[sweetnsassyfied]

Hatteras i dont know if it was a twitch or a cringe n creak. but i Choose to acknowledge it as a twitch....... make that an excited twitch ~laughing~ the style or type of dance was more like " show-me-oh", jazzy, sensous, think Flashdance along those lines. sure wished i had kept it up, i wouldnt be in the shape that i am in if i had. sorry body o'mine..... ~blushes~ i repent!! might have to start stretching and do the more aerobic type dance for cardio ~ nodnodnodnod~

Aphil that is one of the main reasons i think i would enjoy bellydancing...... the controlled, isolated, sensual movements. just reading your words had me purring, yum........ i cant wait till september 20th to get here so i can begin. ~smiling brightly~ i'm yearning to get learning!

Mauvaisroux Thank Youuuuuuu!! pm-ing Pm-ing PM-ing........ not to be misconstrued with pms-ing. and since we are doing our best not to misconstrue..that is Mountie Moose, not Mounted Moose....... right?!? ~laughing~ okies on that note i better end this post here.........

Happy Dancing Ladies!

sinerely,
sassy

[aphil]

sweetnsassyfied-
Ooh Flashdance, huh? I have a background in jazz/modern and ballet dance from when I was a child/teen...I also have cheerleading background as well. When I started belly dancing it was like having to unlearn everything I ever learned about dancing...and relearning it a different way. You are definitely going to enjoy the ride though. Definitely!!! September 20, huh?

If any of you are interested in getting a hip scarf to use with your videos, or before your classes start-check out Ebay or:

www.dahlal.com
www.aliahscloset.com

Dahlal has some new ones in the Egyptian scarves that are longer for plus sized women-you have to click on the scarves and read the descriptions-I know a few say that. I have seen a few on Ebay that are longer for plus sizes as well. Scarves can vary from $20 with just a few coins or beads to shake around-to $100+ for a scarf that is long or fancy covered from head to toe in jingly finery.

If any of you are interested in a 'performance" video-a video of belly dance performances for you to watch to "wet your appetite" while you are getting into a class...there are a few mainstream ones out there that you can find at Borders or Suncoast video, etc. Bellydance Divas, Bellydance Superstars-I have seen both of these on dvd.

If you sew and would like to make your own costume items...some great patterns are from BD Patterns-they are much better than the Halloween Costume patterns in the fabrc stores. At the Dahlal site I mentioned above-they also have a "Dancer Designs" section that shows you how to make costume items out of veils/hip scarves/etc. from their site.

If anyone lives near a Renaissance Festival-contact them and see if they have any belly dancers performing. I know the Ohio and Georgia faires do...most do-you just need to find out when. It would be a good experience to see some live belly dancing if you are new to it.

Has anyone seen or tried the Jillina videos out now? They are out as mainstream videos-I saw them at Best Buy and at Amazon.com. I have not tried them yet-so I don't know if they are any good or not. If you have or do-let us know how they are-what all she teaches in them, etc. We'd all love to hear about them if you have experience with them! I know there are a few volumes...1-3 I THINK. There are also some new mainstream videos called Instant Belly Dancer-they are supposed to teach a few belly dance moves to use with your regular club/party dancing. I don't know if they are any good either...so if anyone tries these-please gossip!

I also have the Goddess Workout with finger cymbals...as a review I give it a C. ha ha It does teach you how to play finger cymbals in a basic way-and she explains it well...but it is a really short video...and the dance choreography that goes with it isn't very good. It works though if you are only wanting to practice the finger cymbals part-but the dancing part is sorta Too short to be an effective workout and not really all that great.
She has an interesting method for helping you remember the cymbal rhythms though...instead of telling you the musical terminology she says a silly phrase that matches it...but, hey-it works.

Hope you all are having a great day!

ps-guys-I saw pics of Mauvais from one of her dance performances and she is GORGEOUS!!!!!

[mauvaisroux]

Aphil - you are making me blush

Thanks for the heads up on the Goddess zill workout tape. I have her two dance ones and the veil one too. I use the veil one to practice at home when I am not taking classes. I am currently off until September but trying to do tapes at home to stay in shape.

[HatterasMermaid]

Hey ya'll! Just checking in! I've been sidetracked lately! Redoing a room in the house and trying to get a new teaching job! (Which I found out that I GOT this morning! Giggle, giggle!) I'm not giving up on the belly dancing... I've just been SOOO distracted by my "dancing" with my paintbrushes and going for interviews, etc!!! forgive me!

Flashdance! Whooohoooo! Go, Sassy! "What a feeling!" Leg warmers and all?! I will spare you all my "Flashdance, 1983Dreams"! BUT...just know...the mere mention of this brings back thoughts that make me grin! If you were dancing like THAT...what on earth caused you to sit down?!

When I do my N&V tape, I tend to start out with all my clothes where they are supposed to be... ie, shorts or yoga pants and my sports bra. By the end of the tape I find myself pulling the waist of the pants down on my hips some so I can see or feel or WHATEVER my hip movement. (Remember...I'm at home alone! LOL) I can certainly see the advantage of having some sort of scarf tied there ...that way I can see the hip movement with no fear of dropping trou! Perhaps as I get my priorities straight and GET this dancing thing going on a regular basis... I will have to find something of this sort! I LOVE how feminine and exotic these scarves and outfits look!

Nelie! GOOD for you! So glad to hear that you tried it! Gonna go back?!

Enough babble from me!
take care!

[aphil]

Hatteras-
congrats on getting the new job! Good for you!

Mauvais-yes, I have had the Dolphina zills vid for a while. zil teachings-B+....dancing along with it-D. Averaged out to a C.

Here is another video that is really good for beginning instruction if anyone is interested:

"Absolute Beginning Belly Dance with Delilah"

This is like the Ruby videos I mentioned earlier-not a mainstream video like V&N...but a professional dance video geared toward a beginner. This would be a great practice tape for someone taking a beginning class to do at home. I don't know the website right off hand-but I am sure if you punched the title in your search engine it will come up.

Some videos that I think are awful and a waste of money:

Belly Dancing for Fun and Fitness with Janine Rabbit

Sharqui The BellyDance Workout

Don't waste your hard earned cash. These videos want to be good...but they display way too much improper form and technique.

I have been feeling really inspired lately. We have a couple shows coming up in September. Me and a couple gals along with our troupe director are dancing in the Best Of The Midwest show...and our director will be doing the choreography...but we also have a performance in September at the local arts faire...and it is a half hour-45 minute set. I will be in the groupe dances...but most likely I will have a solo as well. I have been getting inspiration as far as what to choreograph for that. I am debating on basket balancing or double sword. Not sure yet...but I have some music narrowed down to 2-4 songs. I am also going to the Ohio Renaissance Festival this fall and am getting my wench belly dancer costume together so I can improv with the dancers there.

I have my class on Sunday...we are still working on drills and zills. It is our last class of the current session...I am not sure what we will work on next session. Our instructor does her intermediate and advanced classes in 8-10 week sessions...and when each one starts...we focus on a different aspect of dancing. Whatever she wants to focus on. Last session was improvisation-dancing to live music without choreography-figuring out on your own how to string your own moves together depending on the rhythm of the music-that sort of thing. The time before was chiftetelli rhythm...veil before that. I am curious as to what is next.

Happy dancing everyone!

[suzie76]

Hi-can I join in?

My name is Sherry. I've been using bellydance videos/dvds at home since last year. In addition to Neena/Vreena, I also enjoy the Rania Bellydance for Weight Loss four dvd set, her Sensual Art of Bellydance (I may be messing up the title), Bellydance Jam (excellent instruction) , Jillina's instructional dvds and The Ultimate Bellydance Workout from Temple of jehan (New York bellydance company). You can see clips of some of Rania's on Collagevideo.com

There are reviews of most of these videos on amazon, but the prices at Deep Discount DVD are much cheaper, and they have free shipping.

Sherry-

Jiffypop-I'll be back on our board really soon-I started back to school and I've been really busy-missed you !

[aphil]

Hi!
I am not familiar with any of Rania's bellydance workouts other than the titles...although I DO have her 10 minute quickies dvd. It isn't a bellydance workout though...more of a workout for bellydancers. *that made sense didn't it? * More like a body conditioning/strengthening workout to help a dancer. There...that sounded better. I do like that dvd though.

I am familiar with Rania as a dancer though. She performs cabaret style-and dances with a variety of props-cane, wings, sword, veil.

Yesterday was the last class in my current session. The next session f intermediate and advanced classes for me start in the beginning of September. I have a ton of rehearsals and private lessons the entire month of August however...we have to get prepared for September performances. The troupe dancers stayed after class was out yesterday-and we discussed the basic idea of what we are doing for the Best Of the Midwest show. We are doing a group sword balancing act...and it is a political type of song...so we are dressing more solemn rather than flashy. All in black choli tops, black harem pants, black coined scarves...and I am making see through chiffon (veil material) ghawazee folkloric styled tunics to go over them. Think...a big loose see through sleevless tank top that goes to mid calf length...in a muted color like metallic gray or antique gold...over top of the top and pants...then the hip scarf will be worn on top. Our bellies will show through the tunic material since the fabric is sheer.

Sherry-I have seen the Bellydance Jam vids at Amazon.com but have never actually "seen/viewed" them. Can you tell me about them? How long they are? What moves/isolations they teach? How are the instructors/backgrounds/music selection? Give us the goods.

Aphil

[nelie]

On saturday, I received my Belly dancing video by Neena and Veena, the Basic moves one. I did it last night and I half expected that it wouldn't be a workout but just an overview of the moves but I did feel like I was working out some at least. I also had to put down my arms a couple times because they got tired of being up all the time. I did like it though and it really did help going to the class because I was more aware of isolating different parts/movements. I wish I had a mirror in my living room though when I was doing it so that I could see myself.

[aphil]

The isolations you will find over time-may not look that strenuous-but they are.Snake arms really work the triceps and the shoulders...and the ribcage work really works the middle back and the sides of the waistline!

[suzie76]

Hi,

Here is a link to the Bellydance Jam website. There are clips and descriptions of the dvd:

http://www.bellyqueen.com/index.html


Also, Natural Journeys (who release the Neena/Vreena dvds) are coming out with new workouts in the next few months. Check their website at NaturalJourneys.com under "Coming Soon"

Hope that helps!
Sherry

[mauvaisroux]

Those tapes sound interesting - thanks for sharing!

Aphil - your outfits sound cool!

[fedmae]

I just signed up for a belly dancing class after seeing a performance at a festival. It starts in September. I ll keep you posted on how it goes.




Fedmae

[mauvaisroux]

I am sure you will have fun I was hooked after one session and here I am almost 4 years later still doing it!

[aphil]

Hi!

I just found out that the piece we are dancing at the Best Of The Midwest is called "Kirya." I got together part of the troupe costume stuff last night.

I am also making a costume for my instructor that also needs to be finished before that date. (I am a professional costume maker by trade and the costume maker for our troupe as well) It is called an "assuit" costume. That means that the skirt, and bra top are made out of assuit fabric-which is a stiff sheer fabric (kindof net-like) that has little bits of thin silver metal actually woven into it-making designs. You can see some assuit fabric/costumes at:

www.liquidsilverdesigns.com

I would like to get a picture up here next month of it when it is finished.

The morning of the Midwest show-Dalia Carella is holding a workshop that I am attending that day. I have seen a few of her videos...and have heard some wonderful things about her dancing. She does a lot of fusion belly dance-such as gypsy style. I am excited to learn from her that day! I love workshops so much-my instructor is absolutely wonderful-but every dancer after a while develops their own style...their own preference in moves, music, etc. and it is nice a couple times a year to learn from someone who does things totally different than what you are normally exposed to for a change.

I found out I am vending at two workshops over the next two months. One the end of August, and the other in September sometime. I am going to attend the Ohio Renaissance Festivale in October and while we are there I am planning on watching the Naughty Navals at while I am there. (The belly dance group who originally got me inspired for all of this a few years ago!)

So-it looks like I am going to be a busy bee the next couple months!

How is everyone doing it at home liking their new videos? For those taking classes-how are you liking them? What are you learning?

As for me and what I usually practice with at home...I usually practice at home with the Veena and Neena Slim Down, or Atea's Magical Motion/Fast Moves/Slow Moves videos, Fat Chance Belly Dance Tribal Basics (American Tribal Style), Dolphina Goddess Workout with veils (for veils practice), and then I have other videos that I use now and then-for finger cymbals, sword, drum solos, and other basic videos.

Mauvais-if you are interested in a video for cane practice-I found one! It is called "Egyptian Belly Dancing For Intermediates" by Hillary Thacker. She teaches Egyptian flirty type moves-really loose and lots of hips-and teaches some basic cane practice at the end of it. It is sort of hard to find-but check around online if you are interested. Cane videos are hard to come by! I found mine by chance on Ebay.

Can't wait to hear about how everyone is liking their videos and classes!

Aphil

[nelie]

I went to my second class on Wednesday and it was pretty good. The teacher is pretty good about showing you simple moves and then more advanced moves if you are comfortable with the beginning moves. I am doing pretty good as long as things stay slow Once things start going faster, all **** breaks lose and my body is doing things I don't think it should. I haven't had a chance to do my dvds since the first time I tried them, but I'm hoping I'll get a chance this weekend.