Originally Posted by karena

No expert but I have only ever seen the glute thing in American bellydance. I think there is a glute shimmy, where they just use the glutes. No knees. But I haven't ever seen this outside of this context. There is a video on you tube somewhere of an American doing it on what looks like breakfast TV to me (sorry can't find it, nor remember the name. I think it was a famous American too but wasn't really my thing). But to my mind it is still important to engage muscles in order for the move to be sharp. Therefore on a hip drop/lift if you engage muscles including the glutes, pelvic floor etc if makes it sharper. That is what I was taught by an Egyptian dancer. So, to my mind outside of America the glutes are important, but only as much so as the other muscles used to make moves sharp.

But I stand, nay, look forward to being vehemently corrected