I'm looking for a good belly dance video. I'd like to find either a dance-along video (is there such a thing?) or a workout that uses dance moves and music. Something intermediate, neither super-simple nor overly complicated. I studied belly dance for four years, so I don't need a how-to tape. I just want something that'll let a fat middle-aged lady have fun dressing up and dancing in the privacy of her own home.
Is there a good DVD other than the Neena and Veena series? They're great performers, but as instructors, they come across kind of cold and distant. And they don't vary the movement often enough in their aerobics tapes, so I never feel like I'm dancing.
Any suggestions? (I'm also open to good Latin/salsa workouts, if anyone knows of any.)
Thanks for the suggestion, Betani. I've actually thought about getting Crunch Cardio Salsa, but so far I haven't found anyone who could answer a couple of questions for me. Would you be able to help me out?
I got a Crunch video a long time ago where they actually kept stopping the workout to explain each new step. It was really irritating to be interrupted over and over like that. Does this video also do that, or can you go straight through without continually stopping to listen to explanations?
And what is the music like? Is it really repetitive, or is there some variety? I have an Elise Foss salsa workout where it sounds like they're repeating the same two or three bars of music for the whole workout. The workout itself is good but the music is so monotonous it just drives me batty. Please tell me Crunch isn't like that!
I'd really appreciate any feedback you could give me.
I like any Dolphina (of the goddess workout) videos, she's a little spacy but she makes me laugh and you really learn to isolate the movements. I think there are usually learning options and then just doing the routine straight through options on most dance dvd's now.
I like Rania's videos. Not good for actually learning bellydance but they're good cardio videos using bellydance moves. She has a 4-pack of "Bellydance for Weight Loss" that you can find on ebay for around $25. There's one really hard video in it the other three are easy-moderate. The only thing I don't like is the voiceover instruction. However once you know the routine pretty good you can select the option to leave out the instruction, turn up the music, and enjoy it.
If you are really wanting to learn to belly dance correctly, then there are some videos that I would suggest for that-but if you are just wanting a "fun" dance workout that is faster paced and incorporates belly dance-ish moves-then there are others that I would recommend instead.
Some of the videos ARE slow paced-because it takes a while to actually learn the moves and execute them correctly. When I teach classes, I run the same moves into the ground, until they are perfected and feel natural to the students. Doing them until they are perfect and feel natural is the only way that one can do them more advanced-as in adding a veil, finger cymbals, a sword, or moving another part of the body in a different way at the same time you are doing the base move.
I have been dancing for years, and I still drill shoulders, snake arms, belly rolls, and other basic moves each week to keep up my form.
I recently got a DVD by Amira (Amira's Bellydance 101) I really like it, since i am a beginner, its pretty simple, but she has others. You can search for Amira's Bellydance on Amazon and they will come up with her series. Plus, on the extras, she has put a performance on there of her. I sat there, mesmerized watching her bellydance. lol
I agree with Stacy. I have the set of Rania's BD for Weight Loss and the voice over is hard to get used to. They're a pretty good workout. I'm involved in a local class now that I think is even better, but the videos are pretty good. I also like Body Booty Ballet. Some of the moves are belly dancie.
I don't really care for Amira vids. I bought one out of curiosity (have a huge collection) and I ended up trading it with someone else for another.
Rania is a great dancer, but I think her videos are meant more for "workouts" than actual dance instruction. She doesn't go through the movements enough, or through actual posture/alignment and proper execution of the movements enough for you to learn to do it correctly. They are really more for burning calories and getting your heart rate up rather than learning.
I'm new here but I found the Kathy Smith Bellydancing Video to be pretty good. It has a "Slow and Sensual" workout that's about 20 minutes(good for a warm up) and then a faster paced workout that's pretty good. Plus, it has a mini tutorail(sorry having a hard time spelling these days).
I have viewed Kathy Smith's video as well, and personally (as a trained belly dancer) found it not to my liking at all.
It would be fine for someone who just wants to have fun and burn calories, but I don't recommend it at all for someone who actually wants to learn real dance movements, or who takes classes and wants something to practice with.
The main reason being, is because Kathy cannot dance. Ansuya, who is a wonderful dancer, taught Kathy, and Kathy teaches the video with Ansuya in the background. IMO, Ansuya should have known better than to take on this sort of a project.
Kathy's video is meant as a workout, nonetheless, not a dance video. Kathy has a problem hearing rhythm apparently, and there are portions during the workout where she is off beat, and the real dancers in the background, rather than following Kathy-stay true to themselves and go ON beat with Kathy pretty much on her own. There are also portions where Kathy does movements incorrectly as well in many areas. This wouldn't be a problem if you were just exercising, but if you were to do this video and learn basic movements this way, and later take a real class-you would have to retrain yourself to learn the movements correctly all over again.
The thing, though, that really got me, was that Kathy in the fast portion of the workout sort of "forgot" that she was supposed to be belly dancing and not her regular step aerobics, and started whooping and hollaring like she does in her aerobics videos. The whooping and yelling "OOOOW!" and "YeaAAAHHH!" doesn't really work when you are in beads and sequins-only in athletic shoes and spandex. In that scene, you actually can see a startled look for a brief second on Ansuya's face.
Here are a few of my recommendations for those really wanting to learn the dance correctly are:
~Ruby Jazayre's beginner series (she has a great 3 in 1 dvd or you an get them on 3 vhs tapes) which include 3 segments-upper body, lower body, and posturing/centering.
~Absolute Beginning Bellydance with Delilah
~An Introduction To Bellydance with Kathryn Ferguson
~Magical Motion with Atea (this was produced in the 80's, so the hair/makeup/costuming/backgrounds are very "80's" but the instruction here is solid and explained well.)
~Fat Chance Belly Dance Volume 1-if you are interested in learning the more earthy Americal Tribal Style of belly dance.
I am fascinated with and would love to actually learn to belly dance..I believe that the movment alone might be a good supplement to a cardio or other exercise. Is this true?
Also, I carry all/most of my weight in the belly area-will this present a problem in trying to learn true belly dancing?
I am fascinated with and would love to actually learn to belly dance..I believe that the movment alone might be a good supplement to a cardio or other exercise. Is this true?
It is good exercise on its own, or accompanied by other exercise methods as well. Belly dancing can be both a cardio, or a strength building workout once you really get into it seriously-depending on what movements you are doing.
What you will find, though, if you are familiar and have done a lot of strength training-is that the toning/strengthening movements in belly dancing often hit hard to get areas that traditional strength training does not.
For instance, exercises with weights often hit the upper back muscles really well (as in doing rows) and some abdominal work and core work tend to really hit the lower back well-but the chest isolations used in belly dancing tend to hit the "inbetween" area the most of the middle back-right around where your bra should hits.
In these ways, it often "feels" a lot different than more traditional exercise and dance forms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drtrdrmom
Also, I carry all/most of my weight in the belly area-will this present a problem in trying to learn true belly dancing?
No. Belly dancing is actually one of the only dance forms where a certain size/shape is not required to learn it, or to be a professional. Belly dancing is made for women of all shapes and sizes. I have been in classes with other women who are, and taught classes where there are-women of all ages, shapes, and sizes.
In the performing company that I am with, there are pears, apples, and hourglass body types-and we all execute the dance just fine-even if our "fluff" is concentrated in different areas of our bodies.
Belly Dance DVD Suggestions?
In that scene, you actually can see a startled look for a brief second on Ansuya's face. 
