| Hips: Hip circle |
| Also called: Moon circle |
Begin in basic
stance:
Your feet
are positioned directly under your hip bones, parallel to each other, and your
weight is centered and distributed evenly over both soles. Your knees are slightly bent (soft),
and your pelvis is tucked slightly under (pubic bone toward the navel) in the neutral
position. Your ribcage is pulled up out of your waist; your shoulder
blades are pulled together and slightly down the spine. Your neck is long, in
extension of your spine.
Think of a horizontal line across your hip bones (for example, a tabletop).
Keeping your upper body lined up above your feet, slide
your hips across this horizontal line to the right. Next, bend your knees and push
your pelvis slightly forward (over your toes), being careful to keep your pelvis
in the neutral position. Slide
your hips to the left, then pull
your pelvis back, contracting your abdominal muscles to help keep the neutral
position of your pelvis. Smooth these four points into a circle. Your
upper body should remain as still and separated as possible.
Hip
circle walk:
Make
the front half of the circle (hips swoop from left to front to right) while
stepping with your right foot and the back half of the circle (hips swoop from
right to back to left) while stepping with your left foot. Hold your
upper body still and keep the circles horizontal (parallel to the floor).