Belly Dancing: How to Do Snake Arms

If you have been learning the various belly dancing moves, you will no doubt have been introduced to snake arms. Or if you haven't actually been taught snake arms, you've probably seen belly dancers execute snake arms, which are on of the most sensuous and beautiful of all the belly dancing moves. And luckily, belly dancing snake arms are not very difficult to learn. This is a refreshing break from the belly dancing moves that are almost impossible to learn and don't even look impressive to the untrained eye. If you execute snake arms correctly, you will hypnotize the audience without even trying.

When learning how to do snake arms, it is best to begin by trying single snake arms. Once you've mastered single snake arms, you're ready to move on to alternating snake arms.

1. Stand up straight with your feet flat on the floor, about shoulder distance apart. Your arms should begin at your sides with the palms facing inwards toward your body. Snake arms require good posture, just like other belly dancing moves.
2. Begin your snake arm by lifting the right arm with a slightly bent elbow. Once there's about six inches between your upper arm and rib cage, roll the right shoulder forward. When the shoulder is rolled forward, your elbow will point toward the ceiling.
3. Raise your snake arm further and lead with the elbow. Stop raising your snake arm when it reaches shoulder height.
4. Leaving the right snake arm at shoulder height, lift your hand slowly. The hand movement should begin at the wrist.

Remember as you're practicing the snake arms that the key to belly dancing moves such as snake arms is to begin a movement at the upper most joint. This is why the snake arms begin with rolling the shoulder forward, then progress to bending and lifting the elbow, and finally move to the wrist. Don't make the mistake of beginning the snake arm movement at the fingertips.

1. Continue to lift your hand while rotating the elbow so it points down. Your hand should end up level with your head, while your elbow and upper snake arm are still level with the shoulder.
2. Begin to slowly lower the snake arm to your side. As you lower the snake arm, bend your fingers and turn out your palm to the side. When the snake arm reaches the side of your body, you should return to the original standing position for the belly dancing snake arms.

Practice the single snake arm several times on the right and left sides before moving on to alternating snake arms. Single snake arms can be mastered quickly through repetition like other belly dancing moves. When you feel confident about performing single snake arms, follow these steps to learn alternating snake arms.

1. Begin a snake arm on the right side, lifting the right snake arm until the elbow is rotated and the hand faces outward.
2. As soon as you begin to drop the right snake arm, begin to raise your left arm in the single snake arm movement for the left side.
3. When your left elbow reaches shoulder level and begins its descent, your right snake arm should begin to move up again. Every time one snake arm goes up, the other snake arm will simultaneously move downwards. It may be difficult to coordinate the right and left snake arms, so be patient and keep practicing. Eventually it will click and the snake arms will feel natural. When this happens, you can add snake arms to your repertoire of belly dancing moves!