Customer Reviews

Bellydance Superstars: Introduction to Bellydance

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

 

 

According to the interviews with the dancers (in the extras at the end of the DVD) the four BDSS who made this (Sonia, Bozenka, Amar Gamal and Saida) only found out they would be making this a few days before filming while they were in Monte Carlo, and they just sort of threw it together. For a quickie DVD it's not that bad, they go through all the basic moves, and the video quality is not bad, if you like the dancers it's worth $11 bucks, but there are better DVDs to learn the basics from (try Amira's Belly Dance 101 DVD, a quality instructional video of belly dancing basics for beginners). The DVD offers a warmup and cooldown, but it's not a workout DVD. If the menu was a little more organized and would list and let you jump to individual movements instead of big groups ('hips'), I'd rate it a little higher. Also if they'd given us at least one real bonus performance from these very talented dancers it would have been nice (there's a group dance with all four girls, but it is sort of disorganized and very beginner).

I was very disappointed with this DVD! The instruction was okay, but unlike other instructional DVD's the dance was not choreographed step by step for the student to perform the steps to a dance at the end of the lessons. The last piece of the DVD, just had the instructors performaning the movements. Very disappointing!

I actually really like this dvd, even though they had a couple days to throw things together, I think it's really good, the moves they showed really help me practice at home, I only go to bellydance classes once a week, and this dvd shows me everything I need to practice for class, I think it's really helpful for anyone who is starting bellydance, but already knows some basics. Plus they break down moves that I haven't figured out, to where I finally have them figured out! So if you are a beginner, or just looking for practice, I would recommend this dvd.

I love Saida's teaching part in this DVD. She really gives a lot of information and shows different variations of hip circles. However, there were no performances at the end, which was dissipointing.

I think it's worth the price, and more for an advanced beginner, since I felt it didn't have enough detailed instruction for a brand new beginner.

Even though this was thrown together, the lack of choices in the chapters & sometimes the background music is so low, you can't hear it, the immense content of basic moves is great. You get about an hour of pure instruction. Luckily if you choose music only, it's different then the ones with the narration so you can always hear the music.
All the women narrated over their teaching. All did the movements in 1/4 time, 1/2 time & normal speed at least 2-3x if not more for all movements & did both or all directions & both sides of the body.
Sonia was overcareful, over enunciating so she made it feel slow w/slow/relaxed music that was boring. Bozenka was good pace, but you couldn't hear the music at all, so seemed a bit slow. Amar Gamal from Bellydance Jam was awesome with faster pace in teaching then the rest, but still complete & easy to follow & used the fast beat music that was fun. Saida was also taught well & the music was interesting, but not fast & the music was low.
The warm-up & cool down was good & done well. The final after the cool down was all of them dancing slowly for a while & then normal speed so you can follow, but the music was very energizing with a fast pace that made you want to move faster. They showed some hip movements, but mostly traveling steps some w/hip movements as well.
I did see a few things I'd never seen before or rarely see on bellydance instruction/workouts - crescents, 3/4 shimmies, hagala shimmy (circle movement w/hip like thought extra step on stairs but there isn't), sit circle (half the circle you sit back), 1/2 wide hip circle w/full torso swing.
Considering it was thrown together, I think these women did a wonderful job & you do get a lot of teaching even if there is lack of music. The pace maybe a bit slow, they really make sure you never have to hit that rewind button by teaching you the moves so slow in 1/4 speed (too slow even for me, I think 1/2 speed is perfect).
I think they showed almost every basic move: undulations of the ribs only, hips only, rib slide, hip circles, hip bumps, hip lifts/drops w/kicks, figure 8s vertical & horizontal, hip twists, hip circles, omi, snakes arms, shoulder shimmies, hip shimmies, etc. & they showed at least 4-5 traveling steps in the final part.
Again, this is for beginners & the pace is too slow for a workout. For anyone else, you will be bored with it.

You can find previews on youtube under "Introduction to Bellydance Technique BDSS" & "Saida, Bozenka, Sonia y Amar Gamal en Montecarlo"

Although this was clearly thrown together, the dancers did an excellent job of instuction under the circumstances. These women are the best of the best. This was not intended to be a workout or performance video but rather an intro to BD movements and isolations and that is exactly what it provides, nothing more. I have many, many BD videos. Each of them provide something but none of them provide everything. That's what you take a class for. I would recommend it and have purchased one for myself and one as a gift.

I don't recommend purchasing this dvd at all, if you're curious, rent it first. Thankfully I know all of these women are fantastic dancers, because you wouldn't know it by this dvd. And I'm sure they are good teachers in person, but on this dvd they come across as bored and unhappy.

The entire thing is dubbed, and not that well, in fact at times it seems like the voice track might be off especially with Sonia's incessant counting. The set was ok, girls dressed in black (when will producers figure out colors are easier to see?) but the lighting was so harsh that it left the girls looking washed out to the point of distraction on Saida's lips.

It ended with a final dance (after the cooldown) that I'm assuming is meant to be followed along with, there are no verbal cues but it's so slow and basic that it's not hard to follow. No costumed performaces, the bonus footage is bizarre behind the scenes mixed with interviews during a day on the town, half in Spanish.

Instruction itself was so-so, definitely slow paced, but there are so many better dvd's on the market I would skip this one.

Java Bleue is an excellent reproduction of music from one of France's best and most distinguished "Torch Song"-era vocalists. A must for anyone itnerested in music from that era, whether French speaking or not.