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Bellydance Superstars show review

kahlea — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:01:20 GMT

The show was in Phoenix on February 27 2008

Last year was my first BDSS show and it was wonderfully entertaining. Sadly, I felt this year's show fell flat.

The Orpheum Theater is a lovely, restored historic building in a cleaned up downtown Phoenix. Pulling into our parking spot, that was a refreshing change from the dirty downtown I recall, years ago.

Entering, the lobby was a frenzy of activity and the promotions table was swarming with shoppers. I laughed b/c it literally seemed as though these women hadnt ever seen a coined hip scarf!

We took our seats and began people watching, and of course, looking out for students and friends. There was such a wide variety of attendees from old hippies to ladies dolled up in all of their finery. I saw teachers, students and wanna-be students. There were some men in the audience too.

As the show began, the first thing I did not like was the backdrop screen of psychedelic images with an over-voicing of the history of Babylon with bellydance beginning then, blah blah. Really, I felt for a moment like I was in a science center about to get a slide show on bellydance. It was odd.

The show on the whole was its typical two sets with an intermission in between. The first set was flat and not as jaw-dropping as I would have liked. It seemed heavily cabaret-laden which is not to say I would have only liked to see more tribal fusion, but last year's show had such a wider variety of dance styles, it seemed. This year's show struck me as a replica of last year's show, without all of the interesting alternative dances. The second set picked up a bit, but not enough to blow me away.

Sonia is always a pleasure to watch, but the drum solo with Issam was just like last year's. The cab girls did this hip-hop fusion with cab and I felt it too look silly. The audience laughed, seemingly finding it cute. I did not. The tribal fusion girls did much of what they typically do; slow liquid movements, mixed with spins and pops, locks and ticks. I spent more time devouring their costumes with my eyes than I did watching their dances.
I finally got to see Sharon Kihara live. It was nice but Zoe still wins my heart. Her personality on stage looms so large you cant help but be grabbed in by her. I know, I know, if you see one more headslide-into-a-pop-and shoulder lock... She didnt do too many of those and those that she did were tame. There was a new tribal face I dont recognize and she seemed to do well but had her eyes on the other girls looking for cues and changes.
The double into quadruple veil was again, the smash success of this show. At one point I counted 39 spins and they morphed from spotting out, to looking down, to ceiling spotting to barrel spins. It was off the hook!

Last year Jillina won this tribal girls heart, as well as the heart of my man. He even asked if "Redhead was there doing her *insert a clumsy man demo here* bit."
"Yes dear but you didnt miss anything. It was the same as last year's."
From soloing on top of the doumbek to wiping the sweat from Issam's head to checking her watch and fanning herself, this was last years copy. Bummer.

Last year I was impressed with the ballerina although this year it was a bit spastic I felt. Her skirt in my opinion was a big distraction too. I like her more graceful, fluid cabaret meets ballet much better than this hyped up version.
The black woman did her chair routine again. It was impressive again but also, the same as last year's. On the flip side, this woman's dance is so crazy good. She amazed me and had exceptional stage face the entire show. Zoe also gave good face. Most of the others looked tired (in facial expressions, not body) and flat.
Has BDSS lost its sheen?

Last year seemed to have more variety with regard to costumes (types, not changes) as well as dance styles. This year the Polynesian was repeated, as were the chair dance, the dbl-quad veils (one cant really tire of that feat!), the drum solos, the ballet meets bellydance, the tribal fusion, but I will say the cane piece was different. Perhaps last year's appeal was that it held that new car smell for me since it was my first. My expectations may have been set too high this year, but it doesnt mean I wont return again next year.

At the very least, BDSS serves as great inspiration for ALL dancers-teachers and students alike. I was reminded of some of the fundamental classic moves I havent been teaching, gleaned some great tribal ideas for inspiration and heard one song that I must own. On the other hand, music-wise, the kitty cat meowing & horse neighing song? Odd and very out of place and that comes from a lover of tribal and fusion.

I hope that next year's tour will be a bit different. It may even behoove them to add in a special guest here and there so we can see some fresh faces, excited to be on tour. I wasnt largely disappointed but I also wasnt impressed. No, I cant possibly do it myself but for this touring act to become an even larger success, some fresh new work might help.

I hope you find my review (1st one of any BD show, ever) decent.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 28 replies

REQUEST: Mardi Love Workshop

JK — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:34:48 GMT

She's coming to The Netherlands, and although I've already signed up for one of her workshops, would really love to hear about your experiences!

Thanks a bunch!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies

REVIEW: Drills! Drills! Drills! DVD

mishakitty78 — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:18:26 GMT

Title: Drills! Drills! Drills!
Instructor: Michelle Joyce
Level: “All Levels” of dancers
Info: 115 minutes

You can practice your moves, your choreography, your improv and your performance skills, but what is the secret to flawless technique? How do you keep your locks and pops sharp and your eights and circles smooth and flowing throughout a long dance set? The “secret” isn’t such a surprise – it takes a lot of hard work and practice of course!

I’ve heard many students bemoan the lack of a good motivator at home to help them practice. They learn movements in class, but have trouble practicing on their own at home. Or, they’re tired of instructional videos that just teach movements and want to enhance and improve what they already know.

If you’re looking for that cosmic “kick in the rear” to jump start your dancing and help tune-up your technique, this is the video for you. Michelle presents a well-organized, logical progressive approach that will appeal to pros and novices alike. As with other videos, Michelle does not just promote the dance but infuses her material with a nod towards fitness, creating a work that will help to improve all aspects of a dancer’s form. Overall, this DVD is just fabulous. Michelle has put together a really well planned and executed offering for dancers of ALL abilities. This DVD is the “total package” of drills, providing sections to drill everything from core to isolations to layers and zils.

DVD sections include:
Strengthing Drills: Glutes, back, legs, thighs, lower abs and even the entire core are covered during this part of the DVD. Michelle begins with Suhalia-style glute squeezes and gives a detailed description of how, and how not, to execute the movement. A selection of drills for other parts of the body come next and trust me these exercises will definitely help you get into dancing shape! Here, too, are drills that will improve strength and control for specific movements including body rolls and undulations….

Isolation Drills: Now Michelle begins to focus on various dance movements. As with the strengthening drills she explains each movement clearly and concisely. Not only does Michelle demonstrate and breakdown the movements, but she also describes the muscles that drive each move. Frequently describing weight shifts and the anatomical changes involved with each movement, Michelle covers a total of 7 isolations before moving on to the actual isolation drill itself. This drill moves out of the standard “home” or basic position, incorporating a variety of foot patterns and arm positions while drilling the isolations broken down earlier. Movements are performed on both sides of the body and at a variety of speeds. In this way, the isolation drill has a bonus level of complexity as it also incorporates layering of body, arm, and feet position. Not only can you tighten up your isolations but you can also work on additional layers at the same time.

Finger Cymbal Drills: In the next section of the DVD, Michelle adds an additional layer to drilling by incorporating finger cymbals. First the three patterns that will be played are introduced along with explanations as to how each should be played. Michelle explains each in several different ways (according to dums and teks, counts, and hands) and there’s even a bar that appears across the screen that breaks down each pattern. There’s even a brief description about how to wear and play the cymbals, again making this valuable for both beginners and more experienced dancers. During the drill, Michelle plays each pattern and leads viewers through a series of arm movements.

Zig Zag Drill: This one was a new concept for me and one of the best on the entire DVD (and believe me, it was hard to pick a favorite!). Here Michelle describes a unique pattern that the body will take through the drill. This pattern is repeated through the hips (repeated on each side), pelvis, and chest. After first breaking down the drill and explaining how to do each aspect of it there is a section for dancers to follow along. Michelle then ups the anti by adding in zils along with the hip, pelvis, and chest patterns. This pattern is a wonderful way to increase range of motion in each area while working on locks and pops. I confess that here alone I spent several days just playing with the zig zag!

Feet and Hip Layering Drill: Another great section. Michelle breaks down the footwork (grapevine step) and then layers various movements onto the traveling step. Once again, she does a great job of explaining this section and also describes Suhalia’s method of denoting when the movement will occur in conjunction to the music. As someone who’s tried to briefly studied the Suhalia method (and admittedly got mired down in the nomenclature) it was very helpful to see the movement demonstrated as the step was counted. Next comes the follow along section where Michelle layers 7 movements onto the step. As with several of the other drill sections, there is a voiceover track while Michelle runs the follow-along drill. A nice touch here is all the good tips Michelle gives while demonstrating the drill. If you listen as you follow along and drill, you’ll pick up a number of nice points on technique and polish. Oh, and don’t worry if you’re a zil enthusiast – the ENTIRE drill of the layered traveling movements is repeated with added finger cymbals.

3/4 and Standing Shimmy Drills: Two different ways to perform the 3/4 shimmy are presented here: a hip-drop version and a hip up version. Michelle also demonstrates several different variations on the movement before going into the drills. Each of the two forms are drilled slowly first and then at a speedy rate. The drills aren’t simply done in place, however – Michelle moves you forward, backward, and even in circles. The next section really needs no breakdown or explanation at all, and is simply a follow along shimmy drill. Once again Michelle performs the drill, adding different arms with the shimmy and varying speeds, as a voiceover plays. Here too dancers will find a number of great tips as they practice with Michelle. As the drill progresses, the shimmies change and become increasingly harder in difficulty and speed.

Hip and Chest Layering Drill: Here Michelle combines hips with ribs. Breakdown first, and then a rather challenging drill. Each section of the body moves independently of the other and this will definitely provide a good challenge for most dancers. As the chest movement switches directions, the pacing of the different levels is varied, and other additional variations are presented this drill offers material for many challenging practice sessions. And, once you’re comfortable with the drill layers, you can always follow along to the zil section.

Choreography: The final part of the DVD is a choreography that combines all of the drills on the DVD. The inclusion of this on a drill DVD was brilliant – it provides dancers with a quick way to practice all of the various drills while also drilling their brain too! Not only can you drill your movements but you can actually practice learning material at the same time. Michelle’s so sneaky! The choreography is broken down into 4 manageable sections and is then presented in full for dancers to practice.

What Worked for Me:
• I loved the inclusion of strengthening exercises and the thought of using these as a drill. We so frequently drill “just the moves” and it was great to see the idea of strength drills included on a DVD. Some of these movements were intense (see below) but once you master them you will have a wonderfully strong body on which to base your dance.
• The progression of this DVD, from basic foundational material and drills to layers to zils and a full choreography, was well planned out. Each section was covered thoroughly and with a good attention to detail. Dancers of different levels will be able to adjust their practice plan accordingly rather than just having to tumble through a haphazard arrangement of drills as on some other DVDs.
• The application of various speeds and pacing for many of the drills was a nice touch. Frequently drills are demonstrated at only one speed and this variation was a nice way. I also loved the idea of switching the “leading” hip from side to side while working on each drill.
• The zig-zag drill was creative and offered me a new approach to drilling. For anyone who feels “stuck in a drilling rut” this new form alone would give you hours of challenging material.
• Michelle explains her drills according to the music, inspiring a musicality that many other drill systems lack. Frequently drills are simply demonstrated, but here Michelle talks about matching them to the downbeat and other aspects of the music helping dancers to drill not only the moves but musical interpretation too.

What Might Not Work for You:
• If you’re not a fan of the Suhaila style drills that are fairly intense exercises, you might not like the strength drill section of this DVD. Similarly, if you never play zils then the finger cymbal section might not be your cup of tea. The nice thing, however, is that there is still a ton of information that will benefit dancers of all levels.
• At times, it was a bit difficult to see Michelle’s feet. Personally this was not an issue for me once I understood which feet positions she was incorporating into her drills. But for some this might present a problem as the instructor’s feet positions are only shown in the mirror behind her. For some, only seeing the feet mirrored may be a bit difficult to follow.

One last note: I teach a regular, weekly drills class. I love drills, and try to think of all sorts of fun and unique ways to do various movements and dance concepts. I *really* enjoyed this DVD and was quite impressed with the approach to the isolation and zig zag drill sections in particular. If you’re looking for new material to drill, or even just new ways to execute your drills, I’d really recommend this DVD.

PS - This review is THIS LONG because there really is that much amazing material packed into this DVD!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 6 replies

DVD: Underbelly - A Year in the Life of Dancer Princess Farhana

Azadi — Tue, 27 May 2008 01:56:31 GMT

I love it!

This is a really good story about how a very interesting woman got hooked on belly dance, how it affected her life, & where it took her. It is a well put together documentary with tons of interviews. There are commentaries and/or bits with well known dancers, like Rachel Brice, Zoe Jakes, BSBD, John Compton & others l either know from my own BD travels (like Onca of Asheville NC) or from Tribe (Blume Bauer of Hip Lash). This was one of the aspects I found especially interesting. Also, I identified completely with Princess Farhana, even though our lives & backgrounds could not be more different if I was from another planet. BD completely changed my life, my focus, & my outlook - just like her.

Warning: There is a large section on burlesque at the end, which some dancers may find offensive, as many equate burlesque with stripping. I found it entertaining & informative. I have never thought that burlesque & stripping were the same thing, however. I also have no desire to do it myself. It is clear that there are some aspects of burlesque creeping into belly dance & visa versa.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

DVD: Luscious: The Bellydance Workout

Atisheh — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:13:33 GMT

(I've posted this on Amazon and on the CD/DVD reviews tribe.... just thought I'd make it available here too.)

Did we really need another bellydance-based workout? I wouldn't have thought so, but Neon, as usual, has gone and proven my expectations wrong.

"Luscious" is an exquisitely made program, with more good qualities than I can enumerate. The costumes and setting are gorgeous -- nothing like the typical brightly-lit aerobics studio -- and Neon advises you at the beginning to dress up for it and join the three dancers here in making the movement special. This is the kind of thing that sounds cheesy, but I did it, and it makes sense: how will you forget about bad body image or those extra pounds if you're wearing ugly workout wear? Dressing up makes you feel like you're dancing, not punishing yourself.

The instruction itself is taught in sections themed "Circles," "Infinity Loops," "Undulations," "Hip Accents," "Shimmy," and "Body Line." Each dancer leads two of the sections: she stands at the front and her voiceover describes the movements to be done. What I really like about this is that the sections weren't assigned randomly; instead, each section bears the particular dancer's imprint, and showcases her strengths. It's subtle, but you start to notice that Neon leads complicated, quick-changing combinations, Blanca shows her wonderful, large, and sensuous movements, and Sarah Skinner adds an upbeat Turkish feel to the shimmy section. This made the instructors seem much less like exchangeable dancing bodies, and much more like teachers with particular areas of expertise.

The movements are varied, and quite a few combinations are introduced and repeated from two to six times. This is not a "four of this and four of that" drill. In fact, I would suggest that complete beginners start with a different video. This would be great for advanced beginners like me, who are not expert enough for a complicated choreo with tons of layering, but get bored when everything comes in fours and is repeated ad infinitum.

All along, the dancers offer tips on putting emotion into the steps, on maintaining form, and on making movements deeper and stronger. While the dancing is rarely fast-paced, the slowness of the movements is often more challenging and grueling. The workout made me sweat (though it might not make everyone), but more importantly, it challenged me to maintain grace, form, and muscle control while learning the combinations. I couldn't believe it when the forty-five minutes were over -- it felt like fifteen!

If you have weak knees, you might want to be careful with some of the lunges and plies; on the other hand, there aren't a lot of them, and they're done slowly enough that you can be careful. I'll also repeat the warning that this might be a little hard for complete beginners who aren't already good at picking up choreography. However, the video does have a well-indexed instructional section which describes all the movements used in the workout. As a step up, there's a version of the workout with music alone, and no voice over.

In case my enthusiasm wasn't clear enough, I really think WDNY has a winner with this video. It's simple, but also simple enough to do regularly and to grow into. At the same time, even once you have learned the step combinations, adding graceful arm and handwork (to say nothing of being aware of facial expressions, head positions, and dancer's poise) poses an extra layer of difficulty. And finally, the movements are, quite simply, beautiful. You will be happy to be dancing.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

DVD Review: Secrets of the Stage II

Nepenthe_of_Boston — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:02:41 GMT

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Secrets of the Stage II. As I loved Secrets of the Stage I, I was very excited to see what this next installment would bring. The DVD is segmentd into 5 sections, Michelle's introduction, Dancing in Different Venues, Tips & Audience Participation, Professionalism, and Ask the Audience. As a dancer who works often in restaurant venues, this DVD contained even more valuable information for me than the first one. It should be required viewing for dancers who are beginning to dance in restaurants, nightclubs, and "bellygrams".

The first section was on Dancing in Different Venues. First, Michelle Joyce listed her pre-gig mental checklist, what a dancer should think about when preparing to dance in a new place, including the space available, the audience's makeup, and the function of the show (art vs. entertainment, or both!). We learn for example that Persians like fast music, Americans have short attention spans, and Arabs as expected are able to listen to longer pieces of music. Michelle points out that finger cymbals are key to engaging the audience's attention in a restaurant performance, but you must balance your volume with the volume of the restaurant. Balancing, of course, is always a hit. Restaurant dancing, according to Michelle Joyce, is all about having big movements and big personality. I couldn't agree more.

Sandra's voiceover came next, shown over her performance in a stunning costume. She compares restaurant/party dancing to stage performances. She says that because the audience is not right in front of you on stage, you need to look inside more. I just wish I knew exactly how to do that. Louchia's segment added some more practical advice on stagecraft - using the space available, with different dimensions. She notes that you can't have eye contact, but in your mind, you must be having eye contact. And she said something that my teacher has always said - for the first minute, the audience is only taking in your looks and your costume. Louchia, a beautiful girl herself, was very focused on the importance of your appearance. She said it was important to have choreography for the stage, which I do not think is necessary, but the point of this DVD series is to learn what other dancers think - not to take it as gospel. It is good to know that both Bahaia and Zaheea are improvisational dancers, and they appear no less prepared for the stage.

The longest section of the DVD covered audience participation and tips, and the commentary was voiced over a series of video clips from live performance experiences, from restaurants to private parties. I myself learned to dance in restaurants by watching closely other dancers in restaurants, so to me, this is the perfect way to get the information across. The first concept we hear, and one that is repeated often, is that the restaurant/party dancer is not just a dancer. She is a hostess and cruise director. She helps the audience to loosen up. Michelle's attitudes toawrds performing mirror mine, but I had to learn mine through live performances. I wish I had had this video two years ago! We learn from Maria that it's okay to let a dancing audience member outshine you. In fact, it's a compliment if your dancing inspires everyone to get up to dance with you. Many dancers mentioned going around to tables, greeting patrons, and even making jokes. And Michelle answered a question that I've been wondering about - yes, it's okay to dance on tables and there is a method to not falling off!

Tipping was another big discussion. Some dancers take body tips and some don't. Zaheea has a unique method of taking tips in a pot, and discussed why she felt it was more effective and comfortable for her, and for her audience. Michelle, Maria, Summer Sahar, and Sandra all appeared to accept body tips, but discussed how they manage tipping to ensure "good behavior". Michelle offered several different techniques to make tipping fun and interactive. Just as important, the fact that tipping is just an extra was highlighted. You should not be overly concerned with the quantity of tips. You should not stoop to pick up the money on the floor. And if someone looks like a shady character, you do not have to accept a tip from them.

A number of professional dancers were asked - what is it about a dancer, when she comes on the stage and performs, that tells you that she is a professional? Most said it as her confidence, the way she takes and leaves the stage, and whether she is able to project herself through the room. I should note that I have used female pronouns here, but there are male dancers and in fact, DaVid was one of the featured dancers on the DVD who gave his opinion on professionalism. Now, the night before I watched this DVD, I had been out at a restaurant watching 4 new performers during the "open mike" segment. I noted then that you could tell a professional dancer by her entrance/exit. This DVD confirmed that thought. Because the common theme was the entrances and exits, the DVD then showed a number of entrances and exits from Cheeky Girls Productions "By Dancers for Dancers" for analysis. Overall, the entrance and exit must be clean and strong!

The DVD ended with audience feedback. This section was less valuable than I expected, mostly because it is probably difficult for the audience to articulate what they are really responding to. One American audience member confirmed what we learned on the beginning of the DVD about short attention spans - she said that the music needed to be shorter! But there was one thread that linked them all - audience members respond to dancers who put their heart and soul into their dance, responding to the music and communicating the music to the audience.

Secrets of the Stage II DVD is available from the Cheeky Girls Productions website or Amazon.Com.
Cheeky Girls Productions: www.cheekygirlsproductions.com

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

Brief Review: Morocco and Tarik Sultan workshop

Nepenthe_of_Boston — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:59:15 GMT

I attended my first workshop with Morocco and her protege, Tarik Sultan. Morocco taught a drum solo choreography, a choreography to Boss Ba'ah by Shereen, and Tarik taught a sha'abi choreography to a Sa'ad El Soghayer song.

First, bring food and get ready to sweat. This was one of the most strenuous workshops I've attended, aside from Suhaila's. I didn't feel like I was working that hard, but after about 2 and a half hours I would start to lose steam and really needed a substantial energy boost to continue (one powerbar wasn't going to cut it).

Morocco teaches with a unique method, that can become a little repetitive and boring but you never forget the choreography. She teaches the section, repeats it three times. Then you go onto the next section, then repeat the whole thing up to that three times. And so on and so forth for 12 sections. So it's a lot of constant dancing, not a lot of standing around. She starts the workshop with a stretch and a warmup using techniques that will be used later in the choreography. On the first day of the 2 day series, she spent more time on her theory of dance, which can be quite different from other teachers. She has a lot of opinions - you may not agree with them all. And I'll say that even though she sounds quite opinionated as a teacher, as an audience member, she was a delight - enjoying the show, and not letting any differences of opinion affect her enjoyment of a dancer.

For me, her technique took some getting used to. I found myself "translating" it into my own style. It was hard to tell in her sandals at times whether she was on her toes or not. I am used to doing a lot on releve, and I translated the movements into the movement vocabulary I have been trained in. Overall, her choreography was very easy to follow and remember. it followed the music and made sense. My own personal opinion was that her arms and other small details were a bit sloppy when demonstrating the choreography, even though they were good in her show performance. The only problem with this is that the students copy everything the teacher does. She would make a point though of correcting people who were letting their hands flop about.

Tarik is a great teacher as well. He teaches the segments consecutively and then you practice the whole thing up to the latest section once or twice. He spends more time on technique in the middle of the choreography, rather than covering it upfront. Tarik would pick out smaller details of technique and work on them with people, but some people said he only did this for the front row. He spent a lot of time correcting arms & hands, and I agree with this. He also would talk about the nuances of each movement. I was familiar with his dance vocabulary as it is similar to one of my teachers, who also teaches a sha'abi influenced style. It was pretty easy for me to follow this workshop - the big difference was putting on the more 'tough guy/girl' attitude for this particular song, but the basic movement vocabulary was the same. You could see some evidence of Tito in his dancing, and indeed, there was a section of deep knee bends with hip articulations. He did say that people should only go as low as they are comfortable, and that in practice, doing something over & over, you shouldn't wear out your knees, but just do a slight level change to "mark" the choreography. Besides verbal teaching, he also used pointing during the dancing of the choreography - to show a student where to make a correction, he would point at his own hip. This worked great for the front row anyway. Tarik didn't use counts in his choreography, he just follows the phrase of the music. That made it easy for me -t hat's what I do as well. But for people who use counts, it was probably difficult to know how many of each thing to do.

Both Morocco and Tarik were very educated and knowledgeable, and I think everyone learned something from this workshop - choreography aside, they probably learned some Arabic, some cultural tidbits about the culture our dance comes from, different styles of music, etc. I like that both Tarik and Morocco explained the lyrics of the songs, emphasized the importance of following and feeling the music, and used movements that echoed the words of the song.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 2 replies

DVD: Desire: Fantasy Belly Dance

Leilani — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:41:13 GMT

Blanca is a wonderful teacher and performer. She takes belly dance instruction 1 step further than just teaching technique. She effectively demonstrates how to communicate passion and soul to the dance. I enjoy her fantasy dances. She tells a story & breaks it down in movements of the dance. This is my 3rd DVD with Blanca. I also purchase Sensual Belly dance and Gothic Bellydance: Revelations. Highly recommend them too!
Temple Priestess – Tribal Fusion with Darshan was mystical and magical. Her movements are so beautifully serpent and sensual. Darshan is so spiritual. She really broke down the meaning of the dance to her. She interprets each movement as it is meant spiritually in the dance choreography. This really helps it click.
I find this dvd to be very helpful with improving my choreography, technique and presentation. Highly recommend.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

REVIEW: Inversion:Rewind show in Toronto, ON

shanmonster — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:39:06 GMT

April 19, St.-Stephen-in-the-Fields Church, Toronto

I have to admit, when I first heard the concept for Inversion: Rewind show, I was dubious. I thought people would quickly sicken of hearing Beats Antique's "Trinkit" more than a half-dozen times in less than two hours. But then I saw the radically different interpretations, and I was won over. It was an incredible show, filled with stellar performances in a wide array of styles. No two interpretations were even slightly similar. Accents in the song which demanded I place special emphasis on them in my dance were completely ignored by other dancers who found their own key points. I danced with poi. One troupe danced with hats. Another dancer with an umbrella. Another with a puppet and a huge paper hoop skirt. One with a chair and spider-like hand movements. We were all different, and we somehow made the song different. After the show, I heard many people say they hadn't even realized we were using the same music until well into the second act.

And it wasn't just the dancers who were great, and who made this my all-time favourite belly dance gig.

* It was the venue. St.-Stephen-in-the-Fields church is a gorgeous space. Although I am a distinctly irreligious person, the stained glass, impressive pipe organ, and soaring arches provided a warm ambience and intimate venue.
* It was the acoustics. The vaulted ceilings and size of the room made the sound resonate in the warmest fashion.
* It was the costuming. Great care had been taken with what the dancers were wearing. Outfits were well-matched with performance pieces, and in the instance of Maryfer's crazy hoop skirt, integral to the dance.
* It was the audience. In performance, I personally find a form of symbiosis. If either the performer or audience doesn't do their job, the performance loses something. At Inversion: Rewind, both audience and performers did their job beautifully. Even when I was under the blinding spotlights, when I couldn't see the people filling the seats, I knew they were there. I could feel their spellbound attention directed at me, and I soaked it up greedily, pulling it into myself and directing it right back out at them in the form of my dance. And when I stood backstage and watched the other performances, I could see the same thing was happening with the other dancers. The audience was jubilant and exuberant with the joyous performances, and hushed and reverent with the more reflective dances.

And as for my own performance? This is my third time dancing at one of Audra's events, and the previous two times, I felt off. The first time, I was dancing on a badly sprained ankle. The second time, I just wasn't connecting with my music in a way that felt natural to me. This time around, I'm ok with what I did. "Trinkit" is admittedly not my favourite piece to dance to, and after almost two hundred listenings of the song (no exaggeration. My iTunes says I listened to it 178 times, and that's not including the times I listed to it on my iPod), I'll be perfectly fine with never hearing it again for a few years. It's not the most ideal song for me to spin poi to, but the glitchiness of the tune let me hit a few beats to maximum effect (gotta love that double kick change near the end).

In contrast, I only listened to my other song a couple dozen times at most, and it was far less challenging for me, even if the dance I did to it was far more complex. I chose "Orca" by Wintersleep at the eleventh hour, and beyond a bit of visualizing in my chair to the song, didn't practice to the piece at all. But I didn't need to. I've been thinking about this song for over a year. The song speaks to me, tells me to dance to it in a very particular fashion, and does so in no uncertain terms. And so I complied, filling the space around me with what I was feeling internally. The song switches between soft, plaintive singing to harsh crescendos, so I danced it in two corresponding styles. I kept the floorwork soft and slow for the quiet parts of the song, and added a violent sort of martial arts and zaar fusion to the aggressive bits. I rationed out my eye contact with the audience for maximum effect. I floated off the floor, hovering just off the stage with the power of my thighs. I raked my hair across my face. I kicked. I clenched fists. I buried my face in my hands. And when the applause struck me, I was grateful.

It is for moments like these that I dance.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

REQUEST: Khafif Workshop

Kaytee — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:13:49 GMT

Hello All,
I have never taken a workshop with Khafif, but may have an opportunity to host them in our little neck of the woods. I appreciate all experiences you care to share.

Thanks!
~Kaytee

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

BOOK: "Foundations: Bellydance for the Versatile Dancer, Volume I" by Zanbaka

dragonfly24 — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:26:45 GMT

"Foundations: Bellydance for the Versatile Dancer, Volume I"
by Zanbaka

Trade Paperback: 195 pages
Publisher: ZD Publications; 1st edition (2007)
ASIN: B0010BF9LS
Price: $45.00 + S&H

Originally intended as a handbook for her students, Zanbaka's first volume of "Bellydance for the Versatile Dancer" closes the gap between various styles of bellydance. Volume I: Foundations provides a thorough overview of technique and dance theory, with emphasis on developing the "Dancing Mind". It creates a strong spring board, preparing students for a well-rounded journey throughout the world of bellydance. Includes over 170 black & white photos/illustrations, insights and tips for technique, and ten practice sessions.

Content addresses: ~ Injury Prevention ~ Safe Movement Practices ~ Concept Groups for Isolation Technique ~ Learning Styles ~ Imagery and Visualizations ~ Mapping out the Bellydance Body ~ Neutral Posture Alignment ~ Core Originated Isolations ~ Rhythms and Finger Cymbals

Andrea Wagnon's Review:

Where to begin... This book boggles the mind, and in a very good way! Not intended for any particular style of bellydance, any instructor and/or student can benefit greatly from this wonderfully structured presentation. Zanbaka starts out by introducing the concept of the book, and the series (which will have 7 volumes). She is a proponent of using all learning styles to convey information. The book is meant to be the mental, rational companion of a very physical activity. Zanbaka is a firm believer in first learning high quality technique and isolations before adding stylistic elements, which is why this book is a must for anyone wishing to have a bellydance workbook.

Zanbaka includes a 'how to use this book' section, a brief history and styles, an introduction to learning styles (she defines ten styles), naming conventions of moves and a way to accurately refer to each move. She maps out the bellydance body, showing the regions and individual muscles that come into play during bellydance. Next, she moves on to injury prevention and a unique perspective on stretching and warming up. Posture and balance are addressed, with a simple technique to assure your pelvis is in neutral position. Next, three standard bellydance rhythms are broken down and a basic counting lesson is given. A practice structure follows, showing the advantages of each practice section.

Zanbaka then explains how to verbally orient yourself in the physical world. This is extremely helpful and eliminates the need for phrases like: 'your right' or 'stage right'. Foot positions, basic levels and foot patterns are defined and discussed next. We move on to the two warm up phases. The first phase is a 'get your body going' kind of warm up and the second one includes light stretching and toning. Several basic turns are discussed next.

Zanbaka moves on to isolations, which includes positioning, degrees, contradictory movement, shimmy, shape making, percussive/smooth, undulation and layering concepts. After digesting these concepts, isolations are presented for each region of the body, which include: head, shoulder, hand, wrist, arm, ribcage, abdominal and hip isolations. Greater attention is then paid to shimmies by going into more detail and showing how shimmies can be powered differently.

Flamenco clapping (palmas) and finger cymbals are introduced, followed by a two-phase cool down. Deep stretching is introduced. A brief discussion of transitions closes the instructional part of the book. At the end of the book, there is a 10 Practice Sessions outline, a closing which includes developing presence, gaining constructive feedback and corrections, and raising the bar for bellydance. A bibliography and index are included at the end.

All of this is written in clear, concise and well-defined language. This book is the bridge that has been needed for bellydance students and instructors everywhere. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It's only 195 pages long, and it has over 170 illustrations and photos, but it is so packed with information, you will refer to it again and again, whether you are a beginner, a seasoned performer, a student, or an instructor. Well worth the price. It goes on the shelf next to "The Tribal Bible".

This volume will be followed with: II. Shapes, Patterns & Layers, III. More Shapes, Patterns & Layers, IV. History, Styles, & Fusion w/ Fortitude (w/ guest writers), V. Floorwork, Veilwork, Props & Dangerous Diversions, VI. Choreography & Free Form Improvisation, VII. Zanbaka's Repertoire for Tribal Group Improvisation.

To see full PDF excerpts visit: http://www.zanbaka.com/versatiledancerseries.htm

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

review of zoe jakes workshop and show in chicago

Kelly — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:53:24 GMT

THE WORKSHOPS

this event was put on by Sonya and it was very well done and organized. thank you for being such a lovely hostess and much thanks to all the people who helped check us in, told us where the bathrooms were, gave us our information packets, fed us etc...

let me start out by saying that if you get the chance to take a workshop with zoe, don't delay..REGISTER IMMEDIATELY! she was a great teacher and i loved the technique and concepts she taught. she has a very unique style and the concepts are user friendly. she was very specific and hilarious in her teaching style and was just cool in general. you will not only leave with new concepts for your dance but you will also leave with you butt significantly kicked...but in a good way. it was a very motivating experience.

THE SHOW

Pava's Gems- they took the indigo's manman choreography and added a bit of a twist. very sassy and i loved the costumes

Moxie- loved the veil work mixed with the pops a locks

Tribal Corps- sssSSSSssssoooooooooo slinky

Marci Ann- loved the look, the music and the moves

Jezebelly- what can i say...its tribal done AWESOME.

Lisha- loved the moves...especially the ones with the hair and the "rock star" walk

Sarah Mayne- awesome drum solo. clear, concise and fluid and she looked like she was having a good time while doing it.

DarK Flower Gypsies- i just love the fact that they are mother and daughter. it was adorable but in that creepy/goth sort of way.

Andreana- beautiful.

Sonya- she did veil poi and double veil....need i say more. it was awesome. i just stood there with my jaw hitting the floor.

Hipnotic- again, need a say more...my jaw was still on the floor.

Danielle- i LOVED the song and the piece was Wundabar!!

Khivan- awesome song, awesome concept, awesome moves

Megan Hartmann- she rocked it with a sword like no other.

Ro-He- beautiful piece. i loved the masks.

Zoe- ok really, what can i say? this woman has got the stuff. she has an amazing presence on stage and her moves are stunning.

Much thanks to Khimari who was a hilarious and energetic MC, to Linda Flores for doing make up back stage, photographer, Jerry Barmore and Mati Johnson on sound and lights and Gregory blacker, videographer.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

Request: Morgana tribal fusion workshop

JK — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:45:18 GMT

Has anyone been to one of hers?
I don't mean the workshops in which you work with daggers or swords, but 'normal' workshops in which you learn gothic or tribal fusion. Would love to hear about your experiences.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

gogol bordello live

Kelly — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:04:07 GMT

ok its not bellydance....but we did some folk dancing at the show.

i recently went to go see gogol bordello in chicago and it was a phenomenal show. their music sounds even better live and all the band members are excellent showmen/women. their performance, like their music, was high energy and passionate and you could not help but be swept away.

what grabbed me the most about the whole experience were the audience participants. it was a total mosh pit but they/we were the happiest people i had ever seen in a mosh pit. they/we were signing every word as we did the pogo and pushed to get ever closer to the front. people showed good pit etiquette as well.

if you are remotely interested in rromany music/dance from eastern europe that has been fused with punk, i highly recommend that you go to one of their shows or if you just like good music and a show that is a lot of fun.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

Workshop/Teacher/Dancer: Deniz of Caravan Workshops

Tavi — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:51:44 GMT

I've known this for years, but it was really gratifying to see this written by Artemis about Deniz. You can visit her website at www.caravanworkshops.com

"Deniz is the dancer's dancer. She was a serious student of dance all of her life and she has blossomed into a polished, professional artist. She is a joy to watch. Her choreographies are elaborate, sophisticated and complex. Her artistic eye is impeccable. Her professional and business ethics are beyond reproach. Deniz is extremely respectful to her elders, she is cooperative and supportive of her peers and she is inspiring to her students. I highly recommend her as a teacher, performer, sponsor and workshop instructor."
Artemis Mourat, MA, MSW

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

WORKSHOP: Heather Stants & Lorraine Hanson in Dillenburg, Germany

Katja (Shadia) — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:59:32 GMT

Urban Tribal Dance Company – Workshops in Germany with Heather Stants and Lorraine Hanson

We can look back at a wonderful week with Heather Stants and Lorraine Hanson in Germany! It was their first visit in Germany and Gabriella and I were very pleased to host their workshops at our studio, Tanz-Oase Dillenburg, near Frankfurt am Main.

Heather und Lorraine taught three workshops on the weekend, each was four hours with a 15 minute break after two hours. We all agreed that four hours is enough for one day. There were about 25-30 students in each class, so people still got some personal attention, feedback and corrections from both instructors. Everyone in the room could see either Heather or Lorraine but students were also rotated to give everybody the chance to be closer to the mirror and our instructors for awhile.

The workshop topics were:

Friday: technique for urban tribal bellydance. heather and lorraine share their approach to isolations, pops locks and modern tribal movements.

Saturday: fast and funky combinations for tribal bellydance choreography and improvisation.

Sunday: smooth and slinky. urban tribal's innovative slow style taught through
technique drills and combinations. bring knee pads for floor work.

The warm up for each workshop was fun and prepared all muscle groups needed for the movements that were being taught. I had a problem with my hip flexor at the time and Heather gave me extra instructions on what I could do and what I should rather not do. I found this very helpful. Heather has a strong yoga and pilates background and uses this knowledge in her classes.

The amount of stuff Heather and Lorraine taught in each workshop was just right. It was challenging, you really had to concentrate but people were not dropping out or getting frustrated. Heather was very aware of what people could do, how much drilling was necessary and how much more material students could cope with. We could take short breaks to drink water and take notes, too. Every now and then Heather let us stretch out our muscles so most of us didn´t have sore muscles the next day.

Heather´s way of explaining things and breaking down complex movements was very accurate and easy to understand. None of the students was a native speaker of English but we could follow her instructions easily. When asked to show or explain a movement again, Heather was able to describe it in a different way. It also helped that she showed common mistakes and how to avoid them. Questions were always welcome and answered patiently.

The combos Heather and Lorraine taught were a lot of fun. Heather also showed us how they could be adapted to different belly dance styles. Many people found this useful and I´m sure people took a lot home from this. I personally find it often hard to learn complex choreographies/combos in a short time, but in this workshop I was comfortable. Heather would break everything down into manageable bits, drill it, add a little more, drill again, add some more and so on. Before I knew it I was doing stuff I never would have thought possible for me!

Heather and Lorraine also took enough time for a thorough stretch and cool down at the end of each class. It felt wonderful and completed these well balanced and informative classes in a very nice way.

Heather and Lorraine are just wonderful, they even put on a small performance for us during one of the breaks. We enjoyed our time with them very much.

I can warmly recommend Heather´s classes. We all took soooo much home from this wonderful weekend workshop! We got a lot of nice combos and dance technique. I feel that I understood a lot of things, how certain movements work, which muscle groups are engaged etc. With this understanding and my notes I will be able to practise things at home. There is enough material to keep us going for quite awhile. And we want more! We very much hope that Heather and Lorraine will come back for more soon.

I am also posting this on behalf of Gabriella who runs the studio Tanz-Oase. I hope other workshop participants will post as well.

Katja & Gabriella

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

artemis mourat turkish bellydance dvd

Kelly — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:41:42 GMT

if you are remotely interested in turkish style bellydance, i recommend this dvd.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies

REQUEST: Suzanna Del Vecchio

Rafiqa — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:43:14 GMT

I'm curious to hear what some of you have to say about her workshops.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 4 replies

REQUEST: Modern Tribal Belly Dance with Asharah

MstrssMayhem — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:12:43 GMT

I accidentally found this DVD and it looked good...does anyone own it?

Stef

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 2 replies

REQUEST: Tribal:Pura

rabia — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:15:29 GMT

Hi,
I have a sudden clearing in my schedule and I'm tempted to attend at Tribal:Pura workshop that's about six hours away from me.

I was looking for some feedback on what Carolena and Megha's teaching styles were like, how many participants are there usually, etc.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 4 replies

REQUEST: TribalCon

Teighlor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:01:18 GMT

never been to it - love Atlanta. I would like to get a "feel" of the overall event from anyone who has gone. I think I read that it's all in one convention center or hotel. Are the workshops in carpeted rooms with no mirrors? (ugh!)
how many vendors would you say?
Are performances only in the evenings or all day long?

thanks

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 4 replies

DVD REVIEW: Belly Dance With Snakes: Embody Your Inner Serpent (with Serpentessa)

serpentessa — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:07:57 GMT

I am ssssso excited to post this. It's made my month! And I've got an exciting month going on. But this review and recognition is still the very best. I hope you all think so too and that it creates discussion among those interested.

Please do check out the other great articles and reviews in the belly dance web zine titled iShimmy from the west coast. Lotsa great reviews of cds, dvds, wkshps and performances plus interviews with dancers. Here are the links to iShimmy and also to Zaina Hart's review of my dvd.

www.ishimmy.com/

http://www.ishimmy.com/Columns/Reviews/DVD_Review__Belly_Dance_with_Snakes__Serpentessa/

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

REQUEST: Jillina's new dvds

Rondah — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:25:48 GMT

Thanks!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

REQUEST: Sashi workshops

Mary — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:18:07 GMT

My teacher has told us that she's planning to bring Sashi in for a weekend workshop. Anyone else taken a workshop from her?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies

WORKSHOP & MUSICIAN & EVENT : DC Jalsah worksop with Carmine and Samira Shuruk

Saahira-Nashita — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:08:23 GMT

This was a great workshop! I wanted to create the forum for comments, and I'll come back and add mine shortly!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

WORKSHOP & SHOW REVIEW: Zoe

Azadi — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:53:24 GMT

This was in Greensboro on Jan 21, 08. I took 3 of 4 workshops & participated in the show. Zoe's workshops were really great. She has an engaging personality and tons of stuff to teach. She kept up a good pace, asked for feedback frequently (is anyone having problems? etc), and explained everything in an understandable way. She really worked us out too! My legs were sore for several days after - had to take advil on Sat night :-) She was available to chat between workshops and as far as I could tell enjoyed talking to the participants. The best class I took was the semi-private where she asked us what we would like to know & go over, then she proceeded to teach us! I had a fabulous time & will definitely sign up with Zoe again!

ALSO...the show was fab, LOVED her 2 performances!!! An added bonus was that she sat out in the audience for the entire show (almost) and cheered on every other performer! That just made me love her more. She is really a cool person, an excellent teacher, & an awesome performer

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

REQUEST: Petite Jamilla Workshop

Nepenthe_of_Boston — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:09:15 GMT

She is coming to our area this summer sometime, along with Kami. I already know Kami is great. How is Petite Jamila? Whenever I've seen her dance, all she does is spin with double veil. I know she's got to do more than that or she wouldn't be in the BDSS. What are her workshops like? How does it compare her style of teaching to other BDSSers like Jillina, Amar Gamal, Sonia?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 4 replies

REQUEST: Ansuya

Rondah — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:35:24 GMT

Thanks!
R

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 4 replies

REQUEST: Faten Munger workshops

Atisheh — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:22:48 GMT

She'll be in NYC in a few weeks, teaching flamenco, sagaat, drum solo, and oriental choreo. Any word on what she's like as an instructor?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 5 replies

REQUEST: Frederique Workshops

Inaras — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:39:15 GMT

Anyone taken a workshop with Frederique? She's doing three workshops in Seattle this spring and I was wondering about the pace of teaching, level of physical activity, and how much about Tribal style one ought to know going in.
Thanks.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

REQUEST: Mira Betz Workshops

Lane/Scarlet — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 22:34:05 GMT

I don't know much about her at all and I'd love to learn more from people with first hand experience. What are her workshops like? What can I expect to get out of them?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 6 replies

REQUEST: Arianna Halima al-Tiye dance workshop

demonica — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 20:31:52 GMT

I am thinking of taking her Nubian dance class at Rakkasah West next spring. Any input? Her background is interesting and varied, and I know she has worked with Dalia Carella which is an endorsement in my book. I also had a chance to study some Nubian in Egypt, and loved it.
(I think I am talking myself into taking the class as I type!)
Thanks!
M.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

REQUEST: Unmata

Lane/Scarlet — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 22:32:43 GMT

I've seen some of their stuff on YouTube. I'm interested in hearing honest reviews about their workshops because I have some events coming up that have them there!

Thanks!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 10 replies

REQUEST: Atash Maya Workshop

beka — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:38:02 GMT

Yay! Kami and Atash Maya are coming to Hawaii. My troupe and I are flying over to Oahu (from Maui) for four workshops 2 with Kami and 2 with Sabrina and Melodia of Atash Maya. I know Kami is awesome. I'm curoious about Atash Maya. I *love* thier look! and the few You Tube videos I've seen look promising.

Has anyone ever taken a workshop with these lovely ladies? I'd appreciate it if you'd share your expreiences.

here's a link to more info on the workshops:
http://tribes.tribe.net/hawaiibellydance/thread/625dfadb-169f-4283-baaf-dd7790920a41

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 0 replies

DVD Review (another view on): Secrets of the Stage

mishakitty78 — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:26:24 GMT

Someone once asked me “If you could only have one DVD in your collection, what would it be?”

I think I’m going to have to go with this one.

“Secrets of the Stage” is quite possibly the best works I’ve seen. From the amount of material presented, to the clear and concise descriptions, to the exercises and performances, to the price, this DVD is a must-have for any dancer interested in performing. It’s pretty rare for me to define anything as a “must have,” but I can definitely say that this video can benefit *any* belly dancer, regardless of style, who wants to step out onto the stage. The tips offered by the dancers throughout this video are inspiring and encouraging, making you want to put into practice what they’re advising.

The DVD is divided into three sections: Calmness and Simplicity, You and Your Music, and Focus and Energy Protection. Designed to help you perfect your performance skills, several of these main categories are further divided into additional parts that complement each main topic. After these “discussion topics,” comes a section of exercises that help dancers not only learn from what is covered on the DVD but instantly put it into practice. My favorite feature, as others have mentioned, is that each concept is demonstrated by a clip of a professional dancer in a live, staged setting narrated by the dancer herself. This was absolutely invaluable! How often are you able to get inside the mind of another performer while she or he is dancing? This is such a wonderful addition to this and will definitely help viewers to find new ways to approach their own personal attitude towards performances.

Calmness: Michelle first offers a brief explanation of the topic. Then she provides a valuable discussion of why this topic is important for performers. In the Calmness Section, Michelle gives detailed reasons as to why it would benefit you to be calm on stage. She offers numerous tips such as the fact that an audience can pick up on nervousness and that calmness will help you manage any crises that arise. These elaborations were great and went beyond the simple idea of “be cool and collected” that we all probably know. Michelle’s clear descriptions and honest candidness are refreshing and I found myself really paying attention to what she was saying. The material is presented in such a friendly, open way. I confess that I watched this several times to review it – a few times first to take a ton of notes as I got because I wasn’t able to write the review until I jotted down all the juicy bits first for myself!.

My favorite part of this section involved the inclusion of clips of herself and another dancer during live staged performances. Through each clip, the performer discusses what was happening (and, yes, these are actual clips of “could be disastrous” performances) and what her mindset was while dancing. During each of these sections, the narrators give so many great tips. They move beyond simply explaining what was happening and really give the watcher some excellent pearls of wisdom.

Fight or Flight: I’m notorious for having gripping stage fright before performing. I’ve never been sure where it comes from, but after watching this video I definitely know the basic mechanics of it! Michelle starts with a description of why the body is reacting the way it does when the nerves kick in. It’s great that she included this, because *knowing* why your body is behaving in this manner can really help when trying to correct it. Along with additional exercises elsewhere in the DVD, Michelle next offers some excellent exercises to relive tension before performing.

Simplicity: Here Michelle talks about the idea of “over dancing.” I was so glad to see this included, because this is something that seems to be creeping into our dances more and more with the luxury of so many wonderful ideas via the intent and so many great dance DVDs. If you’re a dancer that feels preoccupied with the idea of doing as much as you can at one time this section will help you to slow down and appreciate the idea of simplicity in dance. Over thinking your performances? This part will certainly help. The two dance performances included are beautiful and clearly illustrate this idea and once again the accompanying narration traces the dancers’ thoughts on the subjects. It is helpful to get their impressions, too, in addition to Michelle’s thoughts. Here the idea that “less is more” is beautifully illustrated.

You and Your Music: This is a section that, once again, offers a number of valuable tips for those perfecting their performances and pros alike. “Your job as a dancer is to interpret the music for the audience,” begins Michelle and from there she offers a different sort of approach to using the music. She explains the way she personally approaches musical interpretation and the different things that a dancer can listen for in each song. Everything from more basic ideas of the beat vs. the melody to more advanced concepts such as specifically selecting certain sections of the music to highlight is included here for the aspiring performer. Michelle also talks here about choreography versus improvisation, and offers tips on how to begin improvising for those who are not quite sure how to dance fluidly without a plan. Three clips are offered here – one performance where the dancer discusses how she improves and two wherein the dancers discuss how they choreography and get ready to utilize movements.

Focus and Energy Protection: Have you ever seen a dancer that has “it?” That sparkle onstage that compels you to watch, regardless of how complicated her movements or how pretty her costume? If you’re wondering how it is those dancers *do* that, this is the section for you. Here Michelle talks about different ways to project emotion and intent onstage. She talks about how to make a connection with not just the audience as a whole but each individual, describing ways to focus and captivate your audience. Here the two dances selected to illustrate the topic are quite different, giving two dramatically distinct examples of focus and emotion.

Exercises: Michelle includes resources to improve relaxing, improvisational skills, and one’s focus. The relaxation exercises move beyond what was briefly covered in the Calmness section. Drawing from sports psychology, Michelle has created a very useful 11 minute long exercise for those dancers with pre-performance jitters. The next study focuses on improvisation. First comes a “chair dance” where dancers are encouraged to sit down, focus on the upper body, and get creative! Michelle demonstrates how the exercise should go and then reminds dancers to do it on their own in order to get the most benefit from it. This was a wonderful way to see how another dancer would approach this challenge, while providing dancers with a wonderful improvisational exercise. The second improv exercise is truly designed to help dancers improve their ability to dance to music on the fly. Michelle encourages dancers to be uninhibited and enjoy whatever comes out in order to grow as a performer. During the exercise, the viewer has an opportunity to listen and then perform to the clip. For each of the clips the dancer can do this 4 times and must do something differently each time. Afterwards, there is an example of how the different featured dancers on the DVD interpret the same music. There are a total of 7 different clips that vary in style, giving a wide range of music to practice improvisation. The focus exercise is shot but sweet and once again perfectly illustrates the previously discussed concepts.

After watching this through once, I put it in again. And again. And again. This is definitely a DVD that will have you up and dancing and will inspire you to grow as a performer. Highly recommended!

What Worked for Me:
• Many of Michelle’s points are concepts that are not often taught in dance classes; ideas that one often only learns through years of performance practice. These are absolutely invaluable and it is wonderful to have them all conveniently collected in one place.
• Michelle is a great instructor. Once again, it is clear that she really knows what she is talking about and can put it into practice.
• The inclusion of performances to illustrate each section definitely helped me to visualize the concepts Michelle explains. The fact that she included different dancers in addition to herself was also great – different styles are covered from several talented performers.
• The price for the DVD in terms of what you are getting is absolutely affordable. Michelle delivers a wonderful piece for an incredibly reasonable price.

What Might Not Work for You:
• Honestly, there isn’t much at all. This is one of the few DVDs I’ve seen that is a “MUST” have for anyone considering performing. The only reason this might not work for you is if you didn’t want to perform!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 2 replies

REVIEW Cheeky Girl Productions: Secrets of the Stage

Nepenthe_of_Boston — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:30:46 GMT

Just a quick one.

I got this DVD as an early Christmas present (okay, I opened it early!) and watched it over the weekend. This is a super valuable DVD. It's unlike anything else on the market and I know of very few teachers who cover this material.

There are three sections, whose names I can't exactly remember. The topics covered include Conquering Stage Fright, Slowing Down and Accepting Simplicity, Knowing Your Music, Focus and Energy, Choreography or Improvisation. Each section has a short lecture by Michelle Joyce, who is an engaging speaker. Then, there are 2-3 clips of dancers. Each clip shows the dancer performing, but has a voiceover by the dancer talking about the topic. This is a really great way to keep your interest on the screen! I really enjoyed hearing some of my favorite dancers talk about how they put together a choreography or improvisational dance, how they listen to music, how they fight stage fright, and handle issues on stage. There were certain issues that came up that really really resonated with me, like Nanna and Sandra both talking about how new dancers often feel they have to really impress the audience and be doing something complex and amazing all the time, but i'ts really okay to do a simple move and execute it really really well. I don't want to give away the "secrets" since the reason you watch the DVD is to hear this advice. But suffice to say that there was a lot in there that a beginning performer needs & wants to hear.

Some of the sections also had exercises. The relaxation techniques could be really useful for me. I'm going to try them this Sunday at my next gig. I tried the improvisational exercise. It was really good music for such an exercise. However, you were supposed to try different moves to the same music 4 different times and there wasn't enough distinguishment between one time and the next. (it just restarts - there's no announcement that time #2 is about to happen.) So I wasn't sure when to start over and reinterpret. Without knowing the music really well, anyway. I'm a pretty confident improviser and I probably won't use this exercise anyway. But it's a really good exercise to teach improvisation as it's how we learned in other classes. It was a good idea to make the screen black so that you couldn't look at the screen for tips (unlike Shiva Rea's "free dance" segments of her dance/yoga dvd, where she tells you to do whatever you want, but if you look at the screen, you just end up following the dancers there. that said, I"d recommend THAT dvd - Yoga Trance Dance - for getting comfortable with improvisation too!).

Anyway, I just loved it. I'm seeing it as something I will stick in and watch to psyche myself up before I go do a show. Sometimes I watch performance dvds before a show but those sometimes just make me feel less confident. But this one has a lot of tips that will remind me to stay calm and project energy.

Great production quality. And I really like Michelle's personality. I will probably pick up some of her other DVDs now.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 5 replies

Head's up - not a place for advertising

Lane/Scarlet — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:57:38 GMT

I don't want to be rude about this, because I know we want to know about other events that are coming up. However, this is a reviews tribe, not a place for advertising events. I say this mostly because it might make it extremely uncomfortable for people to review events when notices of them have been posted in the tribe.

The goal here is to bring together people's experiences with workshops, videos, etc so that others can better understand what is going on, and whether an event is right for them. I'd love to see everyone posting with reviews of the workshops they attend so that anyone can get on this tribe and find information they are looking for.

Thank you!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies

DVD Review: Bellydance with Zils (Elsa Leandros)

mishakitty78 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:51:57 GMT

I started learning to play the finger cymbals after I’d been dancing for about a year. I can remember being so frustrated that these tiny musical instruments were so challenging (yet I was determined to learn them as they were so beautiful and such an integral part of Middle Eastern dance). This would have been a great DVD to have back then, as Elsa does a great job of presenting the information so that zil novices can not only understand how to play but can also be comfortable while doing so. She works at speeds that are reasonable and easy to follow, presenting information so that those new to zils are not overwhelmed. This DVD is great for those who’ve never played zils before and for those dancers familiar with doumbek rhythms who would like to learn some new patterns that will complement, but not mimic, the doumbek’s sound.

Here’s what you’ll find on this DVD:

“Bellydance Rhythms: Zils and Doumbek:” The DVD begins with drummers Raquy Danzinger and Brian Carter joining Elsa for a brief introduction to Middle Eastern rhythms. Together, they offer a very educational mini-class on the differences between the various rhythms and they way they are played on doumbek as opposed to zils. For those of us who are used to playing the doumbek rhythm of dums and teks on our zils, this is a great opportunity to understand new ways to play the patterns.

“Tips and Technique:” When a dancer first slips zils onto her (or his!) fingers, they can feel unwheildy and alien. We are taught to move our hands with grace and ease, but the addition of these instruments can quickly lead to frustration as a dancer must now learn to hold them and wear them properly. In the “tips and technique” section of the DVD, Elsa shares some wonderful secrets that will make the addition of zils far less daunting. For the novice dancer, this section is invaluable as Elsa covers everything from how to wear the zils and what type of elastic to use to the different sizes and materials of zils. For finger cymbal veterans, this serves as an excellent refresher course and will definitely have a few new ideas, too. She also explains her technique and philosophy, offering an bit of a different perspective on how to play the finger cymbals. This was a nice addition, as it really helps viewers who are familiar with zils (but new to the idea of switching hands and alternating instead of using a leading hand) to understand the method to the various patterns featured later on the DVD.

Rhythm Sections:
After the Tips and Technique section, the DVD moves on to the instructional portion where viewers will learn how to play a variety of Middle Eastern rhythms using finger cymbals. A total of seven rhythms are covered with variations on many of these standard favorites; patterns to accompany Baladi, Maksoum, Saidi, Ciftitelli Masmoudi, Rumba, and Karsilama are offered.

Elsa first describes the rhythm and often explains a bit about its history and/or use in Middle Eastern music. The rhythm is then broken down according to counts (Baladi Triples, for example, are described as the familiar: 123 123 123) and Elsa demonstrates it very slowly. Viewers have the opportunity to practice along with her, following first to numbers that appear on the screen and then just with her playing. There’s plenty of time to play, too – Elsa doesn’t simply demonstrate and then move on. During each rhythm there is between 2 and 4 minutes of just slow, steady playing to use as practice time. This provides an excellent opportunity to focus just on getting used to the rhythm.

During the various pattern sections Elsa provides several short zil drills. For nearly every rhythm Elsa demonstrates a section for “arms and hands,” simple yet elegant arm movements that can be used with the zil pattern. For those dancers new to finger cymbals, this is an invaluable time to slowly practice the rhythm while integrating movement. It is critical for dancers to not simply sit and play – one must *move* while practicing in order to prepare for dancing while playing and this section will certainly provide both those new to zils and the veterans with drills to accomplish this goal.

There are also demonstrations of “basic steps” for many of the included rhythms. These are meant to simply give viewers an idea of some (of the many) movements that might be performed with the rhythms – the real focus, of course, is on playing the zils and learning the various patterns. The steps are not broken down in too much detail, allowing viewers to focus on the zils and not worry, necessarily, about what is going on with the movement. However, the explanations are clear enough for the viewer to understand each suggestion.

After presenting viewers with the opportunity to practice the patterns with music and then to slowly layer in arms and basic movements, Elsa ups the ante with a series of combinations. The inclusion of the combinations benefits intermediate dancers who, up until this point, may have found the DVD a bit easy. The combinations utilize steps that are a bit more difficult, such as Soheir Zaki drops and traveling hip bumps and pushes with interesting body angles and layers. For each rhythm there are usually at least 2 combinations to try.

“Practice with Music:” Are you ready to just jam with the music? Also included on the DVD is a section of music for each rhythm. From Baladi to Karslima, Elsa has carefully selected a song that viewers can play along with while viewing the pattern (and the accompanying counts for it) on the screen. Nice touches include the inclusion of the title, artist, and album of each song as well as a website vendor for each. A great surprise in this section was the addition of a drum solo by Raquy and Brian Carter which, of course, viewers can play along with or just simply enjoy.

There are also several performances on the DVD. In the first, Elsa dances to an “Arabic mix;” a standard recorded music track. Her zil playing is superb – she really uses the finger cymbals as instruments and it was wonderful to see a dancer perform like that. Listening to her use of zils to interpret and enhance the music will certainly inspire novices and pros alike! The second performance is a lively drum solo with accompaniment by Raquy and Brian. While some may teach that zils should not be played during a drum solo, Elsa does a wonderful job of showing viewers how wonderful the addition of zils at the right time, working along with the drummers, can make a drum solo even more entertaining.

What worked for me:
• I really liked Elsa’s technique of switching hands and playing the zils in a different manner to a drummer’s interpretation of rhythms on a doumbek. The introduction where Raquay played the rhythm on the doumbek, and then Elsa contrasted it with the same rhythm on the zils, was wonderful to see. I found it challenging at first to switch and play in her style, but it was a refreshingly new way to play and a nice style to add to my repertoire.
• Elsa jumps right in to help students become comfortable moving while playing zils. It was wonderful to see the inclusion of different moves for each pattern. While she recommends students first familiarize themselves with just playing, Elsa spends a great deal of time demonstrating how students can work their way up from playing, to playing while moving just the arms, and then incorporating a full repertoire of movements while zilling.
• The practice with music section was great – I loved being able to play along while having the pattern on the screen in case I forgot where I was with it!
• I have to say I was really, really impressed with Elsa’s performance. Regardless of whether or not you like her style of dancing, her zil playing is absolutely superb. Not only can she play incredibly fast and complicated rhythms cleanly but she actually uses the finger cymbals as instruments and plays to compliment and interpret the music as opposed to simply playing along or repeating a memorized rhythm.
• This DVD was a FABULOUS production! The overall look of the DVD’s menus was just beautiful. WDNY has added lovely transitions from the main menu to the various sections, too.

What might not work for you:
• Elsa’s style of playing without a leading hand might take a bit of time to get used to. If you’re just starting with the zils, however, you should be able to pick it up fairly quickly. If you’re used to always beginning with a certain hand this might not work for you.
• This is not a “rhythm” type video, exactly – while Middle Eastern rhythms are indeed covered on the DVD they are not broken down into great deal. There is no in-depth explanation, here, of “dums” and “teks” beyond a very basic introduction. It is intended for dancers who are going to play zils while dancing who may not need to know the drum pattern breakdown or want to play a contrasting pattern to that which is being played upon the drum. The rhythms on the zils are explained in terms of counts so if you’re looking for a video that describes rhythms in more detail you may need to look elsewhere.
• The steps used in the combinations assume a familiarity with basic belly dance movements. Elsa does not always go into a great amount of detail with these steps, too, although they are clearly demonstrated.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

DVD Review (another view on): Michelle Joyce Pop Lock and Shimmy

mishakitty78 — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:16:33 GMT

Title: Pop, Lock, and Shimmy
Instructor: Michelle Joyce
Level: Intermediate and Advanced Belly dancers
Info: 95 minutes

Mystified by the nuances of the drum solo? Or are you looking for a DVD that will sharpen your pops and locks? Maybe you’d like a new choreography or are you seeking a new drill set to add to your regular practice schedule? Believe it or not, this DVD covers all these bases and more. Michelle Joyce has created a DVD that will suit a variety of tastes and still manage to be one that many intermediate and advanced level dancers can return to use again and again.

Here’s a breakdown of the DVD:

“Warm up:” From the very first part of the video, viewers can tell that Michelle Joyce is not only a talented belly dancer but also an incredibly informed fitness professional. The warm up portion of the DVD consists of gentle stretches and movements designed to get your blood pumping. During this section, Michelle gives excellent pointers that will benefit anyone implementing a workout plan. From explaining each stretch and emphasizing proper technique to describing the benefits of holding the moves for a minimum of 10 seconds, there are a lot of little informational gems in even this first section.

After first stretching the entire body, the warm up moves into a section designed to review and drill one the main movements that will be featured in the DVD: hip bumps. Michelle continues the warm up by offering a drill section that covers both traveling and stationary hip bumps, as well as interesting ways to embellish the move and a unique and challenging portion designed to improve balance. As with the basic warm up, these movements are clearly defined and explained. Michelle does an excellent job of describing the muscles that are driving the movement and continues to do so throughout the video. The overall pace of the warm up is very comfortable. It is one that certainly prepares the body for what’s to come but is not so exhausting that it will prevent viewers from continuing on with the DVD.

“Warm Up Drill:” The final part of the warm up is the “warm up drill.” Designed to prepare viewers for the movements and overall attitude of a drum solo, this is a great opportunity to practice a drum solo drill set. First, the entire drill set is demonstrated without music. During the breakdown, Michelle continues to share the secrets of snappy locks and pops, explaining just which muscles to use and even describing how *not* to do many of the movements. Then Michelle adds music and the fun begins! There is literally about 3 to 5 minutes of combination drilling. No mere 30 seconds of demonstration here! Instead viewers can really have the opportunity to *practice* the drills along with Michelle and reap the benefits of following drills that incorporate dancing along with repetitively challenging the body.

“Combinations:” After the warm up, the DVD moves into the combinations section. In total there are 7 combinations on this DVD (but there’s much more, too, including various shimmy drills and other sections of the choreography that are broken down but do not necessary rate as a full combination). Michelle has cleverly created combos that, on their own, provide viewers with excellent stand-alone drill sets. Each combination can be reviewed and refined in order to improve one’s technique. Overall, the combinations are both interesting and challenging enough to keep one intrigued even if they’re being used in the standard drill format of repeating the movements over and over and over. The combinations work incredibly well together, too – in addition to working as stand alone drill sets or they can be strung together for a full drum solo choreography (and, yes, that *is* covered later on the DVD!). Combinations are executed with counts and feature movements that include many hallmarks of a drum solo. Certainly the pops and locks the title implies are included as are a variety of layers. Another nice touch is Michelle’s construction of combos that utilize a variety of body views and speeds.

Each combination is divided into three parts. First, Michelle demonstrates the combo and then explains the movements used in it. The breakdowns are clear and concise. As this is an intermediate to advanced level DVD, it is assumed that dancers have a knowledge of basic movements so Michelle does not take the time to describe how to do a shoulder shimmy or execute a maya. Instead, time is spent offering excellent suggestions on making sure the movements are properly executed in a sharp and crisp “drum soloesque” manner.

After the explanation, viewers have the opportunity to practice each combination at both a slow and fast pace. The slower paced drill time offers a wonderful chance to really refine and improve each movement. And the pacing is perfect – right along with the music yet not too speedy to overwhelm the viewer. The faster pace is, of course, more challenging than the slower section but it is set at a speed that is still manageable.

For those dancers seeking to simply practice the combinations in succession, there is a “Quick Index of Combinations” that allows one to flip in between the combos and practice them in succession without any breaks for title screens. In the “Nonstop Practice” section, one can also review the varying speeds without stopping for any breakdowns.

“Shimmy Drills:” This section was quite possibly my favorite. Here Michelle presents three unique drill sets, similar to the warm up drill, designed to really get your body moving! This is where the “shimmy” comes in – while many of the combinations included shimmies these drills really utilize a variety of different shimmies along with different layers. Both the types of shimmies used and the included layers are fairly complicated and will definitely challenge more experienced dancers. There are three drills in this section: a shimmy drill, a layering drill, and a shimmy and lock drill. As with the combinations, these drills are first demonstrated and then clearly explained. And then, of course, there’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice!

“Choreography:” Michelle’s drum solo is a really cute, sassy piece that is comprised of the 7 combinations featured on the DVD as well as the shimmy drill and several other movement transitions. The choreography section allows the viewer to preview the entire piece in small sections and then in the entire succession. Since the combinations have already been broken down, there is not a particular step-by-step breakdown of the combination in succession.

A performance off the DVD “By Dancers for Dancers Volume 2” is also included on this DVD. The first performance is lovely and simply classic. The second includes the absolutely smoking drum solo and is great to see performed in a full, dazzlingly beautiful costume.

What worked for me:
• The DVD was VERY clear and easy to see with great sound levels – overall excellent production quality.
• Michelle not only breaks down the movements but also seems to be very well versed in the anatomy and physiology behind each one. However, she does not use overly technical terms or go into too much depth but instead gives viewers enough information to understand what is happening without becoming overwhelmed with confusing jargon.
• I’m a huge fan of drills, and it was wonderful to see an instructor create something that would work as drills that was beyond simply repeating the same movement over and over again. So far, most of the DVDs that feature “drills” simply repeat movements (ie 100 hip bumps on the right. repeat.). While repetition is certainly beneficial, it can quickly become boring. Michelle’s take on drills in her warm up – the idea of drilling a combination of movements rather than just one single movement – is a fresh new approach and great to see on an instructional DVD.
• The descriptions of what a “sloppy” movement would look like contrasted with a crisp one that would be appropriate for a drum solo. It was great to hear just what delineated the two and how to execute one versus the other.
• As Aziyade said in her review, this is a DVD that has so many useful components (from the actual full choreography to the drills to the combos which can also be drilled) that it will get a LOT of play in my practice routine. This is an incredibly well-rounded DVD and one that will benefit any dancer looking to improve their locks and pops (and, yes, that would be BOTH cabaret and tribal style dancers!).

What may not work for you:
• This is absolutely, positively a DVD for more experienced dancers. While some “intermediate-level” DVDs are actually quite easy, this one is definitely a challenge. This makes it incredibly fun and useful to dancers who’ve been shimmying for a while, but for newer dancers this is definitely a video to use once you’ve become familiar with a basic belly dance vocabulary.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 2 replies

DVD Review: Fluid Precision by Kassar

mishakitty78 — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 18:54:44 GMT

Another reivew for ya ;) Hope you like it!

FLUID PRECISION BY KASSAR

With this offering by Kassar, World Belly Dance New York is once again thinking outside of the standard belly dance “box.” I have to confess; I truly enjoy Neon’s commitment to creating DVDs that feature those dancers that are perhaps a bit more obscure than some of the performers and instructors the other big production companies feature. Like anyone else, I relish watching the subtle snakiness of the Bellydance Superstar’s tribal contingent and marvel at the improvisational intricacies of Fat Chance and Gypsy Caravan. But I really do appreciate seeing an instructional offering from some of the up-and-coming dancers in the tribal world. Melanie and Karin of Kassar offer a fresh perspective on tribal in this instructional DVD and give viewers the unique opportunity to see and learn floorwork integrated into a tribal routine. It’s incredibly inspiring and beneficial to see another dancer’s interpretation of this evolving style and this DVD has a lot of material that is not found on other tribal offerings.

Here’s each of the sections, and a few notes on the material they contain:

“Warmup:” At Spirit of the Tribes in 2004, I watched Kassar drop, leap, and slink across the stage. It became quickly apparent that these two ladies had killer core strength in addition to their amazing technical ability. In this warmup, viewers will get a taste of the stretches and strength building exercises that Melanie and Karin use to support their sinuous style. Like Kassar’s multifaceted approach to tribal style belly dance, the warmup pulls from a variety of different philosophies in order to develop strength and flexibility within the body. The Warmup begins with a selection of yoga-based stretches, opening with a modified warrior pose. As the session progresses, additional poses are included, as are more traditional exercises such as the old tried-and-true runner’s hamstring stretch. Karin leads the viewer through a series of strength-building exercises that are pretty intense including “pulses” executed while in a very wide stance and a sort backwards push-up. It must be noted that these are most certainly exercises that will help one become stronger but they definitely require careful application and may not be for those just beginning their exercise regime. The final portion of the warmup includes a variety of stretches intended to open up the hips and improve leg flexibility. These stretches are done while seated and are much more gentle on the body compared to some of the other exercises in the warmup; this would be an excellent series of exercises for those beginning to dance.

“Isolations:” After the warmup, Melanie takes over to teach the various movements that will be utilized in the combinations featured on the DVD. Torso and ribcage movements come first, followed by hip isolations. Melanie gives clear, detailed descriptions of each movement as well as describing the muscles used to execute them. A particularly nice touch was her constant admonitions to maintain proper posture and tips on what not to do for the various movements. The girls cover some movements that will be familiar to those with an ATS background including the torso rotation and the body wave in the torso section and the taxseem and maya during the hip isolations. They also add in some unique moves (that have, dare I say it, an almost cabaret flair) including double drops, a nifty horizontal chest crescent, and an interesting variation on a reverse body wave. Each movement is broken down, demonstrated, and then reviewd for a few minutes giving viewers plenty of time to work on the movement without feeling rushed or frustrated.

“Combinations:” The title of this DVD is “Fluid Precision” and nowhere is this more apparent than in the combinations Melanie and Karin have created. There are a total of four combinations, each lasting about 16 counts or so. First either Melanie or Karin demonstrates the isolations that make up the routine. These are practiced for a bit in sequence and then the arms are added on. Once again, there is plenty of time to study and practice the combination with the arm layer. Next, the girls speed it up, offering both a slow and fast version of the same movement series. The movements in the combos may seem simplistic at first, but the beauty of these combinations is mastering each separate isolation so that they can be strung together fluidly. Combinations that utilize usual body angles, unexpected level variations, weight changes, and movements performed with different stances (in “second” position instead of “first,” for example) provide viewers with an inspiring and exciting new selection of dance material.

“Floorwork:” The girls of Kassar are masters of fancy floorwork. The DVD contains (unfortunately only) two floorwork combinations. Like the other combos, these two offerings utilize the isolations reviewed earlier in the DVD. There are some great ideas here for both descending to, and rising up from, the floor that use the isolations. Kassar’s two creations once again make good use of the floor space and add some nice twists including level changes while on the floor and traveling on the floor, too.

The regular combinations are then strung together in a follow-along-and-practice series. This is a nice way to get an idea of how the combinations can flow from one into another and is, of course, the perfect opportunity to follow along and practice.

The final section of the DVD includes two lovely performances by Kassar. Here viewers can see where Melanie and Karin truly shine as they reveal their signature tribal duet style. One thing I really missed on this DVD was any combinations that could be utilized for duets. Melanie and Karin are so incredibly in sync when dancing together, as viewers will see in both of these performances, and they often have creative methods for interacting with one another while onstage. It’s a bit of a shame there wasn’t at least one combo designed for partner work (guess there will just need to be another DVD!).

What worked for me:
• Floorwork and level changes! Karin and Melanie create incredibly creative floorwork combinations and it was wonderful to not only see this during a performance but to learn it, too. Throughout the combinations there are wonderfully useful tips on level changes too, allowing viewers to learn new ways to add interest to their dance. Just wish there was more of this!
• Kassar’s costuming is absolutely gorgeous. They create some really unique pieces with lush textiles and patterns. Just looking at their costuming can inspire.
• The duo’s positioning during many of the DVD sections allows the viewer to see the movements from different angles. This was particularly useful during the combos and the warmup as it was nice to see what the stretches should look like from different vantage points.
• Pacing. The DVD moved at a steady pace that was refreshingly gentle. Information was presented slowly and carefully and there was plenty of time to practice the isolations and combinations.

What may not work for you:
• Got bad knees? I do. For those of us who have difficulty with those lovely joints, there may be parts of this DVD that are more than a little hard. While the floorwork would be challenging, it is not impossible and definitely something that those with sore knees could attempt and eventually perform.
• During some portions of the DVD it was difficult for me to hear what Melanie and Karin were saying. The music (which was awesome, by the way) seemed to be at an appropriate level, but for some reason the vocal track was not loud enough to be clearly heard over the song. This may have just been my copy, but I found it particularly difficult to hear the instructional portion during the Warmup.
• Some of the stretches and movements in this video are fairly intense (the knee bounces during the warmup, for instance) and may not be suitable for those just starting to belly dance. There is not too much detail given on performing the stretches properly, so care must be taken by the viewer to be sure that undue strain is not put on the body.
• As with several of the other World Dance DVDs, the lighting on the dancers is a bit difficult (on my TV at least) to view for long periods of time. In this offering Kassar is filmed under a red light with a blue background. While they definitely stand out, the red was at times very stark and almost blurred.

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 2 replies

REQUEST: Ava Fleming Workshop

lisadancer — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 02:35:48 GMT

Thanks :)

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 1 reply

REQUEST: Tribal DVD's

sayra156 — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:22:33 GMT

Could anyone recommend a tribal instructional dvd?

I've been attending the closest tribal classes (an hour and a half away) for the past two months, but it's such a time/expense committment (driving three hours for a one hour class) that I don't think I'm going to continue past the current session. There are other women locally that want to learn as well, and all of us have bellydance experience. So which videos would you recommend for us?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 8 replies

REQUEST Nesma and Khamish Henkish DVD

samirashuruk — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:16:47 GMT

I'm thinking about buying this drum solo DVD? Have any of you bought it?
What did you like most about it? What was most useful? Would you buy something like it again (and why)?

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies

REQUEST: AMAR GAMAL - KAMI LIDDLE

Rondah — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:49:23 GMT

I have to choose between driving up to TN (4 hr drive from atl) for a two-day workshop with Amar, or Stay in Atl for a three-hour workshop with Kami (that my friend is hosting the same day).

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 6 replies

REQUEST: Moria

Hayley — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:45:48 GMT

I am deciding on if I want to take Moria's tribal boot camp workshop. Has anyone here had it or any of her other workshops? what is the difficulty level? It says all levels welcomed...
I consider myself a proficient-advanced dancer and Im looking for a challenge.
thanks a bunch!!

posted in Bellydance Reviews - 3 replies