If you are a beginner Belly Dancer looking for some good instruction this DVD is incredible I wish I had it along time ago..The instructor is absolutely wonderful and really explains the moves...This DVD has a wonderful section in the beginning on arms and hands which I wish I had a long time ago..Well worth the money plenty of information..The only thing I wish it had was a section on walking undulation I may have missed this part but will go through it again today...This DVD was well put together...I hope she puts out more as she is very easy to understand and packed with information...I will purchase any and all that she puts out...I have a huge collection of DVD's and this is a keeper won't sit and collect dust...Better than those DVD's that I spent &40.00 on... Belly Dance For Beginners
If you have ever wanted to try Belly Dance, this is a perfect selection. I had been considering to do it for awhile and after some looking, settled on this one two months ago or so. Since then I have been learning and having fun.
She is really good at showing you how to do things with examples that are easy to understand. The presentation works well as she shows things from all sides when describing what to do, such as how much movement is needed. Very warm personality that is realy enjoying showing me how to Belly Dance.
This DVD has a couple of short sections to start - general introductions and cautions plus an interview with Leila, which provides a good overview of what to expect and things to keep in mind.
Then there are three main sections - Basic Movements, Intergrated Movements and Dances To Follow.
Basic movements has sections which cover Posture, Arms, Hip Circles, Hip Pushes, Basic Shimmies and Basic Camels. Leile builds on each movement in each section and then at the end puts the moves together. Leila will show the moves from different angles so you can see what she is doing, and does not say "left" or "right" and shows "one side" then "the other" so it makes it easy to follow. The movements are Moving with Shimmies, Egyptian Walk and Moving with Hip Circles. Then there are three more dances to follow and improvise to. There is no instruction on the last three dances - Leila explains this is how dance is often taught when you learn more. There is also a perfomance by Leila to watch which is beautiful.
I have started to feel like I am able to do some of the Basics fairly well and gaining coordination.
I admit it. I am a klutz, born with two left feet. I'm nearly 50 and I'm not in the best shape. I have taken belly dance classes in the past, and I despaired of ever being able to attempt it. Enter Leila of Cairo.
Leila is funny, unassuming, and wholly natural behind the camera. She doesn't put on a saccharine, obviously fake smile. One gets the notion that she is simply being herself. Yet, she explains each move slowly, telling the viewer which muscles should feel the work.
The primary strength of this DVD to me is the sheer amount of time Leila spends on each set of movements. For example, the hip circles section is about 37 minutes. She starts with the simplest movements and drills them (but gently, and in a fun, companionable way so that one doesn't feel one has been ordered about by a drill sergeant.) Without my noticing it, I was able to increase my range of motion and execution of the move. She then moves to the more complicated movements, one step at a time, until before one knows it, one is doing horizontal and vertical figure 8s. This is a move I have never before been able to execute - but keep in my age and my reforming couch-potato lifestyle.
The entire DVD is about 4 hours in length, so one gets a great bang for one's buck, and it's all instruction that coordination-challenged folks like me can assimilate. Her warm and thorough presentation of the basic movements is superb.
The only flaws in this dvd are:
as another reviewer has noted, the poor menuing system is irksome;
there is no warm-up so I suggest that you purchase another DVD for that purpose; and
again, as another reviewer has noted, the dance-to-follow has no instructions - however, Leila notes that this is the traditional way for a senior dancer to teach a novice - but, again, she suggests that you master the first two sections before you attempt the dance-to-follow.
All in all, this is a wonderful DVD. I never thought I'd be able to belly dance, but I'm beginning to see results! No wonder this is the top seller on Amazon.
I don't write reviews for many things.
Keeping that in mind: This isn't a bad dvd, however I'm a fan of something that you push play and it goes through the warm-up and everything.
In other words something that keeps you going and in the groove. This failed. It was like pulling teeth to plug it in and go through the "menu play menu play menu play". If that sort of thing doesn't irritate you this is for you.
The instructor is the only thing that saved this dvd. However because of it's "Menu Play MPMP" it's at the bottom of my stack. I like the "Body by Bellydance" for the beginners (which I definitely am). They are set up like a workout dvd but you get all the basics (figure 8, shimmy, warm-ups) in a smooth play, and if you advance in your ability it's right there (and all you have to do is forward).
But this one isn't horrible, it's just not with my attention span.
I have been practicing belly dance on and of for several years. I have attended one formal class session and what little I know is through DVD instruction. By now, I have an extensive belly dance instruction DVD collection and gotten to know what the market offers pretty well. With this said, this instructional DVD is one of the best I have purchased. What you get for the price and Leila's method of instruction is what makes this DVD more than worth it. While the DVD is not perfect, Leila's method of instruction is and that is what matters if your serious about learning and cannot attend formal classes like me. For example, I have back problems so learning the camel as well as other moves have been a struggle but the way Leila explained it, explaining were to put your focus and intention, the safety tips given and ease of movement cause me to do it and I felt no strain on my back and was actually pretty amazed at how good it look so then I was thrilled. Another example, I thought something was wrong with me because after all this years I could not get the shimmies then after watching her section on shimmies something clicked and there I was shimming with no strain on my knees because she explains were the energy focus needs to be. The background music is great and very upbeat. She shares her thoughts about femininity and has a beautiful performance at the end. Loved the costume. Oh! and this is Egyptian style Belly Dancing. I love this DVD and highly recommended. - Belly Dance Instruction - Bellydance Dvd - Bellydance - Belly Dance'
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