Kathy Smith - Ansuya Instructional Video

AngelaJP

New member
I think this instructional video is incredible! :shok: I love Ansuya's dancing and costumes! The only videos I have are Neena and Veena's basic videos and a nice belly dance video by Filipina belly dancers. But Kathy Smith - Ansuya's one is just waaaaaay marvelous! What do you think about the video? And is this pure Egyptian?
 

jenc

New member
I'm a bit confused by the Kathy smith Ansuya thing - they are 2 separate people. Is she selling ansuya dvds - and which one do you mean but anyway they are not pure egyptian
 

teela

New member
As far as I know, Ansuya is not egyptian and there fore Kathy Smith's style is not egyptian. This is a workout video that Kathy Smith made with Ansuya helping create the design but it is not one I would recommend for people wanting to learn belly dance or egyptian style belly dance.
 

da Sage

New member
I think this instructional video is incredible! :shok: I love Ansuya's dancing and costumes! The only videos I have are Neena and Veena's basic videos and a nice belly dance video by Filipina belly dancers. But Kathy Smith - Ansuya's one is just waaaaaay marvelous! What do you think about the video? And is this pure Egyptian?

I really like this video, but most people don't. The problem is that Kathy Smith was just not a very good bellydancer when she made the video, but she still leads the workout instruction. I always tell people to watch Ansuya's moves, instead. Also, unless you are young and strong with a great, strong, back, be careful about leaning back as Ansuya recommends in the "mini-class" section.

I think this video is a lot of fun - a good basic introduction to several simple bellydance moves, arm layering and timing. I use it myself, sometimes, when I don't want to think about what to do next when I'm practicing!

I think Ansuya's dancing is pure American - not very Egyptian, but wonderful nonetheless!:D
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
I think Ansuya's dancing is pure American - not very Egyptian, but wonderful nonetheless!:D

You're right; although she claims that she dances Egyptian style, just by her choice of music alone puts her in AmCab (although I'm sure stylistcally there are other things that fairly scream "AmCab," but as I've said before on another part of the forum, I'm not yet savvy enough to pick up on the difference between Egyptian and AmCab). But she is wonderful; she's my favorite AmCab performer. :)

:doh: Awww, geez, I just remembered what I was going to ask: are we talking about Kathy Smith, the fitness instructor?!? Her??? Teach bellydance?!? :confused:

:doh:
 
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AngelaJP

New member
I like the video "Flex Appeal" very much. Kathy Smith is a internationally acclaimed fitness instructor but not a great dancer really, hehe. Ansuya stands out here but she's only in the background.

My basis of comparison is only the Neena and Veena, and the Filipino belly dance videos though.
 

Farasha Hanem

New member
Yeah, I was just wondering, because we sell Kathy Smith fitness DVD's at Wal-Mart (wish we sold bellydance DVD's -_- ).
 

Sita

New member
If your looking for one: a good Egyptian instruction video I think is Zahra Zuheir's Magnificent Moves :) as other's have pointed out Ansuya is AmCab.

Sita
 

da Sage

New member
I like the video "Flex Appeal" very much. Kathy Smith is a internationally acclaimed fitness instructor but not a great dancer really, hehe. Ansuya stands out here but she's only in the background.

My basis of comparison is only the Neena and Veena, and the Filipino belly dance videos though.

I felt exactly the same way when I first saw "Flex Appeal". The content is just fine, it's only the presentation that annoys a lot of people.

I think it is a better video for beginners than Neon's first few beginner/workout videos (Neon has put out better, more accessible stuff since then). Also, the dance moves in Flex Appeal are more to my taste than Neon's or N&V's choices.:)
 

AngelaJP

New member
Thank you, da Sage, JenC and Teela for the info! I think I'm also beginning to add AmCab to my list of favorites, the others being Egyptian and Tribal. I still have to learn more about the differences of these styles though, hehe.
 
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