What instructional DVDs/Videos you have?

[Q-Tip]

My daughter bought me "Belly Dance Tribal Fusion with Darshan" dvd for christmas. I haven't gotten to watch it all the way through yet.

 

[Ankhet]

I got "Bellydance Finess for weight loss, too hip with Rania. Haven't looked at it yet. It got it from my SIL for X-mass. She wants to belly dance with me!

 

[MeganJane]

Thanks for the reviews, Q- Tip!

Please post a review of "Belly Dance Tribal Fusion with Darshan" when you have used it! I'm really intrigued

I plan to post some reviews when I have the chance!

I have quite a few that I'm waiting to come throught the mail-
Rania's 4-disc set
Dance Today, You Can Dance!, Instant Bellydancer, and Queen of Flowers, all by Neon
2001 Shimmies by Leyla Jouvana
and Sensual Bellydance with Blanca

and already own several instructional titles, so it'll be a long post!

 

[AmiraRayne]

Dvds I have:
Jillina-1,2,3 as well as the Egyptian Pop Choreography and Drum Solo dvds(I love all the Jillina dvds I bought)
Ansuya-Hot combinations, Lavish Layers, Finger Cymbals(Another Favorite)
The Art of the Drum Solo-Sonia and Issam(I have fun with this one)
Sera-Bellydance East Coast Tribal
Rachel Brice-Tribal Fusion Belly Dance(Really like to practice with)
Dolphina-The Goddess Workout Series
Bellytwins-All the workout dvds, and the Discover Belly Dance series(Really love the Mystic dance)
Bellydance Superstars-Introduction to Bellydance(I use this one to practice with)
Of course I'm going to keep buying more and more DVDs when I get my chances

 

[Q-Tip]

Thanks for the reviews, Q- Tip!

Please post a review of "Belly Dance Tribal Fusion with Darshan" when you have used it! I'm really intrigued

I plan to post some reviews when I have the chance!

I have quite a few that I'm waiting to come throught the mail-
Rania's 4-disc set
Dance Today, You Can Dance!, Instant Bellydancer, and Queen of Flowers, all by Neon
2001 Shimmies by Leyla Jouvana
and Sensual Bellydance with Blanca

and already own several instructional titles, so it'll be a long post!

I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to review Darshan's dvd yet. Holidays/Work/Sick etc etc but I promise to get a review done soon

 

[KuteNurse]

I just bought 3 new dvd's on Amazon. Belly dance and beyond with Jenna. I love it so far. She breaks the movements down and she has an elegance to her dance that I enjoy watching. I also got belly dance basics a lesson and choreography for beginners by Michelle. I am not as happy with this DVD yet. Maybe time will change my mind. I also purchased Michelle's other DVD Perfect hips...I am VERY disappointed in this DVD. It is basically a repeat of Michelle's Belly dance basics...It has the same exact recording on both videos. She should know better and she should have taped different moves and not sold it as different DVD, but yet it is the same exact dvd as the other one. I will NOT buy another one of her DVD's. They are both opened or I would return them both. Shame on her....lol

 

[Reen.Blom]

I just bought 3 new dvd's on Amazon. Belly dance and beyond with Jenna. I love it so far. She breaks the movements down and she has an elegance to her dance that I enjoy watching. I also got belly dance basics a lesson and choreography for beginners by Michelle. I am not as happy with this DVD yet. Maybe time will change my mind. I also purchased Michelle's other DVD Perfect hips...I am VERY disappointed in this DVD. It is basically a repeat of Michelle's Belly dance basics...It has the same exact recording on both videos. She should know better and she should have taped different moves and not sold it as different DVD, but yet it is the same exact dvd as the other one. I will NOT buy another one of her DVD's. They are both opened or I would return them both. Shame on her....lol

Hey KuteNurse!

Yep I have Basics and Beyond of Jenna and I love it, It is really good for posture and explanations of the moves- great value for money!

Also I really love her Heartbeat of Bellydance, with 3 levels of drum solo choreos and explanation of Rythms!

I will be definitly buying her next DVD on Spins and Layers! ANd as I already told in the thread, she is a sweety, cos I ordered from her site but one of the DVDs got pinched in the mail (they do it all the time, this time they stole my birthday parcel my friend sent me!), so she sent me a replacemet for free with her Autograph! YAY Janna RRROCKS!

 

[KuteNurse]

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.

I just purchased Jenna's basics and beyond and I also love it. She is so casual and elegant at the same time.

 

[KuteNurse]

I just received "Heartbeat of Belly dance" by Jenna and it is awesome! I love it!

Unfortunately my parcel was open and "Basics and Beyond" disc got stolen so I just got the cover

Reen, according to her website, she have a brand new DVD coming out. I think I might order it. Here is her website...

::: BeyondBellydance ::: Jenna ::: Venture beyond your expectations with bellydancer Jenna's solo performances and group belly dance classes; based in Los Angeles, Jenna is available for Middle Eastern dance workshops and private lessons as well.

 

[KuteNurse]

Unfortunately it was stolen by Post Office and all I can do is complain but that does not give me a refund nor brings my disc back... I am actually very sad...

That is a shame! I have had things stolen also. But this is the kicker...I get the catalog from Dahlal International...And the catalog is ripped open every time I receive it in the mail...Someone out there has some issues...lol

 

[KuteNurse]

Hey KuteNurse!

Yep I have Basics and Beyond of Jenna and I love it, It is really good for posture and explanations of the moves- great value for money!

Also I really love her Heartbeat of Bellydance, with 3 levels of drum solo choreos and explanation of Rythms!

I will be definitly buying her next DVD on Spins and Layers! ANd as I already told in the thread, she is a sweety, cos I ordered from her site but one of the DVDs got pinched in the mail (they do it all the time, this time they stole my birthday parcel my friend sent me!), so she sent me a replacemet for free with her Autograph! YAY Janna RRROCKS!

Her DVD's are by far my favorite so far. I will have to get her Heartbeat of BD and her new one that isn't out yet.

 

[Reen.Blom]

Yay I was watching the new one for almost a year... I think it was supposed to be out in December, but now at least there is a trailer on youTube! Hey I am a big fan, so I will be definitly ordering from her site again, but it will only happen in a couple of months... I really love her clear explanations and the quality material of her DVDS!

 

[Wulpsie]

I have the Heartbeat of Belly dance and I love it. I love Jiliannia 3 level dvds and The legends of belly dance 1947 - 1976. I ordered Rania 4 dics and they are more areobic than belly dance..very dissappointed then I got Amercian Belly dancer. Now that is a waste of time. No dancing all talk about how they got the superstars on the map. If Icould sell it I would .To get the dvds to SA costs a fortune what with the exchange rate and then hope it does not get nicked..grrrrr

 

[Hyacinth]

I've just gotten Amaya's Gypsy Fire part II which is great fun to dance along with (although my lounge room isn't designed for dancing around in a full gypsy skirt!)

I also got East Coast Tribal & Tribal Fusion NYC because I've always wanted to try tribal fusion & no-one in my area does it. I like them both, especially the East Coast Tribal - the drills are really helpful & I love the combinations she teaches. I think the NYC one has a bit more talk and less 'meat' in it - there are only 4 combinations and one of them is really short - but I really liked her performance at the end.

 

[Amethist]

I am a beginner, and have been practicing with Neena and Zeena, I have belly dance for fitness, basic moves and fat burning, and beyond basics dance - I have watched both of them, and have only been working out to basic moves, which I love. I need to work my way up to the other ones!

 

[Mya]

anybody familiar with "upbeat beledi patterns with shamira"? just want to know if it's worth investing in, or if it's at least a reputable instructor.

thanks!

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Mya, I think you are a little advanced for the Upbeat Beledi from Shamira.

The combinations consist of step-hip and hip lift lift lift variations, and some of the figure 8's moving the side step.

One thing that annoyed me about these combos is that they don't really accent the so-called Beledi beat, which is what I thought they were supposed to do. Many what she's doing is Raqs Beledi and these are combos she thinks fit that category. I dunno. But if you've been dancing over a year, I don't think you'll get much out of this dvd. She only teaches 5 combos, and they aren't THAT long, and they're very repetitive.

 

[Mya]

Aziyade, by Raqs Beledi, you mean the folk-type dance yes? because i'm actually trying to gain a better understanding of just that.
i look at alot of Maria Aya and Chryssanthi's beledi video's on youtube and i do love it and think it's beautiful, i just have no one here who can teach me or demonstrate it so i can actually see what the moves are and how they're used for this particular style.
i'm trying at least to find a dvd or two that might help me to understand it a little bit better until i can get a real live instructor for it.
How about Shareen el Safy's dvd?

Shareen el Safy Instructional Videos

Anybody wanna teach a beledi workshop at Brea's festival in July?!!?

 

[Amanda (was Aziyade)]

Well, that's what I mean by Raqs Beledi, but I DON'T think the Shamira dvd actually teaches what anyone would recognize as Raqs Beledi, nor does it really cover combos for the Beledi rhythm. If she were to retitle the video "Basic Combinations for Beginners" I think that would describe it much better. But that's just my opinion.

Shareen el Safy is my hero, but I don't think Beledi Drum Solo is about Raqs Beledi either. The choreo is to Shik Shak Shok, and athough the movements are adorable, the choreo doesn't SCREAM Raqs Beledi. It's more Raqs Sharqi to me. Again, just my opinion.

Supposedly World Dance New York is going to have a beledi Instructional dvd out soon, and Ruby Jazayre is supposed to be a beledi style dancer, so you might check out her choreography dvd, but I can't say for certain if it's true Raqs Beledi.

Does that help any?

 

[Mya]

of course it does! i was just going by the descriptions of the dvd's online - since i have no personal experience with it and i'm not familiar with alot of these instructors or their dvds i need others' guidance so i don't waste my time and my money - the average dvd costs me over $200 so i can't afford to be buying blindly.
i guess i'll have to wait for that world dance new york dvd!