DVD Reviews and Recommendations by Sheherazade
Oriental Dance or Belly Dance
Coming soon:
Tribal Belly Dance (along the lines of American Tribal Style, Blacksheep, or Tribal Fusion)
Dance and Fitness Support (Exercise, Yoga or Pilates).
Since some of my students have asked me to recommend DVDs for learning belly dance at home, I have written reviews for all the DVDs I own. We all have different learning styles, and one beautiful oriental dancer friend of mine says she cannot learn from DVDs, but only from live teachers. As for me, I love learning from DVDs because I can rewind and repeat segments over and over until I have learned them. I can put the player on slow speed in order to better follow a dancer’s moves. After learning the entire dance I am privileged to dance “alongside” an expert dancer! Learning from DVDs exposes me to different styles of different teachers; this helps me to expand my options on ways to perform a particular move. DVDs introduce me to different dancers and to new music I might like to use in my dancing.
If you know of other DVDs you would like to recommend, feel free to send me an e-mail about the DVD and I will consider putting the review here for others to read. I will, of course, put your name next to the recommendation!
REMEMEMBER!! When buying DVDs from overseas, check that the format is compatible with your DVD player. America uses NTSC format and Europe and Australia use PAL. Some UK DVD players can be set to play any format. If in doubt ask your local expert BEFORE you buy.
Oriental Dance or Belly Dance
Coming soon:
Tribal Belly Dance (along the lines of American Tribal Style, Blacksheep, or Tribal Fusion)
Dance and Fitness Support (Exercise, Yoga or Pilates).
Since some of my students have asked me to recommend DVDs for learning belly dance at home, I have written reviews for all the DVDs I own. We all have different learning styles, and one beautiful oriental dancer friend of mine says she cannot learn from DVDs, but only from live teachers. As for me, I love learning from DVDs because I can rewind and repeat segments over and over until I have learned them. I can put the player on slow speed in order to better follow a dancer’s moves. After learning the entire dance I am privileged to dance “alongside” an expert dancer! Learning from DVDs exposes me to different styles of different teachers; this helps me to expand my options on ways to perform a particular move. DVDs introduce me to different dancers and to new music I might like to use in my dancing.
If you know of other DVDs you would like to recommend, feel free to send me an e-mail about the DVD and I will consider putting the review here for others to read. I will, of course, put your name next to the recommendation!
REMEMEMBER!! When buying DVDs from overseas, check that the format is compatible with your DVD player. America uses NTSC format and Europe and Australia use PAL. Some UK DVD players can be set to play any format. If in doubt ask your local expert BEFORE you buy.
Luscious: The Belly Dance Workout for Beginners
*****
I highly recommend this DVD for beginning belly dance students because these three dancers (Neon, Blanca, and Sarah Skinner)take it in turn to teach hip and chest circles, figures of 8 with the hips and chest, undulations (and camels), hip slides, drops and lifts, shimmies, swerves and an upper spine arch, both as separate techniques and in combinations. They are careful to explain which muscles to tighten and strengthen in order to perform techniques properly. Each technique instruction is followed by a short combination of graceful moves performed to gentle, alluring Egyptian music. They also teach the 4-step turn and arabesque. A dancer following these three can make rapid progress in learning technique while at the same time developing her posture and muscle control. Most of all, she will really enjoying herself and grow in confidence. The pace of the music ranges from slow to fast. The combinations presented here could easily be put together to form the basis of a dance routine. I liked the music so much that I found the sources on the credits and bought some of the music. The costumes the three wear to teach in are elaborate and inspiring. The foreign accents of two of the dancers add a touch of intrigue and capture my interest in their nationalities.
One of my dance students has also purchased this DVD and finds it very helpful for home practice and for developing her skills at home.
*****
I highly recommend this DVD for beginning belly dance students because these three dancers (Neon, Blanca, and Sarah Skinner)take it in turn to teach hip and chest circles, figures of 8 with the hips and chest, undulations (and camels), hip slides, drops and lifts, shimmies, swerves and an upper spine arch, both as separate techniques and in combinations. They are careful to explain which muscles to tighten and strengthen in order to perform techniques properly. Each technique instruction is followed by a short combination of graceful moves performed to gentle, alluring Egyptian music. They also teach the 4-step turn and arabesque. A dancer following these three can make rapid progress in learning technique while at the same time developing her posture and muscle control. Most of all, she will really enjoying herself and grow in confidence. The pace of the music ranges from slow to fast. The combinations presented here could easily be put together to form the basis of a dance routine. I liked the music so much that I found the sources on the credits and bought some of the music. The costumes the three wear to teach in are elaborate and inspiring. The foreign accents of two of the dancers add a touch of intrigue and capture my interest in their nationalities.
One of my dance students has also purchased this DVD and finds it very helpful for home practice and for developing her skills at home.
Discover Bellydance (3 disc set) [US Import - NTSC format]
(Check that your DVD player can play NTSC DVDs before you buy this set.)
*****
Beyond Basic Dance and Mystic Dance can be purchased separately, but to buy all three together saves money!
I bought this set of three belly dance DVDs about five years ago, in 2006, and found them to be fun and very helpful to me as a beginning belly dance student. All three DVDs include safe warm up moves before technique lessons.
"Basic Dance," the first of the three DVDs, begins with a short performance of a beginning level belly dance. The twins then take the dancer through basic belly dance techniques, then step by step, wrist and arm movements, hip drops, shimmies, undulations, shoulder moves, and half turns. They then teach in the sequence which later becomes the dance, so that the learner at home is able to perform the dance with Neena and Veena. They perform the dance the first time with a voice over of instructions, and the second time, with music alone. I remember really enjoying getting to grips with technique in this way and was thrilled to do the short dance at the end of the session.
The second two DVDs follow the same structure, with a short dance performed first, followed by a break-down of step-by-step instructions, and finally, a chance for the learner at home to follow the twins through a short performance with voice-over instructions, and then without them. The second DVD, ""Beyond Basic Dance," teaches rib circles, hip drop-kicks, shimmies, traveling steps, turns, graceful arms and shoulder moves which culminate in a beautifully choreographed dance.
The third DVD, "Mystic Dance" teaches veil techniques, upward and downward eights, head slides, and shoulder and arm moves. Although I've been dancing now for six years, I still occasionally like to put on one of these DVDs to dance along with Neena and Veena and be reminded of a few moves I may have forgotten over time! I highly recommend all three of these DVDs to beginners. They can be purchased separately but the first one does not seem to be available separately now, although the twins have produced a new beginners DVD.
(Check that your DVD player can play NTSC DVDs before you buy this set.)
*****
Beyond Basic Dance and Mystic Dance can be purchased separately, but to buy all three together saves money!
I bought this set of three belly dance DVDs about five years ago, in 2006, and found them to be fun and very helpful to me as a beginning belly dance student. All three DVDs include safe warm up moves before technique lessons.
"Basic Dance," the first of the three DVDs, begins with a short performance of a beginning level belly dance. The twins then take the dancer through basic belly dance techniques, then step by step, wrist and arm movements, hip drops, shimmies, undulations, shoulder moves, and half turns. They then teach in the sequence which later becomes the dance, so that the learner at home is able to perform the dance with Neena and Veena. They perform the dance the first time with a voice over of instructions, and the second time, with music alone. I remember really enjoying getting to grips with technique in this way and was thrilled to do the short dance at the end of the session.
The second two DVDs follow the same structure, with a short dance performed first, followed by a break-down of step-by-step instructions, and finally, a chance for the learner at home to follow the twins through a short performance with voice-over instructions, and then without them. The second DVD, ""Beyond Basic Dance," teaches rib circles, hip drop-kicks, shimmies, traveling steps, turns, graceful arms and shoulder moves which culminate in a beautifully choreographed dance.
The third DVD, "Mystic Dance" teaches veil techniques, upward and downward eights, head slides, and shoulder and arm moves. Although I've been dancing now for six years, I still occasionally like to put on one of these DVDs to dance along with Neena and Veena and be reminded of a few moves I may have forgotten over time! I highly recommend all three of these DVDs to beginners. They can be purchased separately but the first one does not seem to be available separately now, although the twins have produced a new beginners DVD.
Instructional Bellydance with Jillina - Levels 1 , 2 & 3 (3 DISC SET) Australian Import , Region Free DVD
*****
This is a classic set of instructional DVDs for belly dance. Jillina dances with the Bellydance Superstars and is not only a highly skilled and beautiful dancer, but also, an excellent teacher. In each of these DVDs she begins with a professional presentation of the dance you will be learning. She then leads the learner through some warm up moves, encouraging us to do more on our own as well, then breaks down each technique explaining what we need to do with our skeleton and our muscles. She then presents these moves in a series of combinations which culminate in the final dance. I love the way she takes us through the moves repeatedly, drilling them to help us get the move into our “muscle memory”. I also love the way she teaches the choreography systematically, using combination one first, then adding combination two and taking us through the entire routine from the start through combination two, then moving on to the next combo, until we come to the end and do the entire dance with her.
In all of Jillina's instructional DVDs that I have used, she breaks the techniques down well, and leads us through practising them before putting them into attractive combinations. She also drills the combinations by dancing through them with us several times. She follows a clear format, always giving us warm ups, technique, combinations, choreography, cool down, and a live performance. Each segment of the instruction is readily accessible via the menu.
*****
This is a classic set of instructional DVDs for belly dance. Jillina dances with the Bellydance Superstars and is not only a highly skilled and beautiful dancer, but also, an excellent teacher. In each of these DVDs she begins with a professional presentation of the dance you will be learning. She then leads the learner through some warm up moves, encouraging us to do more on our own as well, then breaks down each technique explaining what we need to do with our skeleton and our muscles. She then presents these moves in a series of combinations which culminate in the final dance. I love the way she takes us through the moves repeatedly, drilling them to help us get the move into our “muscle memory”. I also love the way she teaches the choreography systematically, using combination one first, then adding combination two and taking us through the entire routine from the start through combination two, then moving on to the next combo, until we come to the end and do the entire dance with her.
In all of Jillina's instructional DVDs that I have used, she breaks the techniques down well, and leads us through practising them before putting them into attractive combinations. She also drills the combinations by dancing through them with us several times. She follows a clear format, always giving us warm ups, technique, combinations, choreography, cool down, and a live performance. Each segment of the instruction is readily accessible via the menu.
Drum Solo Choreograhy with Jillina
*****
To be able to hit, pop, lock and shimmy just at the right time, with the music, and to know how to vary the different moves one makes, can be daunting for the learner. With this lesson by Jillina, you can practise each technique again and again until you get it, before you move on to the next combination. These lessons include how to do the Egyptian shimmy, hip accents, omi with a twist, hagala, African shimmy, vertical 8’s and stomach flutters. Although we had learned about pausing, popping and locking from my local teacher, and had been challenged in class to have a go at drum solo techniques, it helped me tremendously to be taught a specific drum solo choreography in order to learn how to transition from one move to another and how to move off the spot when doing pops, locks, and shimmies.
*****
To be able to hit, pop, lock and shimmy just at the right time, with the music, and to know how to vary the different moves one makes, can be daunting for the learner. With this lesson by Jillina, you can practise each technique again and again until you get it, before you move on to the next combination. These lessons include how to do the Egyptian shimmy, hip accents, omi with a twist, hagala, African shimmy, vertical 8’s and stomach flutters. Although we had learned about pausing, popping and locking from my local teacher, and had been challenged in class to have a go at drum solo techniques, it helped me tremendously to be taught a specific drum solo choreography in order to learn how to transition from one move to another and how to move off the spot when doing pops, locks, and shimmies.
Visual Melodies Egyptian Bellydance - Featuring Serena Ramzy
(2007) - DVD Starring Hossam Ramzy (drums) and Serena Ramzy
Serena teaches three different choreographed dances to three pieces of music performed by her husband, Hossam Ramzy and orchestra. These are classic pieces of Egyptian music and Serena exemplifies the title of the DVD, “Visual Melodies” by interpreting the music with her movements, be they percussive to the drum beats, serpentine-like to the slow and sensual sections, oriental and ballet-like to the swelling of the stringed instruments, and light and airy to the haunting sounds of the flute. The three titles Serena dances to are “Sanatein”, “We Maly Bass” and “Bey Olouly Touby.”
This is a DVD for intermediate dancers. Serena dances each dance beautifully but does not teach us the dances step by step. She dances each dance through in its entirety. The DVD includes a breakdown of written instructions but they are not printable and when I am working on a dance, I often like to have the written instructions on a piece of paper I can hold in my hand and write notes on. The written breakdown includes references to the type of drum rhythms being played and when I was learning these dances in 2006, I didn’t yet know the names of the rhythms, even though I had attended Hossam Ramzy’s informative workshop on Egyptian tabla rhythms, so I found this unhelpful for me at that time. Each dance can be viewed from a front view, a front left view, and a front right view. I saw little purpose in these three views but benefitted from watching them because I learned that Serena creatively varies hand movements each time she performs the dances, which helped me to be more creative and less prescriptive about where hands have to be. It is too bad her feet cannot be seen while she dances as the placement of the feet is important to us as we learn.
For those who like learning from DVDs and don’t need a step-by-step breakdown of sequences or verbal instructions, these are beautiful and graceful dances to learn. When I had been dancing a year and wanted to do solos but wasn’t yet confident enough to make up my own dances, I learned all three of these dances by Serena and performed them all at haflas. My teacher at the time, Jacky, wisely commented that I needed to move on and make up my own dances, and I now do so, but in the first few years, I felt I needed to learn dances from more experienced teachers. Serena’s dances are of an oriental style I admire and am glad to have learned them.
(2007) - DVD Starring Hossam Ramzy (drums) and Serena Ramzy
Serena teaches three different choreographed dances to three pieces of music performed by her husband, Hossam Ramzy and orchestra. These are classic pieces of Egyptian music and Serena exemplifies the title of the DVD, “Visual Melodies” by interpreting the music with her movements, be they percussive to the drum beats, serpentine-like to the slow and sensual sections, oriental and ballet-like to the swelling of the stringed instruments, and light and airy to the haunting sounds of the flute. The three titles Serena dances to are “Sanatein”, “We Maly Bass” and “Bey Olouly Touby.”
This is a DVD for intermediate dancers. Serena dances each dance beautifully but does not teach us the dances step by step. She dances each dance through in its entirety. The DVD includes a breakdown of written instructions but they are not printable and when I am working on a dance, I often like to have the written instructions on a piece of paper I can hold in my hand and write notes on. The written breakdown includes references to the type of drum rhythms being played and when I was learning these dances in 2006, I didn’t yet know the names of the rhythms, even though I had attended Hossam Ramzy’s informative workshop on Egyptian tabla rhythms, so I found this unhelpful for me at that time. Each dance can be viewed from a front view, a front left view, and a front right view. I saw little purpose in these three views but benefitted from watching them because I learned that Serena creatively varies hand movements each time she performs the dances, which helped me to be more creative and less prescriptive about where hands have to be. It is too bad her feet cannot be seen while she dances as the placement of the feet is important to us as we learn.
For those who like learning from DVDs and don’t need a step-by-step breakdown of sequences or verbal instructions, these are beautiful and graceful dances to learn. When I had been dancing a year and wanted to do solos but wasn’t yet confident enough to make up my own dances, I learned all three of these dances by Serena and performed them all at haflas. My teacher at the time, Jacky, wisely commented that I needed to move on and make up my own dances, and I now do so, but in the first few years, I felt I needed to learn dances from more experienced teachers. Serena’s dances are of an oriental style I admire and am glad to have learned them.
Bedouin Tribal Dance - Serena Ramzy
With Hossam Ramzy on Drums
Although this is described as a tribal style dance DVD, the dances featured here fit in more with my Oriental Dance section than my Tribal Dance section because they are authentic Egyptian style dances, and are more akin to Egyptian dance than what many of us identify as “Tribal Style”. These dances are authentic Bedouin tribal dances and include men and women dancing alongside Serena Ramsey.
When the dances are taught, it is through performance of the moves learned, and she breaks down the techniques and combinations by talking to us as she demonstrates. The dances are fairly easy to learn as they are quite repetitive. When I first bought the DVD I was disappointed in that many of the five dances seem so much alike, being based primarily on the hagala (Egyptian walk). However, there are parts for men, which we can learn and teach to men (or women?) and other parts for the women to learn. The costumes are different from what most of us in Europe are used to seeing for Egyptian dance. I’ve copied one of the costumes now and performed one of the dances as a solo, including some of the men’s steps in my dance because they are very folk-like and it made a change from what I normally see at haflas. These dances make a change from the oriental style and drum solo style of Egyptian dance. They are authentic and a bit different, though not flashy. I like them for their difference and would love to get a group up to do some of these.
With Hossam Ramzy on Drums
Although this is described as a tribal style dance DVD, the dances featured here fit in more with my Oriental Dance section than my Tribal Dance section because they are authentic Egyptian style dances, and are more akin to Egyptian dance than what many of us identify as “Tribal Style”. These dances are authentic Bedouin tribal dances and include men and women dancing alongside Serena Ramsey.
When the dances are taught, it is through performance of the moves learned, and she breaks down the techniques and combinations by talking to us as she demonstrates. The dances are fairly easy to learn as they are quite repetitive. When I first bought the DVD I was disappointed in that many of the five dances seem so much alike, being based primarily on the hagala (Egyptian walk). However, there are parts for men, which we can learn and teach to men (or women?) and other parts for the women to learn. The costumes are different from what most of us in Europe are used to seeing for Egyptian dance. I’ve copied one of the costumes now and performed one of the dances as a solo, including some of the men’s steps in my dance because they are very folk-like and it made a change from what I normally see at haflas. These dances make a change from the oriental style and drum solo style of Egyptian dance. They are authentic and a bit different, though not flashy. I like them for their difference and would love to get a group up to do some of these.
Egyptian Belly Dancing For Intermediates - with Hilary Thacker
Whereas most oriental dance DVDs are recorded in a studio, Hilary records this in her basement with costumes hanging along the wall behind her. She gives instructions by voicing over the video of her demonstrating how to carry out the moves. I like the “home spun” ambiance of this DVD because when dancing along with Hilary, I feel she has invited me round to her place for some personal help with oriental dance because of the setting and because of her soft-spoken way of explaining the moves.
In this DVD, Hilary demonstrates and teaches earthy and wobbly urban balladi moves. She does not begin with warm ups but tells us to begin with warm ups before we start. She breaks down the moves into hip, shoulder and arm movements, both on the spot at different levels and moving round in a circle. She explains well as she demonstrates. Hilary also lets us learn some techniques along with her class, which again feels welcoming.
Technique includes hip hits, hip drops, wobbly shimmies, hip drops with foot lift, hip lifts, Egyptian walk and adding steps including forward and back (Turkish). Saidi stick basics: spinning the stick, different placements of the stick, Egyptian walk, slow camel, shoulder hits, shoulder circles, spinning and putting all the moves together into a stick dance. Hilary does not take us through the dance teaching sequence after sequence, but dances for us, demonstrating many different ways to move with and hold the stick, and explaining with her voice over what she is doing.
I feel very comfortable with Hillary’s teaching style. This is a DVD for intermediate learners so break downs of moves are not given as they are not needed for intermediate dancers. This is a great DVD for picking up variations on moves or ways of dancing with a stick for those of us who can’t remember everything we’ve learned in workshops about dancing with a stick. I find this DVD very helpful but do not recommend it for beginners.
Hilary also has instructional DVDs for beginners and avanced dancers but I can't review them as I haven't seen them yet.
Whereas most oriental dance DVDs are recorded in a studio, Hilary records this in her basement with costumes hanging along the wall behind her. She gives instructions by voicing over the video of her demonstrating how to carry out the moves. I like the “home spun” ambiance of this DVD because when dancing along with Hilary, I feel she has invited me round to her place for some personal help with oriental dance because of the setting and because of her soft-spoken way of explaining the moves.
In this DVD, Hilary demonstrates and teaches earthy and wobbly urban balladi moves. She does not begin with warm ups but tells us to begin with warm ups before we start. She breaks down the moves into hip, shoulder and arm movements, both on the spot at different levels and moving round in a circle. She explains well as she demonstrates. Hilary also lets us learn some techniques along with her class, which again feels welcoming.
Technique includes hip hits, hip drops, wobbly shimmies, hip drops with foot lift, hip lifts, Egyptian walk and adding steps including forward and back (Turkish). Saidi stick basics: spinning the stick, different placements of the stick, Egyptian walk, slow camel, shoulder hits, shoulder circles, spinning and putting all the moves together into a stick dance. Hilary does not take us through the dance teaching sequence after sequence, but dances for us, demonstrating many different ways to move with and hold the stick, and explaining with her voice over what she is doing.
I feel very comfortable with Hillary’s teaching style. This is a DVD for intermediate learners so break downs of moves are not given as they are not needed for intermediate dancers. This is a great DVD for picking up variations on moves or ways of dancing with a stick for those of us who can’t remember everything we’ve learned in workshops about dancing with a stick. I find this DVD very helpful but do not recommend it for beginners.
Hilary also has instructional DVDs for beginners and avanced dancers but I can't review them as I haven't seen them yet.
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