Safran
New member
Hey maariku, which one you've got?
Secrets of Stage 1
Hey maariku, which one you've got?
I wouldn't recommend this for a beginning dancer or even a beginning zill player. I think if you've mastered Ansuya's zill video, or have used zills minimaly in a class, this would be a nice next step. Mesmera doesn't teach any belly dance moves or technique on here. It's assumed you have a basic movement vocab and musical knowledge like counting 4/4 time.
First part is a naration about Harry Saroyan, the guy sings, makes zills & coins, plays doumbek, etc., and is a big personality in the U.S. BD community, especially the AmCab scene. I met and chatted with him at his Rakkasah booth once. He's really nice.
Then Harry S. comes on and talks about zills for a couple of min.
Then there is a zill dance performance in the classic AmCab style by Mesmera. After she dances she explains *briefly* about picking out zills, wearing them, sewing the elastics, and muteing them. This should have been a bit longer. If you don't have this knowledge from somewhere else, you need a different video or a teacher. She demonstrates the ring, click, and clap sounds, then shows a box and a layered ring.
She *briefly* explains counting music. This would be confusing for a bare beginner I think. She does cross her hands at the wrist so your right is her right when she is facing the viewer. I did like that a lot. She demonstrates triplets, rolls, and altenates.
Next she demonstrates how she uses syllables to re-inforce triplets (123) with movments i.e. take-a-step, drop-your-hip, etc.
She goes over arm positions while wearing zills and reminds everyone to keep using their arms when playing. She talks about volume increasing and decreasing when playing. There is some beledi playing while she does triplets.
A really nice thing happens next! Jerimiah Soto and a couple of his other drummers come out and play live. Just basic rhythms though. Still, always nice to see the musicians! They play Beladi, Maqsoum, Chiftitelli, a 6/8, and Kashlima. Mesmera plays along and coaches when she changes how she's playing. The sections are short for a sustained practice, but have nice ideas. She played a Baladi over a Chiftitelli (I love layering 4/4 rhythms) but never explained the hows and whys, which would have been nice for the intermediate zill players to know. I did like the suggestion of playing zills with the melody, although she never develops the idea further.
After all that, there's a bit of a Saroyan Cymbals infomercial, a wrap up speech, another Mesmera dance demo with zills and veil (which was never touched on in the video) and a thanks/goodbye from H.S.
Wow thanks for the review!!!! Really detailed! I will have to be looking at some other DVD thyen- sounds too complicated for a newbie like me...
Here's my newbie rookie non-dancer opinion of the Bellytwins 3 dvd set:
Basic Dance
Beyond Basic Dance
Mystic Dance
For someone like me who never dances (I didn't dance in high school either) these dvd's should be just perfect. Very basic.
- The narration is great
- They go slow. (I'm clumsy and it's hard for me to learn the movements when they go fast.)
- They tell you the name of each movement.
- Each dvd breaks down the movements to the most basic elements and then you drill that element. Then they add additional elements until the movement is complete.
- They show several variations to the movements and tell you what you can do to make the movement more sensual. IE: 'to make the movement a little more sensual lean back slightly with the upper body....."
- Each dvd is built upon the previous one so in the 2nd dvd you basically do the same dance as the 1st dvd but each movement is an advanced version.
- Marina, Lochia & Sohaila have dance solos included at the end of the dvd's but I was disappointed that the Twins didn't have any.
- Each dvd gives you the option to do the entire video with the music and no narration. Very nice option.
- DVD 3 covers basic veil work and they use half circle veils. When they do the routine at the end 1 twin has a veil and the other does not so you get to see how the movements look both ways.
If you are an experienced dancer these dvd's will probably put you to sleep. If you learn dance movements quickly these might be too slow for you.
I like the shiney tights they wear w/matching top because toward the end when you were doing the routine you just learned they were wearing them under their skirts and I thought that was kinda cool.
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.
Two DVD's I've just enjoyed: Jenna's 'The Next Level' - although I do agree that it's quite a jump from her 'Basics and Beyond'. I enjoy her presentation style, and her breakdown of each part. She does refer back to the Basics if you're having trouble with any individual parts, which is a good idea.
The other is Sarah Skinner's Belly Dance with Veil. This is such a great DVD! And her presentation style is relaxed and fun. I think it's awesome value with breakdown of hand and arm positions, entrances and wraps/unwraps, turns, cascades, travels, switches - and most importantly, how to recover from mishaps!! Of course, you always meant to drop the veil like that?!! (except if it's a choreo and you're in a group...hmmmm)
A full choreo is part of it, and I really enjoyed it.
And she has The Most Amazing range of veils and costumes, that she makes herself. Well worth getting.
I'm now considering a zill DVD - but have a bit to go through before I do.
BTW they're not a replacement for lessons with a LIVE instructor, but great for a practice pep-up, or to review something specific, or if you just want to explore something before developing it a bit more.
I just got Nourhan Sharif's Raqs Assaya dvd - i really like. She does everything nice and slowly and then she builds on it but she keeps coming back to the most basic movements every once in a while. I think it's a pretty good learning instrument providing you have no other resource for it - like a live instructor. I think that by following along with the cd one can develop a fundamental relationship with the cane to prepare for live instruction later on.
I did not like the constant references to formal dance positions. While i think that this may be useful for people with an actual dance background it was just plain confusing for me trying to figure out/remember where 6th and 4th and 5th were while making sure that my feet were in 1 1/2 and dancing with the rest of my body.
All in all i enjoyed it and i think Nourhan is so beautiful i'd probably watch it over and over just to look at her.
Please share with the world what instructional material you have/use and what you think of it!
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
Hi Ladies, It seems we all shop for the same DVd's/videos .I have a lot of what's been posted already and I think each video is well made and covers a lot of information.I'm a visual learner so videos help supplement my learning, what's important to me is will I see their entire body including the feet. Does the instructor explain directional changes and weight placement? In terms of props, does the instructor give handy tips for hand placement and storage tips? Is there mention of the music used in the video so I might buy it? And finally am I encouraged as a student to inject my own personality so I won't look like a clone?
Additional vids that I have and recommend are:
Suzanna Del Vecchio-"Precision Motion", "Dynamic Combinations" and "Lock,Flutter and Roll". She is an excellent dancer and teacher. She strongly encourages students to maintain proper alignment and joy in the dance.Her videos are geared toward intermediate and advanced students.
Ayshe- Great video on how to wear and dance with Isis Wings. It's almost like a mini-workshop and well worth the money. Again she encourages proper body alignment, weight placement and directional changes. She thoroughly breaks down each movement and also body positions to avoid. I understand that Amar Gamal has studied with her.
Petite Jamilla -"Double Veil" video is good in that she breaks down the intricate patterns of the veils. She does a decent job in breaking down the hand and arm moves, but she spends a great deal of time spinning. For those of us who don't like to twirl and spin for 5 minutes straight:naghty: , there's not much info on a soft, lyrical double veil routine. She doesn't spend any time discussing which type of veils or fabrics work best in a double veil routine, or body alignment. I would think her video would be geared toward intermediate or advanced students, who are comfortable with veil routines already.
No matter which video we all have it's good to have videographic record of our favorite dancers and even if one doesn't feel the info is relevent now there is a chance that in the future where the information may be useful.
Happy Dancing
Yasmine
I'm also addicted to the DVD's
Here's what I have.
Amira's Bellydance 101, great 1st DVD, very basic
Jenna's Basics and Beyond, Heartbeat of BellyDance, these are my favorites of the collection, still use them almost every practice. :clap:
Neena & Veena's Discover BellyDance series. Ok, but slow and boring. I actually do them on fast forward :lol:
Ansuya's Magic of Bellydance (mostly choreo) it's OK
Ansuya's Hot Combos & All New Hot Combos, I like these.
Ansuya's Lavish Layers & Luscious Layers, they're ok, I was hoping for something more/different from her. I took a layering workshop from Aubre Hill and it was so awesome. Aubre should be coming out with an instructional DVD soon and I will buy it.
Jillina's level 1, ok for the choreo, I don't prefer her teaching style, I doubt that I'll pick up 2 or 3.
Neon's Instant Bellydancer 1&2, first impression was aweful, but I try them again every few months. It's too fast pace for a real beginner, but she does get you combining moves and travelling.
Aziza's Veil, haven't used much yet.
Ava Fleming's Dynamic Combos, I really like this one, lots of useful steps for travelling.
Rania's Bellydance fitness for weight loss series, Jane Fonda-ish aerobic routine with bellydance moves. IMO these will only reinforce bad habits. I only use her bonus workout material (probably should have tried to get my $ back)
Suhaila's Bellydance fitness fusion, these ones are great, maybe someday I'll be able to do a whole DVD in one session
Rachel Brice's Yoga, Isolations and drills. I skip the yoga but I love her drills. Another one that I practice with very often.
Rachel Brice's Arms & Posture: a lot of you are asking about this one.
1. Preparation (warmup, stretches)
2. Dance movement preparation (short workout, squats)
3. Shoulder sequence (shoulder workout)
4. Examples of arm placement in dance (breakdown of a few shoulder moves)
5. Practical applications (short choreo using moves above)
6. Ending stretches
7. Performance
Great DVD, if her style is what you're trying to achieve. Every move is definitely "Rachel". She does a wonderful job breaking it all down and showing how to put it together. Not too much yoga on here, which is good for me. Performance was disappointing though, as usual with her too many angle changes/single body part close-ups, etc. I do wish she would smile sometimes.