Hi! I am new to this tribe. I have read many posts on hip shimmies throughout tribe as well. I have a few questions. The first is related to what is the average length of time to progress from one level to the next? I know that everyone is different and this is not a question that can be answered with 100% accuracy, but I am really feeling demotivated by the time it is taking me to progress....I have been taking classes off on on for two years now. I have to admit that I have not been consistent. The usual ten week session - one class a week that I enroll it usually turns out to be 5-6 classes that I make and then I skip an entrie session or two and then start up again. I have three boys at home - actually count that four including my husband..LOL...Their needs and activities are a difficult balance to my need to practice this dance. I also, despite my investment in numerous belly dancing videos, do not have a chance to practice at home. It is difficult for me to go the washroom on my own, let alone try to practice a video without an interruption! So, now two years later, I am at a level where I am somewhere between a beginner and and intermediate - not really fitting in either one. I know my lack of consistency and practice has influenced my progression, but I also feel that hip shimmying has also affected my progression. My main obstacle is shimmying. It is ironic that when I first starting taking classes, I thought the hips would be the easiest to master. As it turns out, my hips are my enemy and my upper body is my hero. I just can't keep a consistent hip shimmy. Especially when I start trying to layer a hip shimmy with another hip move or travelling with it. I start feeling very jerky and akward. It is soooo demotivating!! I have been told by my teacher that I sit low when I shimmy, which is more like a tribal shimmy??? However, this is the position I feel most natural to shimmy in. Yes, my kness are pumping, but it actually feels like the movement is most powerful and is perhaps generated from the thighs rather than the kness. It is a loose and not tight feeling. Is this wrong? I keep reading posts where the hip shimmies should come from your kness and not the thighs. Also, when I try the egyptian hip shimmy, which I understand to be more of a straight leg shimmy, but again powered by the knees - that one is really difficult for me.....any advice??? Also, last but not least, when I try the suhaila hip shimmy powered by the glutes, my shimmy tends to be very small. I was told this is natural until the squeezing of the glutes becomes more natural to my muscles. However, when I squeeze my glute, I am also feeling that the squeeze is in the back of my leg and extends down to the knee...therefore, it is not just the glute only that raises the hip??? Please help Demotivated but trying to be Positive :-) and Shimmy confused!