Hossam Ramzy's new DVD Bedouin Tribal Dance gives you full choreographies for 5 different Bedouin "Haggallah" wedding dances, and shows you about 14 different steps and step combinations that make up the dances demonstrated on the dvd.

The DVD is 2-sided, PAL on one side, NTSC on the other, so if you're like me and you stick it in your player and get mad because it doesn't work, try flipping it over and playing the other side :)

There are choreography notes available as a separate download (no charge). The notes are VERY handy if you want to break down the individual dances and if you want to see how the steps shown on the dvd fit the sections of the music. The DVD comes with an insert that has a very brief description of the kind of dances on the dvd, a description of the songs, and a transcript of what Serena says when she's teaching.

FIRST -- this is NOT a dvd for beginners. Basically it's assumed that you know how to a 3/4 shimmy on the down, hip drops and lifts, one-hip hip circles, and you're able to turn around yourself in a circle and do very simple traveling steps like flat-ball.

ALSO -- It's not "Tribal" in the ATS way, or Tribal Fusion way. It's simply ethnic dances of the Bedouin. No turbans or flying skirts or Melodias.

The performances are in full costume, with a live band (Gypsies of the Nile) and feature Serena soloing, group dances, and Serena and Group. There are 2 basic costumes, but I don't know anything more about them. That's one thing I wish he had covered, but I'm going to ask him about it.

Performances are lovely, professionally filmed on a stage dressed up to look like a wedding tent. Very clear filming, with occasional closeups. Very well lit. One performance features a men's "chorus" of dancers. I wish I knew more about this dance, and poured through the booklet hoping for some more info, but no. I think the dvd would have been more informative if he had included some cultural information. As it is, the dances are presented in the context of a wedding, but that's about it. As always, I WANT TO KNOW MORE!!!

BTW -- this is not Reda style Hagallah and there are no peplum dresses here. Although the dances are choreographed and involve a lot of group dynamics on stage, there's no sweeping ballet footwork, or a lot of grandiose traveling around. It's really sort of down-and-dirty earthy dancing -- as down and dirty as you can expect on delicate Serena!

The instructional section is in 2 parts, Slow speed and full speed, and each little step and combo has its own chapter. I wish there was a way to "play all" but I couldn't figure out how to do it, if there was.

I'd start with the SLOW speed first, because that's where Serena explains the step and breaks it down. The slow speed instructional is slowed down to about half of the normal speed. This section is NOT taught to music.

The first step and its 2 variations are simply stylistic variations on something most of us call the 3/4 shimmy on the down, or the Haggalah shimmy. I'm not 100% clear with the difference is between the first version presented and the B variation, other than one seems to have the characteristic twist forward and the other doesn't. ??? That seems consistent with what I've learned from other instructors, but I might be missing some nuances.

A couple of the "steps" taught are really short combinations of steps. Nothing too difficult, but they move quickly. Another step just about killed me -- they're sort of a single hip circle with a snap, and you do them lowering yourself the ground. It seems like they're performed at lightning speed, and I can't get to ground with NEAR enough grace as Serena. Start working those quads, ladies!

The instruction, like I said, assumes you know certain things already, but I was surprised at how confused I got trying to figure out even just the first step from her description. Once I realized it was what I learned as a 3/4 shimmy down, it was easier to adapt their descriptions. If you get the dvd and get hung up on the first step, switch to variation B and see if that makes more sense. Then you should be able to figure out the diff between 1 and 1b. I don't think there were really any other steps that were that confusing, but it always seemed to help to also watch the variation step and compare them.

The full speed / normal speed instruction is really more a demonstration, since she doesn't talk through it, but the steps are put to music and you can see why she chose certain steps to illustrate certain sections of the music. Plus, on the slow speed section she will say things like "we do this to introduce this instrument" or "We do this to transition to the singer" -- and it makes no sense until you see it put to music.

The choreography notes are GREAT! Provided as pdf files, they are very easy to read, organized very well. You can print these notes and follow along.

The notes are broken into columns:
Rhythm
How many bars
Part in music (chorus, verse, impovised solo, call and answer) etc.
Steps by Serena (as opposed to steps by the chorus dancers)
Starting foot

The notes however, are useless without the dvd because the "Steps by Serena" section lists the notes as "Basic Step 4, hagallah step, basic step 6 with double speed Hagallah" etc. (Quite a clever way of making sure people actually BUY the dvd!)

The notes are very nice too because they show you what's going on in the music: Rhythm Into, Magrouna solo, melody question, melody answer" etc. Last night I sat and listened to the music for the performances and followed along with the notes, and I think this would be a GREAT tool in helping you understand this kind of music.

I emailed Hossam and asked him if he was planning on doing a series of instructional dvds on ethnic dance, and he said yes! WHEE!!

In short, I think this was a GREAT value for $20!!! It's a beautiful performance dvd, a great teaching tool, and just a lot of fun to watch! My only complaint was that I would like to know more about the costuming and how the dances fit in the culture, but there's a lot of cultural information available on line. I'm hooked and now I want to know more. :)

Thanks, Mr. Ramzy, for producing this!