The art of belly dancing is a great way to keep your figure in shape (or get it back in shape). I call it an art because you can learn the technique, but what really brings your dance to life is the energy you put into it, your facial expressions, the movements you choreograph, your attitude. It takes all pieces of the pie to pull off a good performance. While you're soaking in congratulations on a successful performance, you reflect back at all of the time and energy you spent putting that performance together.
The first thing you need to do is get some techniques in your toolbox. What moves can you do well? Hip drops, maias, shimmies, turns, undulations, omis. What styles fit you? Oriental, Tribal, Ghawazee, Fusion. What music fits those styles? Is there a piece of music that "speaks" to you? Is the length appropriate for your stage comfort? What costume will you wear when performing this number? There are several pieces that go into pulling off a great belly dance performance, but rarely does an audience member fully understand the amount of work that goes into crafting that performance for their viewing pleasure.
Once you have your music, potential moves, style, and potential costume in place....now it is time to actually choreograph the specific moves that accompany your music. To get started, one should review their music over and over to get comfortable with underlying tones, repeating sections or other sections where a move you know seems to fit. I typically take out a piece of notebook paper and detail out the different sections, second by second. So if your music is 3 minutes long, you likely will end up with 2 pages of timed notes detailing the specific moves you will make during those moments. There are some sections that will "speak" to you that a certain move fits.
Lock in those spots with those moves. Maybe they're only one 8 count long or maybe it involves an 8 count moving one way and another 8 count to get you back. Continuously listen to the music and try different moves or combinations to see if they "fit" your music. Be sure to include sections where you "stare" at the audience for a short time, to re-engage them and catch them a bit off-guard. Keep your choreography interesting.
Think how you would view it if you were in the audience instead of performing it. Do you have enough different moves in your toolbox? Do those moves catch the audience's attention? Is it boring or exciting? What facial features are you displaying with each movement? Are there any specific hand gestures you should make or refrain from using? What about the space you are dancing in? Is there enough room to perform all of your moves or do you need to adjust your choreography? All of these are items that need to be thought about as you plan your performance.
