Customer Reviews

Bellydance Fitness for Weight Loss featuring Rania (Cardio Shimmy/Bellydance Boogie/Hip Drop Hip Hop/Pure Sweat) [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I have been involved in middle eastern dance for over 24 years as a teacher, performer and choreographer. I almost didn't buy this video after reading some of the negative reviews on Amazon. But I thought I would give it a try and I am so glad I did. The videos give a fun workout. I like her teaching style and the way she gives a breakdown for the movements. Her dancing at the end is awesome. I just don't understand the negative reviews of this wonderful set. I have produced my own video tape -- and I give 10 stars to Rania's. I wonder if the people who gave the negative reviews have produced their own tape??? I have and I think Rania's video are great!!!

I am half Lebanese and have been bellydancing all my life. I am fully aware what great health benefits it has (I have 3 kids and it does not show). Also I am a big fan of Rania and of Veena and Neena (the same company produces their videos and I have all of them!). I think Rania's new videos are dynamite. She is responding to people who want to learn bellydance without having to hear Middle Eastern music, so all the workouts have different type of music. She is a real bellydancer and great teacher. I read some of the negative reviews and all I can think is that they are expecting the bellydance looking set and music, whereas this set is more high-tech. If you can just look at the quality of instruction and the moves and combinations, you will be very happy, she teaches a lot. You will be doing bellydance combinations by the end of the tape.You will learn alot and not realise you had a workout.

I bought HipHop Hip Drop by itself, and was delighted enough to purchase the complete set! I am a dedicated amateur belly dancer with nearly three years of regular semiprivate lessons and have seen more than a few bellydance instruction tapes. So far, this is one of the best for my purposes, and here's why:
1) Production is professional, lighting is good, the array of smiling ladies in simple clothing, and Rania's direct and pleasant manner makes it easy on the eyes and the ears.
2) Rania strips down the workout to its essentials. She does not introduce terminology, she just has you do the moves, again and again, until you get it. Her pace of instruction is just right; occasionally, I have had to put the tape on "pause" to perform the move verrry slowly, but not very often. I would rather pause occasionally than suffer through terribly slow instruction, as we see in the front half of the Neena and Veena tapes.
3) I often work out with non-dancers of different fitness levels. This tape has been THE BEST of many I've tried in keeping my workout buddies engaged and involved, while I get a good workout and build skills myself. Once they feel confident about the workout, I show them how to adjust their stance and nuance their moves, and they're actually READY to listen to me! This is a tape that works, and transcends what ought to work theoretically.
4) As with any bellydance, it is a great lo/no impact workout. Rania chooses moves that teach basic moves, as well as develop the strength, coordination, and balance needed to bring your dance up to the next level.
5) HipHop Hip Drop should be recommended, standard practice for anyone suffering from sciatica. This is truly one of the most efficient and effective cures for this stubborn condition, and THE MOST INEXPENSIVE as well!
6) Bellydance Boogie's choreography may upset some longtime bellydancers with its emphasis on snake arms: it looked a bit like I was treading water, they went on so long. But wait - there's method to Rania's madness - a looong run of snake arms is just what is needed to build up the muscle strength to do them well. Rania also introduces moves to introduce floorwork, which she demonstrates quite admirably in the final segment.
7) I appreciate the length of the tapes, as well as the price.

I am now a new fan of Rania's dancing after watching her performances at the end of the videos but I am sorry to say I cannot give positive reviews for most of this series. I own many bellydancing videos and have enjoyed all of them up until I bought this set. The only one worth keeping to me is the Cardio Shimmy, only because it will help strengthen the legs and improve the shimmy. Rania is an absolute beautiful dancer but these tapes were extremely uninspiring. These have some bellydance instruction to them but none of the moves are broken down and they are way too repetative--which is even worse because I didn't like the moves we had to keep repeating. The combinations weren't smooth and flowing. Ok, so I read the reviews and was warned that there was no Middle Eastern music used for the exercising, but thought that would be interesting and fun--WRONG!! Well, it would have been if it was great Latin, or Great Hip-Hop music as Rania said a couple of the videos were going to be worked out with. That music was dreadful. Its probably too expensive for a beginner to get high-quality popular songs/music in a video production so I hope she tries again in the future and can afford better music. I also was very much annoyed by the facial expressions of many of the ones on the video, including Rania's. Rania does a bellydance routine of her own at the end of each tape and they are absolutely gorgeous to watch and I loved them. I am now a huge fan of Rania's dancing and would love to see more of her performances. I certainly hope she learns from this and tries to create some new videos. I believe she will be able to create a great bellydancing program to workout to. If she does try some new tapes I will probably purchase them hoping she has chosen better music and a more variety of bellydancing moves that string together more beautifully. So, all in all... I would definitely recommend getting "Cardio Shimmy" and accompany it with other bellydancing tapes. "The Sensual Art of Bellydance" for beginners and then "The Goddess Workout" set for intermediate and a bit more are great videos. For more advanced, Suzanna DelVecchio has wonderful videos out but you will have to find them online on bellydance websites as they are not sold here. I wish they were. She gives complete instruction and then a good workout with those new moves learned. The audio is not that great, but the instruction and moves are so great I can forgive it.

I'm REALLY surprised at the positive reviews this video set has gotten. As a bellydancer, and daughter of a 20 year certified bellydance instructor, I have to say Rania is one of the WORST professional bellydancers I have seen. I can't believe she has 10 years experience and other videos. She moves like a robot! As far as the workout, each tape has it's fun moments, but they don't last. Pure Sweat is like a bad salsa class with little to no bellydancing, Cardio Shimmy is no fun, Bellydance Boogie & Hip Hop Drop are enjoyable here and there, but the repetitive moves irritate me. The cueing is bad. Alot of the music is "elevator"-ish. The warm-ups and cool-downs are lacking. This video set is fine if you don't know what bellydancing is SUPPOSSED to look like, but if you do, the mechanical movements can at times be distracting. These are definately for people who aren't serious about bellydancing and just want a different kind of dance workout.

Rania of Long Beach has long wanted to set a standard for herself and other women in using bellydance as an art and as a way of fitness. As a CERTIFIED aerobic instructor, she took her time to put this video together.
She accentuates and breaks down ALL parts of the body in a comfortable setting, along with 2 background dancers that follows along just as easy. The exercising is LOW-impact, allowing one who buys this to variate to their own enjoyed pace.
She has some of the best abdominals in bellydance today, and her segment on the area (especially belly rolls) will be a hit with beginning bellydancers, exercise buffs and video collectors alike.
The ending routine that ... all movements taught is well-scripted and designed to read and watch along. Rania's physique is a statement in today;s society: the thicker, the better. You don;t have to be as muscular as her to gain benefits from this workout. If you go at your own pace, you should see benefits. After all, the benefits by looking at her is motivation enough. And, she has more coming set to other forms of music. A MUST for women learning to bellydance.

I find Rania immensely talented, and enjoy the fact that she has women of several body types dancing behind her to follow as well.
I also like the way how she shows how to put moves together. While someone who is looking for just bellydance instruction would probably be unsatisfied with this video, if someone who is looking for a fun, stimulating bellydance based workout, this is great. I don't understand how anyone could think Rania can't dance well, she has been voted by her own peers as "Bellydancer
of the Universe" several times. This is a very motivating workout, and she has a sweet and unthreatening, yet confident style. I love the intensity of the "Cardio Shimmy," I used to have a problem shimmying for any period of time, now I can do it with the best of them hehe. Personally, I like the fact that she is so beautiful and in shape, then I know it works well! Although I'm sure she does alot of weight training to get abs like that. I also love the Bidasha twins, especially the toning tapes and "Sensual" series, and Dolphina, I love her positiveness and spiritual outlook on exercise, although there are better bellydancers out there, she is still pretty darn good.
Also recommend Atea's videos, Slow Moves, Fast Moves, and Magical Motion, I love seeing dancing of all different styles on different body types, that way people can realize you can be beautiful and confident no matter what you look like :o)

I bought this video to add some variety into my generally boring workout routine. Talk about adding interest! I've NEVER had such fun working out!

I was very disappoint about the reviewer who told everyone to save their money... I think she wanted bellydance instruction, not an entertaining workout using bellydance moves. Indeed, if you want bellydance instruction for a dance routine, another video might be better. I (who tend to be quite critical) did not find anything boring or wrong with the music set, and video quailty). However, the tapes are superb for what they are, a refreshingly different workout video using bellydance moves.

I had never done any type of bellydancing before I bought these tapes, but as soon as I finished the first tape, I knew I was hooked. These workouts are FUN and you can really fill it working, plus they make you feel sensual and sexy! Sometimes the moves are a little awkward at first, but with practice, you get the hang of it. These tapes do not really teach you bellydancing, but instead teach you some moves that are used in bellydancing, so you should not expect that you are going to become an expert bellydancer with these. I try to do two tapes a day, three days a week (I have added some other Veena/Neena & Rania tapes to my collection), and I have been keeping up with this routine for about 9 months, which is the longest I've ever been able to keep up an exercise routine. Three of the tapes, do not offer much in the way of Cardio workouts, but are good for toning. I have lost a little weight, and I probably would have lost more had I been more particular with my eating habits. Overall, I think these tapes are great. If you are wanting something different than the same old aerobics stuff, give these a try -- you might be surprised.

These were the worst workout tapes I have owned (and I got rid of them quickly). I bought them because I loved all the Neena and Veena Videos but I found it very hard and boring to follow Ranjas tapes. Ranja herself looks like as if she dances like a robot. No flowing movements, and they way she dances looks like as if it takes a lot of effort out of her. She has no grace at all! I don't recommend these tapes!