Customer Reviews

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners Boxed Set [VHS]

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Let's face it, exercise can be boring (especially alone.) If you are planning to exercise with only the company of your video player and closed curtains, it might as well be fun.

Neena and Veena are identical twin dancers, which makes for a visual experience that is unparalleled in exercise videos. The sets are appropriate but not distracting and the twins wear leotards plus a hip-isolating scarf that accentuates the important hip movements. The voice-over is clear and easy to hear, the music is Middle-Eastern style but soft enough not to detract from the instructor.

There are four videos in the set: the Fat Burning routine mainly uses the legs and is kind of low-impact aerobic. Basic Moves teaches body isolations which is the most important building block of belly dance itself. This video is useful for learning the basics of belly dance itself. Arms and Abs focuses on the arm isolations (snakes, undulating arms, hands) that are essential to dance but also work the upper body and stomach, when you drop to the floor and do mat work (have an exercise mat handy.) Hips, Buns, and Thighs: uses leg lifts and lunges, hip circles and hip drops. Arms are added to make it more dance-like.

If you want a dance routine to watch, stay til the end of the vidoe for your reward (there is a solo.) If you want a basic dance routine to do yourself, Neena and Veena have produced a separate video called The Sensual Art of Belly Dance: Basic Dance. It has step-by-step instructions for body isolations leading to a short routine. It makes a great overall warm-up and mild workout and is also a good introduction to belly dance.

The box set offers the beginning bellydancer terrific instruction and a gentle workout for those who are just looking for exercise. This is the best I have seen for instruction so far - far better than Bellydance: Fast Moves, Bellydance; magical motion et. - those tapes are a waste of money. This box set is not. Now Neena and Veena make some more instructional videos on intermediate and advanced egyptian dance and one on how to coreograph several dances. A tape of you doing different egyptian dances in costume (just for viewing - not instruction) would also be a great addition. Keep up the good work and make more videos. You are terrific. The box set is an excellent investment for the beginner belly dancer or for someone who wants an entry level exercise tape.

As an advanced dancer, I was less than intrigued when the hype started on this video set... but then, I was lent one of the tapes. I IMMEDIATELY went out and bought the whole set! These tapes are a beautiful, gentle, low-impact workout and are valuable for every dancer, beginning and advanced alike. The twins have put together an excellent fitness routine that is both meditative and sweat-inducing. It is the first of its kind and I want MORE! The people who were disapointed with the video series were expecting something other than what was advertised. This is a WORK OUT series for bellydancers or those who wish to become bellydancers, not instructional how-to tapes. It is intended to prepare and tone your muscles for the art of middle eastern dance. The video taping is excellent and professional. Veena and Neena do performances at the end of each tape, and they are superb dancers. I can't wait until they release more videos!

I recently moved and I bought this set to keep my muscles toned for bellydancing while I find instruction in my new home town. These tapes are perfect for that because they are exactly what the title proclaims them to be -- a fitness workout for beginning bellydancers.

If you are looking for a fun exercise program, I think these tapes are wonderful. Because this is a dance form there are always more movement layers to add on so there is no chance for boredom to kick in. For begining bellydancers, these tapes cover the basics at an easy to follow pace. These are basics that will translate into any bellydancing class you take (and after getting a taste from these tapes you will want more). For the most part, the dances done by the twins at the beginning of each tape are learnable for the beginner after mastering the moves in the instruction part of the tape.

For those who are looking for something beyond basic moves: at the end of each tape, during the credits, is an exquisite solo performance in full regalia. On at least one of the tapes there are two dances (one with a sword and one with a cane) so don't turn off the tapes too early. These professional performances are only a few minutes of the tape.

The quality of the video and sound is professional--not grainy or sloppy. The voice over instruction is soothing. Not all belly dance tapes are this professionally produced. The twins move gracefully and are lovely to watch.

I would love to see the twins put out a longer beginner's tape (hour long) with perhaps a dance sequence specifically taught. I would definitely buy a zil (finger cymbol) instruction video if they made one, as well as tapes with more complex moves -- perhaps where they took more advantage of the dance floor than these 1/2 hour basic instruction videos allow.

I bought this tape to add variety to my daily workouts and because I always wanted to learn how to bellydance. This tape is a great change from the usual weight lifting and aerobic exercises; it gives you a great cardio workout, a good sweat and you don't even notice the time. Each tape is between 20 and 30 minutes long (a few introductory minutes, warm-up, workout, stretch and cooldown, followed by a dance show by the sisters), which is not much compared to other workouts, but it does the job!

What most impressed me was the range of motions I never encountered before (the isolation of exercises to parts of the body I didn't know could move on their own), so it's great for flexibility and self-awareness.

The backdraw is that it really does not teach you how to bellydance, Neenah and Veenah have isolated some simple bellydance moves to achieve each task (cardiovascular workout, arms & abs, and hips thigh & buttock strengthening). They then practice these individual moves with you, but don't tell you how to put them all together in a coherent dance routine. You may get some ideas from their entrance and final routines, but as a beginner, I can understand that there is a lot more to it than I originally thought.

All in all, I don't regret buying the box-set, because it's fun, effective and innovative. The movements seem fairly safe, and I rely on thousands of years of practice to vouch for its safety.

Finally, if you want to learn individual moves, increase your flexibility and get a good sweat, this is a great tape, but if you think you're going to learn how to bellydance just from this box-set, think again.

This tapes will exercise and tone your muscles like no other. At first I felt self-conscious, but after doing them regularly I felt a sense of freedom that I haven't felt before. If you just let go and become one with the moves and the music, you'll enjoy it. I wish Neena and Veena make tapes for the intermediate and advanced levels. Also, it would be helpful a book or video that tells us about the origins of this wonderful dance.

I have been a bellydancer for some time now. I have taken professional instruction and performed this great form of dance. If you are new to belly dance, know this- during a class, at least half of the class is set aside for just what these tapes offer... practice on basic moves to make them second nature while warming up all your muscles. In my 2 hour group class, only a half an hour each week was set aside to learn advanced moves and/or learn combinations. I highly recommend these tapes both as a workout and for instructional merit. When a move is executed, you can see what is being done - very important. A beginner will not get discouraged and an advanced dancer will get a great cardio workout. After a few months with these tapes, you will gain the mastery required to try more advanced moves and build routines because you will have a firm foundation from which to build.

To the criticism of this set: 1. For those of you wanting to feel like a Goddess - know this: being and feeling like a Goddess comes from within; a video tape will not get you there. 2. If you don't like the music in this tape, mute the TV and play music you like while you follow the moves - good dance form and cardiovascular health are more important than background music....

I decided to buy the boxed sets of bellydance fitness and dance because I was looking for a way to exercise without being tortured. I was interested in finding a life activity, not just a fitness routine, and found bellydance very alluring. I wanted something which felt good to my body and left me energized, not drained. I read through the reviews about these videos, and based on the overhwhelmingly positive feedback, decided to purchase them.

I have never submitted a review, but I am compelled to do so, in order to offer thanks to those who helped convince me to buy these sets. I wholeheartedly agree with the accolades dedicated to Neena and Veena's work.

First off, I had not been exercising for some time. I do not have previous dance training (of any kind), and hate complicated aerobic videos. I have tried many types of aerobic videos, and perhaps it's my own failing, but I have not stuck with any of them. This changed when I found Neena and Veena.

Their instruction is gentle and fun. Each of the 4 workout videos uses different moves, so each has something new to offer and suits various moods. The fat burning workout was a challenge for me, it was difficult since I had not been working out for a long time. Eventually I built up to it and it is an excellent workout.

These videos make me feel feminine and beautiful, not to mention graceful. They offer the opportunity to try something sensual and daring in the privacy and convenience of your personal space.

I strongly recommend that women considering these videos give them a try; I suggest that you buy the boxed set and take advantage of the great price. You can't do with just one video; best of all--you will want all of them! I have never said that about any other type of fitness activity or fitness personalities. These videos are exciting yet low-key, and are a welcome escape from the usual perky and irritating cheerleader-type fitness divas who in the past made me feel frumpy and guilty about my moves!

These tapes are put together like a workout and not a routine. So, if you prefer your workout to be a routine, such as those aerobic dance tapes that change the movement every 16 beats, or if you want something to show you the steps in "The Dance of the Seven Veils", you should probably pick something else.

If you're like me, however, and get frustrated by movements that change before you figure out how to do them, and you don't really care about whether they're wearing authentic period costumes, then I suggest you try these. (For cryin' out loud, I just wanna finish my workout and get to the shower!)

Neena and Veena are cheerful and fun to watch, and the Basic Moves are not out of reach for beginners. I pop one in once or twice a week to add variety to my normal workout, and I'm beginning to incorporate pieces of them into my stretching on other days. I like these tapes because they're different from the normal dance and stretch moves that get repeated on other tapes, they're very low impact, and unlike machines and Tae-Bo, they've subtly changed the way I walk. (There's nothing like having your husband whistle at you while you're searching for the remote to get you hooked on a new workout tape!)

Beautifully done! Veena and Neena are fabulous. Inspirational and professional yet warm and friendly, they resist "showing off" (and believe me, they could), like so many instructors tend to do. I own a vast array of exercise tapes, which I enjoy, and this treasure will belong with my favorites. Please, please Veena and Neena, make a Bellydance II!