The "Hip Dance" Exercise (a small but mighty movement)

deep core exercise hips pelvic floor tightness May 15, 2025

Have you ever felt like one side of your body just isn’t quite right? Maybe your hip feels tighter on one side or your back aches more on one side than the other. If so, you’re not alone—and there’s a powerful (yet simple) movement I love that can help.

It’s called the Hip Dance Exercise, and while the name may sound a little playful, it’s one of the most effective techniques I use to help restore balance in the pelvis, ease hip and back tension, and support pelvic floor function.

The Pelvis: Your Body's Tug-of-War Zone

Think of your pelvis as the center of your body. When it’s out of alignment—maybe one hip is tighter or one glute is working harder than the other—it throws everything off. Your back might hurt, your hips may feel restricted, and even your pelvic floor function can suffer.

That's why I always start my work with clients at the pelvis. Before addressing the legs, spine, or even the core, we need to understand what’s going on in this central zone.

And that’s exactly where the Hip Dance Exercise comes in.

What Is the Hip Dance Exercise?

This movement may look small, but it targets deep within your hip capsules. It helps release restrictions, improve awareness of how each side of your pelvis is functioning, and gently builds core and glute connection—without overcompensating through the low back or outer hips.

Here’s how to do it:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Lie on your stomach with legs parallel and arms folded under your forehead.
Take a deep breath through your nose into your lower back + out into the ribs. Feel that space expand and relax.
Lightly reach through both legs to create a little length in the body.
Gently slide your right hip toward your ribcage—not your leg. Then lower it.
Repeat with your left hip.
Continue slowly alternating, allowing your pelvis to move just slightly side to side.

💡 Tip: If you feel this in your low back, you might be over-squeezing your glutes. Instead, activate them only about 25%. Clench fully, then let go about 75%—that’s what we’re going for.

What to Notice as You Move

Does one side feel tighter or harder to move?
Are you pulling more on one side of your low back?
Are your glutes working evenly?

By bringing awareness to these subtleties, you can begin to rebalance your pelvis, improve your posture, and reduce strain throughout your body.

Why This Matters for Pelvic Floor and Core Health

Everything in the body is connected. When your pelvis is imbalanced, your core and pelvic floor can’t function optimally. And vice versa. That’s why I emphasize movement that supports whole-body alignment—not just isolated muscle work.

The Hip Dance Exercise helps reconnect you to your body, bringing subtle yet powerful shifts that can:

Relieve hip and back tension
Enhance pelvic floor support
Improve core function and posture
Prepare your body for deeper movements like Swan or back extensions

Bonus Insight: Is One Leg Shorter Than the Other?

Many clients come to me thinking one leg is shorter than the other. And while anatomical differences do exist, often the real issue is a stuck or rotated pelvis. I’ve seen time and time again that when we release the pelvis and rebalance the body, those leg length discrepancies often disappear.