Conference Notes On The Hip Swivel

When teaching the hip swivel, my first priority is to first help the student feel a full lateral weight shift with a waist turn. This means that the feet are placed so that there is an even and smooth knee bend to either side, with the opposite leg becoming straighter (but not feeling any stiffness). The torso remains upright, and the pelvis feels level at all times. Neither hip rises when the weight shifts to either side. When the weight is shifted fully to the left, the navel points in the same direction as the toes of the left foot (and vice versa for the right side). Common errors include folks either getting caught up in the waist turn and then not completing their weight shift, or the weight shift is stiff and then the waist does not turn.

When both elements of side-to-side movements are solidly in place, then I focus on feeling a “loose waist” (Justin’s words). The hip swivel entails that the entire pelvic girdle feels loose and pliable and flexible, without artificially gyrating or mimicking a “hula dance.”

I use two focuses in teaching “hip swivel” with students. The first is feeling the “pelvic tilt” – when the weight shifts to the left, it feels as though the front of the lower abdomen drops down (left knee bent, right knee straight, navel facing off center to the left), and vice versa to the right side. The torso remains upright. The hip does not rise on either side.

The other is feeling a slight elliptical path of the pelvis: While the weight first shifts to one side, one feels the weight slightly more back on the heels. While the weight shifts back to the other side, one feels the weight slightly more forward across the balls (front) of the feet.

There are two very important things that teachers must understand regarding the swivel. First, it should happen naturally (without doing anything artificially) as a result of smooth and equal bending of the knees and turning the waist while relaxed. The other is that men and women might feel the swivel (ellipse/pelvic tilt) differently. I once spoke to a joint and muscle medical professional who pointed out that men and women are constructed differently in the pelvis. This is why it is important to try to help folks to feel the looseness and natural flexibility of the pelvic girdle, and not focus too much on precise mechanics.