Mayte Garcia
- Thread starter Meera
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Taslin
New member
I really really didnt like her on-demand instructional/work out stuff for belly dance. I dont know for me , something about her and or technique was off, wrong, like she had alot of experience belly dancing, but not alot of experience belly dancing well.
Its hard for me to say that. I LOVE Mayte, but her on demand stuff made me sad. I dont like her dancing. I would'nt go as far as to compare her to Dolphina, but , i dunno she kinda reminded me of an exotic more skilled version.
Someone else may disagree-i just thought she'd be so much better. i may be being harsh cuz its her and i idolized her for so long. Her and Apollonia, and Vanity too,lol.
Its hard for me to say that. I LOVE Mayte, but her on demand stuff made me sad. I dont like her dancing. I would'nt go as far as to compare her to Dolphina, but , i dunno she kinda reminded me of an exotic more skilled version.
Someone else may disagree-i just thought she'd be so much better. i may be being harsh cuz its her and i idolized her for so long. Her and Apollonia, and Vanity too,lol.
Yame
New member
I'd never heard of Mayte Garcia before this post, so I looked her up. Wow, I never knew Prince had a wife who was a belly dancer!
It looks to me like she does American Cabaret.
Here's a clip of her dancing at 8 years old:
The zills, sword balancing, floorwork, and coin trick are all part of AmCab.
Here's a more recent clip (2008, apparently):
Again, typical American Cabaret. The costume still looks very vintage... the technique as well. Looks like great dancing to me, although the clip is too short to really judge.
Now, I don't know how she dances nowadays or how she teaches. But based on those videos of her, I'd have to say she is the first "famous" (in the mainstream) person that I could actually consider a belly dancer. It looks like it isn't just a gimmick that she uses to sex up her act, but is a profession for her and has been for a long time.
What did you guys see that made you think her technique was bad?
It looks to me like she does American Cabaret.
Here's a clip of her dancing at 8 years old:
The zills, sword balancing, floorwork, and coin trick are all part of AmCab.
Here's a more recent clip (2008, apparently):
Again, typical American Cabaret. The costume still looks very vintage... the technique as well. Looks like great dancing to me, although the clip is too short to really judge.
Now, I don't know how she dances nowadays or how she teaches. But based on those videos of her, I'd have to say she is the first "famous" (in the mainstream) person that I could actually consider a belly dancer. It looks like it isn't just a gimmick that she uses to sex up her act, but is a profession for her and has been for a long time.
What did you guys see that made you think her technique was bad?
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Ariadne
Well-known member
Agreed. She's a second generation dancer in the US and learned from her mother, very Vintage style. The posture is different in Vintage American then in the modern styles and if you aren't familiar with it it can look off.
Very nice.
Here is the full set of videos Yame.
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Yame
New member
I liked that drum solo. So shimmylicious, you can see she has good musicality, good presence, a knack for live improvisation, and knows what she's doing. Plus, I love the black costume. The dancers in the reel before the drum solo starts aren't all her... there is one in a more amateur costume that doesn't dance as well. Maybe she's her student? Anyway all the clips I've seen of Mayte so far look pretty good.
I don't see bad technique and I don't see bad posture. I've seen some Vintage American dancers who use or used a deep knee bend and lean back slightly, but I've also seen plenty of Vintage American dancers who use a very slight knee bend (almost straight legs) and upright posture, and in these clips Mayte's posture looks much more like the latter than the former, so regarding the posture itself (not the dancing) I actually don't see the difference between hers and more modern belly dancers.
Now I'm really curious about what in her instructionals must have caused this response.
Ariadne
Well-known member
Agreed. I have noticed though that even the latter group tend to have a tighter pelvic tuck then modern dancers who seem to favor a more, gooey, posture. Sometimes it's so "gooey" I worry about their lower backs. :naghty:
That makes two of us.
Darshiva
Moderator
I wasn't very impressed with the promotional video for the instructional that was linked here a few posts above. I could see good movement and good posture in there, but what she was demonstrating was very much samey yet she was saying how new & innovative her style was. Honestly, unless I knew this teacher was quite highly above par for teaching skill, I'd avoid on that basis.
I haven't watched her performances, too busy catching up on my accounting (see facebook posts for a laugh!) but even so I would be reluctant to buy a teaching dvd from a dancer on the basis of how well s/he performs. I'd rather see a sample of teaching technique, and buy on the basis of teaching ability. After all, that is what I'm paying for!
I haven't watched her performances, too busy catching up on my accounting (see facebook posts for a laugh!) but even so I would be reluctant to buy a teaching dvd from a dancer on the basis of how well s/he performs. I'd rather see a sample of teaching technique, and buy on the basis of teaching ability. After all, that is what I'm paying for!
Sirène
New member
You can see clips of the instruction on the Exercise tv website:
ExerciseTV Store - Slim and Sexy Bellydance with Mayte - ExerciseTV Store
(just click on one of the video boxes to get the preview to load)
I haven't watched them yet, though I'd be surprised if she wasn't at least a decent instructor.
ExerciseTV Store - Slim and Sexy Bellydance with Mayte - ExerciseTV Store
(just click on one of the video boxes to get the preview to load)
I haven't watched them yet, though I'd be surprised if she wasn't at least a decent instructor.
Darshiva
Moderator
I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't a decent teacher. Most of the instructional DVDs I own (and that's well over 100 now and counting) have fabulous dancers who really don't know how to teach. That's fine for an experienced dancer who's used to following the bouncing butt in workshops, however I do prefer someone with decent skill in teaching when purchasing a DVD.
Good examples of excellent teachers who have instructionals out are: Ranya Renee, Keti Sharif, Jrisi Jusakos.
For a beginner instructional or style introductional, I would expect the instructor to be a much better teacher than dancer. This is the case (in my opinion) for the above dancers, exceptional performers though they all are, I find their skill in teaching to be far superior. This is also the exception rather than the rule.
Also, your link takes me to a pay per view, so I will continue to base my judgement on her teaching ability on her promo video. Please note that in my examples above, every one of those teachers was confident enough in their own teaching skill that their promo videos included examples of how they teach, and in every case, this is why I bought their dvds.
Good examples of excellent teachers who have instructionals out are: Ranya Renee, Keti Sharif, Jrisi Jusakos.
For a beginner instructional or style introductional, I would expect the instructor to be a much better teacher than dancer. This is the case (in my opinion) for the above dancers, exceptional performers though they all are, I find their skill in teaching to be far superior. This is also the exception rather than the rule.
Also, your link takes me to a pay per view, so I will continue to base my judgement on her teaching ability on her promo video. Please note that in my examples above, every one of those teachers was confident enough in their own teaching skill that their promo videos included examples of how they teach, and in every case, this is why I bought their dvds.
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Sirène
New member
Um, the link I posted goes to the Exercise TV site where you can download the videos if you want to, however, if you click on any of the three that are offered, you get about a two minute clip of the actual instruction, not the YT trailer. I did mention that in my post, and it says it right on the website: "Click a thumbnail to preview a video."
Sirène
New member
Sorry if I came across as snippy, it was getting late and car trouble didn't help.
I had a chance to watch the preview clips, and Mayte's instruction is clear, but because it's geared to be a 15-min workout I feel she goes into the movements too quickly with too little explanation. I've gotten very used to detailed breakdown from the ladies of WDNY and Cheeky Girls, and of course the teacher I now take class with.
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Taslin
New member
Yeah, she looks great in these videos...but these videos arent like anything i remember seeing on the exercise channel, and my hopes were too high.
Her intructional tapes non related to fit-tv type stuff do sound intriguing though. still dont like what i saw on on demand. Maybe im prejudice against BD fitness type moves,lol. No slow sexy dancing like in these vids.Looking back i was really disappointed-but she wasn't performing, it was exercise, and i was probably disappointed even though i knew what i was clicking on. Maybe when im not so lazy i'll search for what i saw.
The one vid posted does looke interesting- the elements one. That is what i would have loved to see, but if its fit tv/exercise tv thats not what you get i guess.
Mayte is no doubt a talented woman, ive idolized her since i was younger. My parents were fans of hers as well so ive always known she was a dancer of exotic heritage and i looked up to her as a role model since i danced at such a young age and am exotical myself, plus i loved prince :0)
Her intructional tapes non related to fit-tv type stuff do sound intriguing though. still dont like what i saw on on demand. Maybe im prejudice against BD fitness type moves,lol. No slow sexy dancing like in these vids.Looking back i was really disappointed-but she wasn't performing, it was exercise, and i was probably disappointed even though i knew what i was clicking on. Maybe when im not so lazy i'll search for what i saw.
The one vid posted does looke interesting- the elements one. That is what i would have loved to see, but if its fit tv/exercise tv thats not what you get i guess.
Mayte is no doubt a talented woman, ive idolized her since i was younger. My parents were fans of hers as well so ive always known she was a dancer of exotic heritage and i looked up to her as a role model since i danced at such a young age and am exotical myself, plus i loved prince :0)
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Ariadne
Well-known member
Nope, it isn't. What you do get is "Shimmy". There is no comparison between the "bites" and a good teaching DVD. The question is whether or not her "Master Elements of Bellydance" DVD is good but I can't find any reviews on it.
Belly Love
New member
Ohhh, Princes' ex-wife & Tommy Lee's ex-girlfriend... I knew she was a dancer/singer but I didn't know she was a pro belly dancer. Interesting. Yeah, she's part Egyptian (or so I read on Wiki).
She looks so intense & confident in the video of her when she was little! She looked so cute.
She looks so intense & confident in the video of her when she was little! She looked so cute.
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Sirène
New member
So you are saying you've been spoiled?
Spoiled rotten.
I like the Shimmy TV show - the cinematography is beautiful and I enjoy the dancers, but as far as instruction goes, it... well, it sucks for beginners. It's great if you already have a belly dance background and just want a workout, but if you're new a lot of important information is glossed over or omitted, and you can pick up bad habits trying to follow along.
By comparison, the WDNY and Cheeky Girls dvds are exceptional at breaking down movements and stressing the finer details.