Customer Reviews

Bellydance Fitness for Weight Loss featuring Rania: Cardio Shimmy [VHS]

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

 

 

I bought this set before I read the reviews here. I am a personal trainer/fitness instructor, and I thought these workouts were well written, well-produced, and well executed. One of the most difficult things to do as an instructor is break down a new dance style without stopping the workout. Rania did an amazing job of starting techniques slowly, repeating them, layering them, then speeding them up to tempo. After watching the performances at the end, I realised why she left the more strenuous or potentially dangerous moves out of the fitness programs. I was really impressed with the whole set.

When I read through the reviews I noticed that most of the negative reviews came from people proclaiming to be belly dancers. I was a jazz dancer before becoming a fitness professional. There is a big difference between teaching dance for fitness than for teaching dance as an art form. When teaching for fitness, you have to use only the moves that are effective in terms of fitness, safe, and ones that target a range of muscles groups for a well-rounded workout. If you are expecting to learn to really dance, buy a dance instruction tape. If you want to work out safely and effectively using bellydance moves, this set is first class. Congratulations to Rania.

I found this workout challenging and fun. I have studied belly dance for five years, and my teachers rave about Rania. Since alot of belly dance videos on the market are just plain junk, I was happy to see someone teaching real belly dance with good form. The combinations in this workout are excellent for practising shimmies, and it's a good cardio workout. Rania demonstrates her effortless shimmies in a performance at the end. As far as I am concerned, she is the only real dancer with videos on the market today.

This is a good cardio workout. It will help you work up a sweat. However, if you have trouble with high impact stuff she does some hopping here so you might want another video. The thing about Rania is that she's so stiff. Like she's in shape and her workout is great, so if you don't mind the fact that she can't bellydance for her life because she lacks grace and she's so stiff then get this because it really is a good workout video.
The performance at the end is the most atrocious bellydancing I've ever seen in my life. This lady should not have been a bellydancer I'm sorry. She lacks grace, she lacks nusicality. She's not on beat and her facial expressions are horrible. But she can give you a good workout and I guess that's all that matters.

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 was looking forward to this video, because I really liked Neena and Veena's workout video -but Rania has quite a ways to go to be up to speed with dynamic duo. Neither the warmups or workout were especially imaginative or inspiring, hense the mediocre rating. The biggest surprise was that they did not use middle eastern music for either the workout or the performance. I will not be buying another video from Rania.

I love this video. I alternate it with Carmen Electra's Fit To Strip DVD and the Bellydance Boogie, also from Raina. I feel so much more coordinated and sexy since I started doing Cardio Shimmy. I can really feel the burn in my hips and upper thighs as well as my arms and shoulders. It's a great cardio workout without being boring.

This workout kicked my butt!!! I was sweating so much it made me laugh at myself. I love doing aerobics, and this was a fun new twist. After about three weeks, I lost two pounds, and definitely noticed that I could shimmy better and get through the workout more easily. This is definitely a workout using bellydance moves, not a bellydance class.

I'm a both a ballet and Indian dancer, so I thought this video would let me mix in some variety while adding some skill to my dancing. I couldn't have been more wrong. Though I worked up a sweat, the moves in this video are just boring. The basis of the entire workout consists of bending one knee and lifting up a hip and doing the same on the other side. The shoulder shaking and shimmying eventually becomes reminiscent to that of a stripper, and no dance technique is acquired. All in all, the video is a horrible workout, and doesn't work your muscles whatsoever. PLEASE save your money and buy another workout video.

Rania's focus on shimmies takes over this especially energetic bellydance workout. Her youthful exuberance is inspiring and there is a sensual energy throughout. Everyone seems to be having a good time in this workout and the turquoise outfits are beautiful.

At times you are gliding across the floor like a ballerina and then at other times you are doing shimmies and bouncing in four directions, imagine shimmying and then changing directions four times. This makes the workout even more intense. To top if all off, Rania repeats the main exercises so you learn them fast and then includes a choreographed routine at the end.

If you want a bellydance workout with a very challenging and fast-paced routine, then this should satisfy your desire for an all over meltdown - perfect in the winter to heat up your entire body - you can feel the calories melting off. This workout is one I only do if I'm spending the next day in bed reading. But seriously, it is energetic, intense and seems designed for anyone who is intermediate to advanced. This should tighten and tone you all over and you may even notice a difference when you look in the mirror the next day.

~The Rebecca Review

I first got into bellydancing through Veena and Neena's videos and since then have tried many others. I am always interested in trying something new, so I immediately ordered this video. Not only is the music lousy, the set uninspiring, but more importantly the workout is boring. I couldn't make it though the second workout. There is a routine at the end that has nothing to do with what you just learned, which is irratating. I still enjoy after many viewings The Veena and Neena Sensual videos, Dolphina's Goddess Workout videos and Shamira's bellydance video. All of these teach you how to bellydance, while giving you a great workout and teach you a routine YOU can learn!