leila_yu

I will start with my favorite one- NOURHAN SHARIF'S "RAQS ASSAYA".She is fantastic and dynamic and I love the way she breaks down the movements and I like her combinations as well.

I also have NOURHAN SHARIF'S "LAYALI YASMINA", but I don't like it so much, I simply don't like her interpretation to that music.

Then what I have and also don't like at all is RANIA "MODERN EGYPTIAN".It is just silly.She does choreo on Hakim's song, but it is.... .her arms are horrible!

I have "ULTIMATE COMBINATIONS 1&2" and I like those two very much and I find them very useful, especially No2 where u can see Aziza's beautiful performance.

I shouldn't forget to mention "VEIL WITH AZIZA".This one is fantastic.Aziza is gorgeous, elegant and great teacher and I think that this DVD is very helpful even for those who are not going to some school.

"JILLINA 1" is also very good, with great combinations.I like it very much.
"HEARTBEAT OF BELLY DANCE with JENNA" is great.She does great combinations for three drum solos, as I remember.
"THE ART OF DRUM SOLO" with SONIA & ISSAM is also great.They explain rhytms and all combinations very slowly and it isn't difficult to learn it at all.
"DRUM SOLO WITH SADIE" has a great drum solo piece and she breaks down so many wonderful combinations.It is definitely for advanced level and I just LOVE it.

"1001 SHIMMIES..." with LEYLA JOUVANNA is one of the DVD's that I don't like so much, simply cause there is so many things that I don't find useful at all.I know that many of those shimmies I am never going to use.I heard great comments about this DVD and I respect Leyla's work, but this DVD I just don't like.

"FLOORWORK WITH ANAHEED" is a great DVD.Eventhough I will probably never do a floorwork, I just admire this DVD project.It is great!!!
"VEENA & NEENA - MYSTIC DANCE" is very sweet and great for the begginer's veil technique and has some useful combinations.

Reen.Blom

Wow Leila, Awesome reviews! Thanks!

Hey Q-Tip how you like your new DVDS?

teela

I have a whole slew of them. I second alot of the ones that have been mentioned. I also enjoy
Hadia's original series volume one and two. These are beyond absolute beginner. The volume one has a warm-up that slides into moves and then she talks about beledi and moves you do to it. Volume two is in two parts, part one is chifftitelli rhythm and moves danced ot it both the slower and faster versions and the second demonstrates cane moves. Really awesome.
There is also a beginners, well more of a follow the instructor, learn egyptian technique by Fatam salama where she shows moves and later the moves are done to various pieces of music.
I just got Intermediate I and II, advance I and II and openings by Veda Sereem to explore over the next few days.

Yasmine Bint Al Nubia

Hi Ladies, It seems we all shop for the same DVd's/videos .I have a lot of what's been posted already and I think each video is well made and covers a lot of information.I'm a visual learner so videos help supplement my learning, what's important to me is will I see their entire body including the feet. Does the instructor explain directional changes and weight placement? In terms of props, does the instructor give handy tips for hand placement and storage tips? Is there mention of the music used in the video so I might buy it? And finally am I encouraged as a student to inject my own personality so I won't look like a clone?
Additional vids that I have and recommend are:
Suzanna Del Vecchio-"Precision Motion", "Dynamic Combinations" and "Lock,Flutter and Roll". She is an excellent dancer and teacher. She strongly encourages students to maintain proper alignment and joy in the dance.Her videos are geared toward intermediate and advanced students.
Ayshe- Great video on how to wear and dance with Isis Wings. It's almost like a mini-workshop and well worth the money. Again she encourages proper body alignment, weight placement and directional changes. She thoroughly breaks down each movement and also body positions to avoid. I understand that Amar Gamal has studied with her.
Petite Jamilla -"Double Veil" video is good in that she breaks down the intricate patterns of the veils. She does a decent job in breaking down the hand and arm moves, but she spends a great deal of time spinning. For those of us who don't like to twirl and spin for 5 minutes straight , there's not much info on a soft, lyrical double veil routine. She doesn't spend any time discussing which type of veils or fabrics work best in a double veil routine, or body alignment. I would think her video would be geared toward intermediate or advanced students, who are comfortable with veil routines already.
No matter which video we all have it's good to have videographic record of our favorite dancers and even if one doesn't feel the info is relevent now there is a chance that in the future where the information may be useful.
Happy Dancing
Yasmine

__________________
www.visionsofthenile.com

leila_yu

[quote=Reen.Blom;31232]Wow Leila, Awesome reviews! Thanks!

U r welcome! I am glad if you find them useful..

Q-Tip

Here's my newbie rookie non-dancer opinion of the Bellytwins 3 dvd set:

Basic Dance
Beyond Basic Dance
Mystic Dance

For someone like me who never dances (I didn't dance in high school either) these dvd's should be just perfect. Very basic.

• The narration is great
• They go slow. (I'm clumsy and it's hard for me to learn the movements when they go fast.)
• They tell you the name of each movement.
• Each dvd breaks down the movements to the most basic elements and then you drill that element. Then they add additional elements until the movement is complete.
• They show several variations to the movements and tell you what you can do to make the movement more sensual. IE: 'to make the movement a little more sensual lean back slightly with the upper body....."
• Each dvd is built upon the previous one so in the 2nd dvd you basically do the same dance as the 1st dvd but each movement is an advanced version.
• Marina, Lochia & Sohaila have dance solos included at the end of the dvd's but I was disappointed that the Twins didn't have any.
• Each dvd gives you the option to do the entire video with the music and no narration. Very nice option.
• DVD 3 covers basic veil work and they use half circle veils. When they do the routine at the end 1 twin has a veil and the other does not so you get to see how the movements look both ways.

If you are an experienced dancer these dvd's will probably put you to sleep. If you learn dance movements quickly these might be too slow for you.

I like the shiney tights they wear w/matching top because toward the end when you were doing the routine you just learned they were wearing them under their skirts and I thought that was kinda cool.

gwinity

I own the following (in rough order of purchase):

My Personal Trainer - Bellydance Fitness with Rania
~ bought after going through her book (before starting a class) and not understanding a thing. Not too bad for basic beginner's stuff, although after starting class it was more fun to pick on her posture.

Bellydance for Romance with Jayna
~ Bought at the same time as the above. (It is actually a lot less tacky than it reads...) Went through it a few times, but kinda got bored with it.

Tribal Fusion - Yoga Isolations and Drills (Rachel Brice)
~ This one gets the most work, as I find it's perfect for pre-performance warmups. And I love yoga. Pity about the monotonous voiceover, though. I see she's also releasing one about arms and posture... which should be interesting...

Instructional Bellydance With Jillina - Level 1
~ Bought on the recommendation of some people here. I watched it at work, but haven't yet gone through it. I did find, from my one viewing that it was very dark and hard to see clearly... but that could have been my monitor.

East Coast Tribal - Basics, Combinations & Strength Workout
~ A gift from another dancer-friend. I'd not class this as a beginner's DVD, as I found the pace too fast for me. Not bad, though.

Unfortunately, since taking a second class, I've not really found the time to go through the DVDs regularly, which is a bit of a shame. But I'd take class over a DVD any day! (except maybe when it's cold and rainy and I don't want to go out...)

Habibiyaeini

ive got so many i cant mention them all. My favs are

Shareen el safy (forgot the exact title)
Aida nour oriental
Dina LA
Keti sharif 5 part series
Hadia part 3
Zahra zuhair advanced class

And Im sure ive forgotten someone important.

Having mentioned the above vids I believe that I learn more from watching performances. My favs are the classics and anything from Egypt. Some Lebanese aswell.

lately ive been getting obsessed with Khaleegy and iraqy khaleegy but they are harder to find.

staranise

on monday I (finally) received contemporary bellydance and yoga conditioning by Ariellah. I love the drills. I'm already feeling stronger and more supple! (it might just be the power of wishful thinking though)

I also have
east coast tribal - contains a great workout and drills which I did daily for about a month (and loved) and I'm now a little bored with.
tribal fusion with rachel brice - definately a good training tool.
and
belly dance basics and beyond with jenna - I watched this a couple of times but I couldn't stand the slow pace, so I haven't watched it since.

Reen.Blom

I just received "Heartbeat of Belly dance" by Jenna and it is awesome! I love it!

Unfortunately my parcel was open and "Basics and Beyond" disc got stolen so I just got the cover