i had assumed that dvds would be structured like a real lesson at first too. reading this opened my eyes to how they structure dvds to fit as much info as possible in the production time etc.
www.shira.net/learnvideo.htm

that was written some time ago (it's still in the old format for her site which means she hasn't updated it either) now adays we have chaptered DVDs that u can just skip back (in theory......) one chapter. and there are A LOT of vids that have come out since the bulk of the DVDs she's reviewed were posted or published. (like cheeky girls entire production company)

i had the same "oh duh!" moment it sounds like you did ^_^

Exactly I posted something similar to this one a board I don't know if it was here or somewhere else. I kept buying dvd's but I have not mastered any of them. So I put mysel fon a limit that I would choose three dvd's according to level and then progress from there. I started with my beginner dvd's to make sure I got everything possible out of them.
I started with
Sadie complete bellydance guide-finished
Drills, Drills, Drills,-which I am still on because I haven't mastered the drill sections with zils and dancing.
Ballet for belly dancers -almost done
Beautiful technique from step one.- I didn't like this one so I sold it back.

Next I am onto
pops, locks and shimmies Sadie
Ultimate belldance sadie
and opulant motion
turbo shimmy with celeste

I was just buying and buying it became pointless so everytime I finish a round of dvd's I sell some back and buy some more.
I think starting with the basics was a smart idea. It helped me see what I need work on and helps to identify the problem areas when I am layering.Also I feel so accomplished after I have mastered them and can put them into my dance.

one thing i wanna add as something that is super important for learning from DVDs is
BODY AWARENESS AND ANATOMY
with no teacher watching you to correct your posture it is very easy to learn bad habbits and to hurt youself. honestly, Shimmy is what reminded me of this. at the office i used to work at a patient who was there for lower back pain said she was doing Shimmy and long story short she didn't understand- becuase it's not clear AT ALL- that the "neutral posture" is what you need to keep for your ENTIRE dance practice (if you don't have a teacher guiding you for the moves that derive from that rule, then i wouldn't even do those moves). anyway, i showed her actual neutral pelvis (tribes.tribe.net/healthybe...d047c821d1 Jennifer's post below mine) and she was amazed at how her back pain lessened AND the moves became much more of a work out. this is a posture the Dr teaches ALL THE TIME to EVERYONE.
so yheah, i started with dvds and learned bad habbits because i didn't know at first. i know A LOT of people who have. frankly, i also know people who learned bad habbits from teachers who didn't know enough anatomy to safely instruct. i've also been in class with women who didn't have enough body awareness to stop doing something and ask for help when something hurt. so i guess the point is when learning from DVDs we have to know enough about anatomy and our own bodies to translate the instructor onto ourselves and keep safe posture and alignment. if you have a good DVD the instructor will be breaking down the moves in a way that lets you understand how to make them happen, so that you're not just trying to make yourself look like her, because moves will not look the same on different people, and you could hurt yourself that way.
sorry that's so long, but it's important, i don't want anyone getting hurt doing what should be such a healing dance ^_^
oh! and i reccomend "dancing the sacred shapes" with the Goddess dancing and Jenna's "basics and beyond" both are really good dvds for getting the vocab of BD ^_^