Customer Reviews

BellyDance "Oriental Dance By Aradia"-combinations for Egyptian, Lebanese and Turkish Oriental Dance

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Aradia not only provides clear, step by step instruction on several combinations for use in your dancing, but she also offers the viewer useful knowledge on the history, characteristics, and the subtle differences of each type of dance. But that's not all, she also has filmed three different performances in the DVD, each in a different costume.

With great production quality and packed full of instruction, education, and entertainment, Aradia's DVD is a valuable addition to a belly dancer's collection. Very useful tips of the similarities and differences in Middle Eastern dance styles and clear, pleasant instruction. Includes warm-up, instruction, beautiful performance clips from various shows, and full performances in different costumes. Great music by DJZen & John Bilezikjian.

I really enjoyed this video. The "talking" portions were short but enlightening, and I learned a lot of good material from it. I'd highly recommend it to you as well if you:

- are an intermediate, advanced, or professional belly dancer
( Aradia does not break down most of the movements, so beginners and advanced beginners may need to ask their teachers for help breaking down the moves)

- are interested in seeing Egyptian, Lebanese, and Turkish belly dance compared and contrasted

- would like to learn some attractive, versatile combinations


What you get:

- A quick introduction to the aesthetics of the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Turkish styles of belly dance

- 3 combinations in each style

- A full-song performance in each style


What I Liked:

- The video made the difference between the three styles VERY clear. I've studied with several teachers, each of whom has a different interpretation of "Arabic" belly dance, and now I understand why, given what I know about their influences.

- The combinations are cute, they fit the music Aradia has chosen, and they could easily be adapted to go with other music. They move quickly, and some are not easy to execute, but they are well-structured, so they won't fly over your audience's head.

- For each style, Aradia begins the performance with the combos she just taught. That helped me understand what she was doing as she expanded on those ideas later in the piece.

- The Turkish section used music in 4/4 time, which is often neglected. (Most Turkish videos focus on 9/8, but that's not all there is to Turkish dance!) Also, Aradia danced to "Geceler" which is one of my favorite Turkish songs, and it was a treat to see it interpreted by someone so talented and well-versed in Turkish style.

- Aradia spent just the right amount of time breaking down and practicing each combo. I didn't feel rushed or bored.


What I Didn't Like:

- The Egyptian & Lebanese style sections used pop-y/remix-y music. I would have preferred more classical/traditional selections.

- Each "chapter" was actually a title on the DVD (rather than a proper chapter), so the "step forward" button on my remote didn't work.

- When facing you, Aradia says "right" when she's working on the viewer's left. This is pretty common on video, but it gets a little confusing when she turns around and her right actually IS your right.

- Aradia's performance in the Egyptian section seemed a little prissy. The moves and musical interpretation were perfect for the genre, but her performance was missing the "goo" and the emotional intensity you find in good Egyptian dancers.

(This is not to criticize Aradia's dancing. I've seen clips of her performing in Egyptian style and she absolutely had the "goo" and the "love"; those qualities just didn't come through in this performance.)


I'd love to see Aradia do additional volumes on this theme. Maybe one comparing & contrasting how the styles use slow music, another for drum solos, zils etc.?

I was impressed with this DVD. Aradia teaches different styles of Middle Eastern Dance and I like being able to follow along with her back to the camera as well as seeing the dance from an audience perspective. Also 3 of her performances are included in the video which are very good.

I own tons of bellydance dvd's and this is exactly what I was looking for. I will keep this short and sweet. This dvd will change your dance. These combos will give you an entire new dance repetoire! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

All of the combo's are wonderful. Aradia is an excellent teacher. Please make more!

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to relate to Aradia after seeing how professional she always looks in her magazine photos, but having read all the other reviews, I took a chance and bought this dvd. I can only add to the praise by saying, Aradia took her time and thoughtfully planned all the components of this dvd. Might not be suitable for a beginner, but if you are a beginner, get this dvd anyway so you have it when you are ready for it.

I really enjoyed Aradia's combinations and the inclusion of several different styles of Oriental Dance. She is a beautiful and graceful dancer who is a nice teacher as well.