Recommendation for those learning from DVDs.

[Miranda Phoenix]

I just reviewed the "Love Potion" and "Luscious" DVDs led by Blanca, Neon and Sarah Skinner and highly recommend them to folks who are leaning on DVDs for their primary instruction.

The tutorials are perhaps the most detailed I've yet to see on DVD, and explain the moves from a skeletal as well as a muscular point of view. There is always room for misinterpretation (even one-on-one!), but, in my opinion, these explanations are so well done that such mistakes will be minimal.

The tutorials don't cover every variation of every movement (such as a knee-driven vs. a glute-drive vs. an abdominally-driven hip lift), but they do an awesome job covering the most commonly used variations.

The "workouts" themselves are beautiful and flowing, with choreography that teaches and drills some truly lovely transitions as integral parts of the dance (as they should be).

Money well spent and five stars on both from me!! :dance:

 

[Mosaic]

I have those 2 DVDs and also quite like them. I haven't used them for a while, your review reminds me to get them out again!
~Mosaic

 

[moroccan_goddess]

I'm glad you said that! :clap: I saw Love Potion and fell in love with it right away! I thought it was really good too. I m ordering mine this week, when I get some cash!:dance:

 

[Nebetmiw]

OK these are not DVD I would recomend to beginners just starting. These are better for advance beginners that are looking to improve and have a fun workout. When I first read this thread I thought they were meant for true beginners just starting. From what I have read these are not teaching any certian style of BD either. Which is fine for those not working in a certain style or those just wanting a fun workout.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Here's a somewhat unusual recommendation for those of you who love working with dvds:

Don't sell them when you think you've "outgrown" them.

Unless the dvd is just REALLY bad. LOL

Seriously -- hang on to those "beginner" dvds. You can repurpose them when you reach intermediate/advanced levels. Try some of the following tricks:

1. Experiment with the drills/flows/practice patterns. Try doing them twice as fast or super super slow. Try leading with the other foot, or using different arm positions.

2. Play like you're in acting class. Work through the drills while taking on the stage persona of a character who just got engaged. Or divorced. Or someone who just met the love of her life. Or found the love of her life with another. Pretend to be a warrior princess, a mermaid, a wicked stepmother, an angel, a fairy, or a dragon! See how you can make even the simplest drill DRIP with the essence of your character Go ahead, overact. Ham it up! Nobody's watching

3. Stick a prop on your head and BALANCE it while you do the drills. That turns an easy dvd drill into a whole different ball game!! It's also a great way to tell where your balance is off, and when you're bobbing up and down.

4. Add finger cymbals. (You knew I was going to throw that one in!) Start with simple patterns and work up to more complicated ones.

5. Add veil work to the drill. This is an easy way to learn to actually DANCE with the veil instead of just tossing it around.

6. Travel with the drill. Pivot around yourself in a circle. Or try walking around your dance space. Travel with movements you don't automatically think of as "traveling" movements. You'll get a great creative stretch!

7. If you have more than one drill dvd, rotate them daily. That will keep the exercises fresh.

8. Combine any of the above suggestions and try those drills again! Suddenly that beginner dvd you wanted to throw on ebay has some extra value after all!


If you repurpose your old beginner dvds and find these tips helpful, drop me a line. I may write an article on the subject. Thanks!

 

[moroccan_goddess]

OR.......if you find you just can't stand them anymore, I would be more than willing to buy them off you at a reasonable price! :lol: Just PM or email me! Hey, what can I say, I'm desperate!

 

[Miranda Phoenix]

OK these are not DVD I would recomend to beginners just starting. These are better for advance beginners that are looking to improve and have a fun workout. When I first read this thread I thought they were meant for true beginners just starting. From what I have read these are not teaching any certian style of BD either. Which is fine for those not working in a certain style or those just wanting a fun workout.

Having actually sat through and watched the 50 minute tutorials, the 50 minute practice session (Love Potion only) and the 40 & 45 minute "workouts", I totally disagree.

Beginners would get wonderful use of the tutorials, everyone can drill to the practice session and all but the most experienced dancers would (I think) enjoy the choreographed workouts. One of the cooler features is the option to play the sections with or without voice-overs. Want a little help? Play the cues. Want to just groove a little? Play the music only.

What's not to love? :lol: :dance:

 

[lizaj]

Can anyone recommend DVDs by non-Americans? I find it very difficult to find instruction of the studio and filming quality of that made in the States and usually end up recommending US DVDs to students.There's very little produced here in the UK and the only one I have found that is both good quality instruction and reasonably well filmed is Galit Mersand's. There's some dreadful homegrown stuff out there but I never name them so to students just never mention through shame
I know there are German and French DVDs and wouldn't it be great if they had dual language built in.
I have old VHS of Raqia Hassan but there is very little out there from Egyptian and Lebanese and Turkish dancers. A shame they aren't encouraged more maybe by Western film-makers. What we usually get is the filming of a workshop which is hardly ideal.

 

[Daimona]

I know there are German and French DVDs and wouldn't it be great if they had dual language built in.

I know some Norwegian and Danish instructional DVDs, but the instructions are in one language only...

 

[BigJim]

Saida and Mario Kirlis from Argentina have a 2 volume 4 dvd set. It is in Spanish but has English subtitles. It has a very good section by Mario explaining the rythyms and how they look musically. For someone with no musical training it really opened my eyes to what is going on... Saida is an excellent dancer... goes pretty fast into some complex stuff but I enjoyed her lessons... I would certainly recommend this series to anyone learning from home by dvd.

 

[gisela]

Dalila of Cairo has some dvds. I have one but haven't had time to watch it yet. I can never remember if she is spanish or italian though...

 

[Mirin]

@lizaj : I've been looking to find some European dvds as I'm not yet sure NTSC and my laptop will like each other...
While looking on the web, I've seen a website listing some DVDs by London teachers, but I don't know any of them so can't say anything regarding quality. London Belly Dance - belly dance shopping

Meissoun from Switzerland has produced some multi-language dvds but I haven't watched any so far. Video DVD Libanesischer Tanzstil - Bauchtanz / Orientalischer Tanz / Bollywood Dance. They are about Bollywood and Lebanese Bellydance (Language of website can be switched to English and German).

 

[onela]

@lizaj : I've been looking to find some European dvds as I'm not yet sure NTSC and my laptop will like each other...
While looking on the web, I've seen a website listing some DVDs by London teachers, but I don't know any of them so can't say anything regarding quality. London Belly Dance - belly dance shopping

Generally speaking, laptops and computers play nicely with dvds from different regions for about 5 region switches before you're stuck with whatever region the 5th one is. You can purchase some software to stop that from happening, though, but I think you have to use it before you get locked into that last 5th switch. Alternatively, when I lived in England, we brought a lot of DVD's from the UK and so we went to Curry's and got their cheapest dvd player, which the internet confirmed for us we'd be able to switch the region code on at our leisure Worked a treat!

Region coding is so stupid in our global world- if I'm in a air port in London, I should be able to buy a dvd and take it home to Canada. It's such a crock, I can't wait until things start to get worldwide release dates so that they don't need to control when stuff comes out with nonsense like region coding. Life is too short for this crap!

 

[jenc]

most BD discs are region free. WDNY, IAMED, cheeky girls all play fine on my computer. the only one I ever had probs with was a cheapie that came in set with zills etc from US.

 

[His_Einna]

I have luscious and love it. Can't wait to get some of the others by this wonderful trio :-D

 

[Farasha Hanem]

Here's a somewhat unusual recommendation for those of you who love working with dvds:

Don't sell them when you think you've "outgrown" them.

Unless the dvd is just REALLY bad. LOL

Seriously -- hang on to those "beginner" dvds. You can repurpose them when you reach intermediate/advanced levels. Try some of the following tricks:

1. Experiment with the drills/flows/practice patterns. Try doing them twice as fast or super super slow. Try leading with the other foot, or using different arm positions.

2. Play like you're in acting class. Work through the drills while taking on the stage persona of a character who just got engaged. Or divorced. Or someone who just met the love of her life. Or found the love of her life with another. Pretend to be a warrior princess, a mermaid, a wicked stepmother, an angel, a fairy, or a dragon! See how you can make even the simplest drill DRIP with the essence of your character Go ahead, overact. Ham it up! Nobody's watching

3. Stick a prop on your head and BALANCE it while you do the drills. That turns an easy dvd drill into a whole different ball game!! It's also a great way to tell where your balance is off, and when you're bobbing up and down.

4. Add finger cymbals. (You knew I was going to throw that one in!) Start with simple patterns and work up to more complicated ones.

5. Add veil work to the drill. This is an easy way to learn to actually DANCE with the veil instead of just tossing it around.

6. Travel with the drill. Pivot around yourself in a circle. Or try walking around your dance space. Travel with movements you don't automatically think of as "traveling" movements. You'll get a great creative stretch!

7. If you have more than one drill dvd, rotate them daily. That will keep the exercises fresh.

8. Combine any of the above suggestions and try those drills again! Suddenly that beginner dvd you wanted to throw on ebay has some extra value after all!


If you repurpose your old beginner dvds and find these tips helpful, drop me a line. I may write an article on the subject. Thanks!

I've worked on balance with some of my old beginner DVD's, and on one, I sometimes use hand weights in her drills to give me a "workout."

OR.......if you find you just can't stand them anymore, I would be more than willing to buy them off you at a reasonable price! :lol: Just PM or email me! Hey, what can I say, I'm desperate!

Are you a Dolphina fan? xD Oh, wait...might not ought to make you suffer... Oo;;; :lol:

 

[teela]

I like Leila's DVD for beginners. Its Egyptian style and has great clear instructions. She even explains weight placement. I love it.

 

[RayaDancer]

there's a trio of dvds called "masters of egyptian choreography" by natasha somethingorother.... i have the first one which features technique and choreo taught by the lovely randa kamal herself.... one of the other ones is taught by leila rose of cairo and i forgot who's on the third one. but anyway, if youre looking for egyptian styling, i think its worth it. also, for egyptian technique, the great raqia hassan has dvds out but they are expensive, around $60 a pop i believe. :shok:

 

[Tiimarie]

How is this Shimmy DVD? Clicky.

I've managed to convince my mom to come to the belly dance classes that I'm gonna be starting next week. She wants me to go first to be the guinea pig and then she'll hop in later. :lol: She said she used to watch this Shimmy TV show, so I looked it up and it got switched to 7:30am which is too early for her, so she bought the DVD instead.

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

How is this Shimmy DVD? Clicky.

I've managed to convince my mom to come to the belly dance classes that I'm gonna be starting next week. She wants me to go first to be the guinea pig and then she'll hop in later. :lol: She said she used to watch this Shimmy TV show, so I looked it up and it got switched to 7:30am which is too early for her, so she bought the DVD instead.

Your link wouldn't work for me, but I'm a big fan of the Shimmy tv show