What instructional DVDs/Videos you have?

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Reen.Blom

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Please share with the world what instructional material you have/use and what you think of it!:D

Here I go:

I've got several of the Belly Twins, which I am not too mad about, cos most of them are fitness oriented (except for Mystic Veil, I like to use this one for the relaxed ambience it creates.)

I've got Neon's Instant Belly Dancer vol 1&2. I enjoy that one, cos her graphic schematics really help me to understand how this or that move "works"! Unfortunately she does not teach combo's on it, so I use it as a reference type thing - a mini encyclopedia of basic Belly dance moves!

I was given 2 Rania's DVDs Exotic belly dance of rania(99.9%fitness) and Rania's choreography, which I also dont use, cos i really do not like her as a dancer, her stiff arms get on my nerves! LOL

I have Jillina's Level 1 which is quite fun!

And I am currently waiting for Jenna's Basics and Beyond and Heartbeat of belly dance to arrive!

Later on I really would like to get smth in "Tribal Fusion" Like Sera's or Darshan's and wonder if the "Arms and Posture" by Rachel Brice is any good...
But those are later, MUCH later, for financial reasons...LOL
 

sstacy123

New member
I have
BD for Beginners with Suhaila/Buns-my teachers raved about it but not my favorite but then I've only watched it once and never tried it

Dynamic Combinations with Ava Fleming-haven't tried to learn the combos yet but I liked what I saw

Spins and Turns with Marguerite-I liked it pretty well

Tribal Fusion BD w Rachel Brice-I was impressed with Rachel but it was just okay for me.

Smooth as Silk Veil w Katia-it seemed to drag on a bit (if memory serves me perhaps some diff music would have helped?) but it had plenty of good info and I like it

21 Shimmies and 1001 variations-I liked some of it, some of the other shimmys I had no interest in at this point

How to Play Finger Cymbals w Mesmera-I liked it but I think there is room for improvement and I still feel pretty clueless...but it is probably ME and not the video...(I have not actually had a class yet)

Delilah Workshop I, II, III- a lot of info but enjoyed watching

Mystic Dance w Veena and Neena-thee first time I watched was really impressed-not as much the 2nd time but I still like it

Lavish Layers w Ansuya-I like it pretty well...

The Heartbeat of Bellydance-was my first intro to some of the rhythms which was good...the video was okay for me.

Jillina 1 & 2-they're okay for me.

Veil with Aziza

Sizzlin' Hips w Ava Flemming-didn't care for it so much.

Anyone want to know more about any of these ask me and I'll tell but I don't like to say too much 'cause I don't know that I know what I'm talking about. ;)
 
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charity

New member
ok here is my list

10 shimmies and 1001 variations - DONT like it so much, it is more of a practice companion for people who already know the move

dynamic combo's with ava fleming -DONT LIKE IT

EDIT: again i do not like this one simply because i am not fond of ava fleming's style or choreography.

bellydance basic and beyond with jenna - LOVE IT

jillina 1&2 - LOVE IT

EDIT: i must rephrase, though i have gotten good moves from jillina, i DO NOT like her choreography or her style in the least

jamila salimpour archives - LOVE LOVE LOVE, the BEST
but not so explanatory as to what muscles to use

tribal fusion with Rachel Brice - LOVE but hey this one you have to actually
do it to see great improvement, i KNOW but not so much material covered for the price

addition

practice companion with Aziza - LOVE LOVE

i want to get darshan's dvd and i desperately need some instruction for hands and arms.

addition 2:

love neena and veena's dvds which i just got. i love them the best so far. plus they include beautiful arm/hand work in their dvds. right now they are my favorite.
 
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KuteNurse

New member
Delilah's 3 series workshop-great for learning.

A learning dvd from a local instructor learning hip circles, figure eights hip up's and basic shimmy's...

I so need to add to my collection.
 

charity

New member
i am reluctant to invest in delilah's workshops. i have been led astray on 3 of the pricey bd dvds and have been seriously disappointed.

for the basics i have found the cheaper versions are often times much more inclusive. i cannot emphasize enough the quantity of material contained in jenna's dvd. it definitely is not my style but it has enlightened me to a LOT of basic moves common in any style.
 

Reen.Blom

New member
Hi Reen,

Are you taking classes as well or just using the instruction dvd's?

Rachel xxx

Well unfortunately I am on my own now...:( In 2005 I attended classes for 3 months (together with ballroom dance classes) but I dont think I learnt THAT much! It surely helped to learn the "nature" of basic moves, To really see how the moves work on a live instructor, plus I became really great friends with her and we strill exchange emails and sms, and she turned out to be my older brother's classmate(100 years ago..LOL)

But now I have to travel a lot, at the moment I stay with my fiance on a farm... I go to town like once a month... so DVD's is what is left....:(
 

Amanda (was Aziyade)

Well-known member
i am reluctant to invest in delilah's workshops. i have been led astray on 3 of the pricey bd dvds and have been seriously disappointed.
QUOTE]

Tell us what you bought that disappointed you. It helps.

And you know, sometimes if you revisit a video later it might make more sense to you.

I bought Shareen el Safy's technique 2 off another dancer who said she hated it, that it didn't make sense, etc. Being a huge Shareen fan (AND knowing what her videos were like) I snatched it up. A couple of years later I saw the same dancer asking on Bhuz if anybody had a copy of that (out-of-print) video. LOL.

I like Habiba's quickstart video series for Egyptian style. But it's pricey. And the Dina LA workshops -- oh, I LOVE those vids. But you have to be able to learn by watching.
 

Sara

New member
I have:

Hilary Thacker for Beginners: Ancient vid I got and I don't really like it at all

Jillina 1-3: Again, I wasn't too impressed to be honest. Too much choreo which I don't really like. I would have preferred more technique

Rachel Brice Tribal Fusion: Good for drilling, but not enough in the DVD I didn't think.

Neon: Abs shaping thing: This is good for your abs, not isolating of nothing but getting strength in them. One thing. Sometimes I could scream cause she doesn't explain exactly what it is she's doing and you have to flick between her and the diagram and you get lost and stuff.

And I'll have a look at what else I got later...

I'm really fininky I know :(
 

teela

New member
I prefer Raqia Hassan's first tape and two workshops. The very first tape is more of a teaching one with actual instruction rather than the later ones which are real flashy and harder to follow.
Aida Nour's workshops are the follow the leader type but have some really good things.
 

Didi

New member
Video reprise...

And you know, sometimes if you revisit a video later it might make more sense to you.

This is so true. I had the Lavish Layers d.v.d. by Ansuya, and it was so beyond me when I first bought it that I thought, I just wasted my money. But I went back to it about a month ago, and it's fantastic and I'm starting to be able to actually do it. I think the difference is that when I first tried it, my isolations were still really shoddy and beginner-level, and you can't layer if you aren't fairly comfy with the muscle memory. You almost have to be able to automate both movements, the shimmy and the isolation, to put them together without going all stiff and uncoordinated. Or at least I do...:lol:

I had this experience with a class, too. Took a class that really kicked my butt, wrote down lots of notes after every class, and then practiced every single move for about three months. When I took the class again, it was wonderful and I learned a lot. (I am older than a lot of the dancers, so I think it takes me extra time to get the moves. Practicing for a week on sth brand new just does not cut it for me.)

Didi
 

Samirah

New member
Jillina 1, 2 & 3: I like that she includes a good warm-up section on them & there are several moves that are new to me, but for me she doesn't spend enough time & repetition on each move.

Dolphina's Goddess Workout - Finger Cymbals: She gets a bit too much into the Goddessy stuff for my taste, but if I recall (it's been a long time since I watched it), I think I did learn a couple different rhythms. Can do them OK standing still but still can't seem to keep it up when I start moving.

Finger Cymbals w/Ansuya: I like that she offers lots of repetition, but again, I'm getting tripped up trying to maintain the rhythm when moving. But I'm sure that's just me & not having enough time & privacy to practice without driving others insane. LOL!

Amira Mor - Bellydance Your Way to Your Soulmate: It's been a while since I've watched this one too, but I liked learning some new veil work. I can't do much of the floorwork due to bad knees.

Bellydancing: The Sensuous Workout 2 w/Shamira: I liked this one & learned a few new combos.

I tried Neon's Bellydance for Body Shaping: Abs, but I hated it. Didn't care for the music, she didn't explain things well at all, and the graphics didn't help me at all. And I couldn't stand that short little fitness guy (LOL) making stupid comments on the side. The one thing I did like about it was the section where it explained about the different ab muscles & the movements that use them.

Heartbeat of Bellydance w/Jenna & Raquy: I love this one! Jenna does a great job of breaking down the moves & providing plenty of repetition, along with two great shimmy drill sections. And Raquy provides a demo of several different rhythms.

Hot Combinations w/Ansuya: Love, Love, LOVE it!! Ansuya does a wonderful job of explaining every part of each combination & provides lots & lots of repetition. My only complaint is that I wish the combos were grouped together by level of difficulty so it would be easier to practice & learn the easier ones first & then move on to the more advanced ones. As it is, they're scattered in among each other so you have to fast-forward to find the combos you want to work on. I'm sure it would probably be much easier if I had the DVD instead of the VHS.
 

Q-Tip

New member
I have

The Bellytwins - Bellydance Fitness for Beginners Basic Moves & fat burning.

Rania - Bellydance fitness for weight loss hip drop hip hop & pure sweat.


I ordered this but it's not in yet: TheBellytwins 3 pack - Basic Moves, Beyond Basic & Mystic Dance
 

Q-Tip

New member
I have

The Bellytwins - Bellydance Fitness for Beginners Basic Moves & fat burning.

Rania - Bellydance fitness for weight loss hip drop hip hop & pure sweat.


I ordered this but it's not in yet: TheBellytwins 3 pack - Basic Moves, Beyond Basic & Mystic Dance
My dvd's came in the mail today and I'm watching the first one now :dance:
 
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