - this is the starting position for starting any movement in the belly dance. For smooth movements in the dance, you need to tighten the muscles of the lower abdomen and engage the pelvis.

Hip lift or shimmy

Bend both knees. Then straighten your right leg to lift your right thigh up. Then lift the pelvis up to the chest, while the upper body should not be involved. The heels must not be lifted off the ground during this movement. When you "pull" up your right hip, lower it and repeat the movement with your left. Namely, straighten your left leg and lift your left hip up.

Fast Pace Hip Lift

Repeat hip lift on both sides at a faster pace. Do not pause - first lift the right thigh up, and then smoothly - the left. At an accelerated pace, the hips will swing quickly from side to side - now you know how to perform the shimmy movement.

Hip Drop

Start in the starting position with the right foot on the floor and the left foot slightly extended, about a few inches forward with the heel raised. Then bend both knees and keep your chest and arms up. Then straighten your left leg, lift your left thigh and immediately lower it to the level of your right thigh. At the same time, keep your right leg bent during the movement. Next, repeat the mini-bunch at a fast pace so that it looks smooth, without pauses and breaks.

Belly

How to quickly learn belly dancing at home? Easy, the main thing is not to miss a single basic movement, including the “tummy”. Starting position - feet are on the floor, the upper body is raised, and relaxed arms are at the sides. Then slightly bend your knees and tighten the muscles of your upper abdomen, pulling them in. Then relax your stomach and tense only the muscles of the lower abdomen. Consistently alternate, pulling in the lower, then the upper press. Repeat the movement smoothly and without pauses.

Try a breast lift

The last basic movement that will help you understand how to dance belly dance correctly. The starting position is a raised chest, arms are located on the sides, legs are together, and the feet are on the floor. Next, we pull the chest up to the end so that the shoulder blades seem to slide along the back. Then lower your chest back down. Repeat the link at a fast pace, while alternately contracting the abdominal muscles.

Why do home belly dancing?

Oriental dance will help not only lose weight, but also cope with various pains.

Back and Joint Pain

Gentle movements increase the flow of synovial fluid (natural lubricant) in the joints, and also tone the back muscles, which improves posture and prevents back pain.

Help in losing weight

How to learn belly dancing at home and lose weight? Easy - one hour session will help burn up to 300 calories.

Preparing for childbirth

Belly dancing tones the abdominal and pelvic muscles involved in childbirth.

Against stress

Oriental belly dance is not only beautiful, but also healing. The dance feels like a session of physical and psychological relaxation.

Period Pain

Soothing dance bands help reduce pelvic congestion, which improves circulation and relieves PMS pain.

Learning belly dance at home - video lessons, basic rules

Sophie Shine

Muscular gymnastics specialist, medical psychologist, Сolady magazine expert

Date of writing: June 15, 2020

Reading time: 4 minutes

It is quite possible to learn belly dancing at home. We will tell COLADY about what is needed for this.

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How to start learning belly dance for beginners at home - paraphernalia and basic rules

Belly dancing requires a woman to be able to relax those muscle groups that are not involved in work at the moment. Only in this way can a dancer perform dance movements for thirty minutes.

Belly dance lessons will require lady to form her own sexual image as a dancer. You can completely immerse yourself in the world of oriental dance only by creating your own image. An important role here is played by costume, jewelry and, of course, makeup. All of the above will focus on the sexuality and femininity of an oriental dancer.

In order to choose the right clothes for dancing, you should know that in the first months of the figure of a woman will change significantly . The waist will become more refined, and excess fat will disappear. It is recommended to purchase some elements of the attire for oriental dances after some time has passed.
For beginners, belly dance is better to dance in combination short top with breeches or leggings.
Later, a woman can complete her look with a loincloth with coins , which create the intended mood during training.
With regard to shoes for belly dancing, we recall that for a long time there has been a tendency to dance oriental dances barefoot, thus marking an inseparable connection with the Earth. For women who don't want to dance barefoot, can wear ballerinas, shoes or socks.

In order to harmoniously and correctly perform belly dance, a woman must be well versed in the styles of oriental dances, know their differences, and also know what costume, music and vocabulary correspond to a particular style.

Video belly dance lessons for beginners - basic movements

Video: belly dance - first lessons

A notable element of belly dance is "rocking chair". To perform this movement, a woman should rise on tiptoe with her legs placed together, bend them slightly at the knees and mentally draw a vertical line through the navel. Along this line, you need to smoothly move your hips so that the navel remains in place. You can do dance elements up - down or forward - backward.

- in the vertical plane , put your feet together, rise to your toes and bend your knees a little. In turn, we pull up to the armpits of the thigh so that the location of the navel remains unchanged. This element of the dance can also be performed moving forward.

To perform movements in a perpendicular plane (forward - backward) we stand on a full foot, bend our knees a little. Bending the lower back as much as possible, we take the pelvis back. We lead it forward and pull the pubis to the navel. Plastically moving the hips, we describe a semicircle. The center of the circle is in the navel. Accelerating the pace, we switch to shaking the stomach.

The next element of belly dance is “pendulum” . To perform the exercise from top to bottom, up to the armpit, we raise the right thigh, bring it to the right and lower it down, raising the left thigh to the armpit.

Pendulum from below - up is performed by bringing the right thigh further to the side. By lifting the heel off the floor, the thigh is pulled towards the armpit. Diagonally lower the right thigh, lifting the left thigh up to the armpit.