Product Details

• Actors: Amira
• Directors: Andrew Corwin
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Bayview Entertainment/Widowmaker
• DVD Release Date: May 26, 2009
• Run Time: 80 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001W2HZ0S
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,102 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

AMIRA'S BELLYDANCE 101 BELLY DANCING - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

207 of 212 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Among the best, May 5, 2006

By 

A woman - See all my reviews

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First of all, I think the best instructional and workout DVD is "Learn lavish layers with Ansuya".

But Amira's disk is also of exemplary quality, and I can see how for some people it might be the best place to start:

- Amira teaches the proper posture and reminds you about it throughout her lesson. Majority of instructional videos neglect that.
- Her instructions are more thoughtful than in any other bellydance program I've seen so far (except Ansuya's).
- Unlike some instructors who don't realize that you need to practice the moves individually before you can put them together and up to speed, Amira makes sure you absorb each movement by repeating it many times.
- The camera is always where it belongs (which is rare in the world of bellydance videos).
- Amira's style is very soothing and helps focus on movement execution. There are bellydancers that are more picturesque, but their intense Mideastern charm might overwhelm or distract a beginner. Their bodies also may intimidate an overweight novice, whereas Amira shows that you don't have to be slender to be able to move with admirable grace. And Amira is certainly pretty as well.
- Amira's appearance and the choice of background and music are very tasteful.

This video is probably the gentlest, non-intimidating introduction to bellydance I've seen so far. But the drawback of this approach is that you might outgrow it rather quickly. "Learn lavish layers with Ansuya" will prove much more efficient in the long run.

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect First Video, May 30, 2009

By 

evol_v (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Amira's Bellydance 101 Belly Dancing Basics For Beginners (DVD)

This is the DVD to get for your first bellydance instruction workout. I can't say enough good things about it, but let me start. First, the production values are high. The setting is lovely and restful, with beautifully sensuous pillows and gauzy drapes hanging in the background. The music is exotic and hypnotic, and Amira's voice and pleasant accent make you feel you're on a nice vacation, far from your own stressful world. The exercises are explained carefully and done slowly, so that you can pick them up. They are filmed in such a way that you can see the movement (no cutting away to a face while you are trying to figure out what the hips are doing.) There is a warm-up at the beginning and a gentle stretch at the end. If you skip the combination, which you might want to do at first, while you're learning the movements, you can do the whole dvd in an hour. The sections are short enough so as not to tire you out or frustrate your beginner's attention span. At some point this workout might become too basic, but I suspect I would always want to come back to it sometimes, on days when I'm not feeling so strong, or when I just want to de-stress. I love this DVD, and I hope Amira makes more!

96 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I agree with the previous reviews, June 17, 2006

By 

R. Johnson "Constant Customer at Amazon" (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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As a total beginner, I watched this DVD once and was able to keep up with her pretty accurately at the end when she put all movements together. I'm 54 and have gained 40 pounds over the past two years (up from size 6 for 30 years). I was delighted to feel graceful and feminine while going these exercises with Amira. I'm slightly sore today...not an unpleasant sensation, but a sign that muscles were really used. If you're interested in Belly Dance, I think you'll really like Amira.