Key Point

• Using the movements of belly dancers engages the body in rarely used or unfamiliar movement patterns. This enhances the body-mind connection and helps the body release unnecessary muscle guarding.

Undulatory locomotion is one of the most fundamental and primitive modes of movement observed in the animal kingdom, particularly among vertebrates. This type of locomotion involves wave-like movements that travel down the body, allowing an animal to propel itself through its environment. 

Like all vertebrates, our human ancestors evolved from fish-like creatures that used undulatory locomotion to move through water. As vertebrates transitioned from water to land, the undulatory pattern adapted, and four-legged animals exhibited a combination of undulatory movements and limb-based locomotion. Think about how an alligator propels itself through water by undulating its tail. This same bidirectional lateral flexion of the spine creates the thrust of the alligator’s legs as it moves over land.  

Human infants exhibit undulatory movements during early developmental stages. For example, the “crawling” phase involves a coordinated, wave-like motion of the body and limbs, crucial for developing neural and muscular coordination that later supports upright walking.

When humans swim, especially when using strokes like the dolphin kick or the butterfly stroke, they employ anterior-posterior undulatory motions comparable to those seen in some aquatic animals. 

The evolutionary remnants of our undulatory ancestors are present in the flexibility and segmental control of the spine, which is evident in the mobility of belly dancers. Belly dancer movements offer a variety of benefits for improved flexibility, posture, nerve root health, and proprioception.  

Belly Dancer Head Slides  

Visualize a traditional head slide. The belly dancer moves their chin from side to side in a smooth, horizontal plane without tilting or rotating their head. The occipital joints are specialized to allow a significant front-to-back and side-to-side range of motion, while the facet joints allow small amounts of vertebrae gliding. The intervertebral discs compress and decompress slightly to accommodate the lateral motions. The primary movers—scalenes and sternocleidomastoid (SCM)— contract on one side while relaxing on the other as the deep cervical flexors and suboccipital muscles stabilize the cervical region to prevent excessive motion or misalignment. Proprioceptive feedback is crucial for maintaining the precise control required for this motion. 

Head slides act on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the way walking acts on the lymphatic system. The side-to-side movements of the vertebrae and the gentle compression and decompression of the intervertebral discs aid in circulating CSF, which is crucial for nourishing and protecting the brain and spinal cord.  

Massage therapists can utilize a manual version of belly dancer head slides by applying cervical translation as part of their neck massage (Image 1). Cervical translation improves joint function, promotes CSF circulation, balances muscles, and mobilizes the cervical nerve roots. The rhythmic rocking movements of cervical translation promote relaxation, reducing protective muscle guarding and allowing the vertebrae to regain optimal alignment naturally. 

Begin by asking your client to move to the top of the therapy table so you can grasp their head firmly with both hands. Warm up the tissue using your favorite neck techniques. Next, decompress the client’s neck (Image 2) by grasping their neck with both hands and leaning your body weight back to gently lengthen the neck, upper traps, and SCM. Now, move into translation (Image 3), where your thumbs face inferiorly and brace each side of the client’s spinous processes. Step to your left foot and push your right thumb against the spinous processes. Step to your right foot and push your left thumb against the spinous processes. Use a rhythmic tempo as you rock back and forth, foot to foot, pushing on the bodies of the spinous processes from C2 to T1. As you apply this technique, ensure your client’s eyes remain in the same plane as you sway back and forth. Think about getting the cervical spinal segments swinging and swaying with the rhythm. 

Belly Dancer Chest Lifts and Body Waves 

Another traditional movement practiced by belly dancers is the chest lift. The dancer lifts and lowers their rib cage without moving the rest of their body. This isolation movement often leads to a body wave where a dancer lifts their chest, arches their back, and then allows the chest to drop, causing a wave to travel down the spine. The pelvis tilts posteriorly and then anteriorly. The thoracic spine extends during the chest lift and flexes as the chest drops, mobilizing the vertebrae and the costovertebral and costotransverse joints. 

Massage therapists can use a manual version of this anterior-posterior spinal movement to mobilize the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae when working in the sidelying position. With the client on their left side, brace their upper body with one hand and gently press their thoracic vertebrae with your palm to extend their spine and then release the pressure at an even tempo (Image 4). As you work down to the lumbar spine, move around the back of the client so you can grasp the client’s right anterior ilium (Image 5). You may wish to try the technique with the client’s left arm behind their body. You can also pull the client’s right arm into extension so long as it is comfortable for the client (Image 6). Work with a rhythmic, rocking tempo to facilitate relaxation and help the client release protective muscle guarding. If these movements cause pain or discomfort, discontinue their use. 

Help Make the Connection

Master myoskeletal therapists look for ways to engage the body in rarely used or unfamiliar movement patterns to enhance the body-mind connection and help the body release unnecessary muscle guarding. When we create opportunities for the client to perform novel movements, we “grab” the brain’s attention because it needs to process and understand the possibility of the new movement. The brain is fully engaged and present. This mindfulness helps reduce fear of movement and general stress while enhancing overall mental well-being. 

While humans primarily rely on bipedal locomotion, the evolutionary and developmental links to undulatory locomotion are evident in various aspects of our movement and function. Recognizing and leveraging these connections can enhance our understanding of human biomechanics and improve our critical thinking about massage techniques. When we look at manual therapy through the lens of undulation, we improve our approaches to wellness and rehabilitation.