There are various techniques for hip drops. Each of them has its own merits and styles.

The relaxed, easy hip drop that most beginners learn early on involves movements of the pelvis itself. Beginners often over compensate for the lack of technical expertise by using bigger, more energetic movements than necessary. As they become stronger and more experienced, then the movements are refined and tightened, become smaller and more controlled, but none the less effective in execution.

Basic posture for the hip drop is legs slightly apart (avoid the A line) both knees slightly bent, chest up, chin up, shoulders relaxed and pelvis loose and relaxed with a slight backward tilt. Avoid pushing the backside out, or over arching the spine as this will cause injury to the back.

Lift the hip slightly, then allow gravity to drop the hip down. Keep the knees bent and try to avoid looking down at yourself. Placing the hand onto your hip will enable you to feel what is happening without ruining your posture by glancing down.

Make sure your supporting leg does not creep into a straight, locked position. Don't allow the shoulders and spine to twist from side to side. Don't bob around like a marionette, you should be able to balance a book on your head without it sliding off. You are endeavouring to isolate the hip from the rest of your body.

Advanced Hip Drops
These involve using the muscle groups in the thighs and buttocks with the miminum movement of the bones of pelvis and thigh.

Egyptian Hip Tilt
This involves further isolation techniques of the hip and is for advanced students only.

Zuhair Zaki Dump
A dump is where the hip is pushed down into the ground without allowing the leg to push the hip upwards at any time. The result is a unique and fascinating movement that was the signature move of the famous Egyptian dancer, Zuhair Zaki. As with the Egyptian Walk, this movement is notoriously difficult to teach and master. It can take years to perfect and requires hours of practice.

The basic technique requires the pelvic hip bone to slide down towards the ground, whilst not allowing any lift to the ball and socket part of the hip. There will be a tugging, pulling sensation of the muscles around the waist.

Fifi Abdou Dump
This movement is advanced and complete mastery of the basic dump is needed before you can even begin to get your head around it. It is a complex movement involving three different layers - the dump, the shimmy and the twist. There is also a characteristic double stamp of the foot.