Customer Reviews

Dance of the Kama Sutra With Hemalayaa

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've done the Carmen Elektra stuff, and pretty much got what I expected, but when I did this one, I was really surprised by the shift in perspective. Being sexy isn't about impressing a partner with moves -- it's about being in touch with yourself and your sensual nature, and reveling in that. Hemalayaa is an excellent guide! I had tried her Bollywood Workout and had a lot of fun with it. Her DVDs just keep getting better!

I have to admit that I first sneered when I saw this and then I thought "why not?". I am glad that I purchased this. It's a me video. Not a perform become a bellydance star video. I enjoyed just doing some of the sitting down workouts. I did it even at work. The music is relaxing. And Hemalayaa's words of believing yourself and dancing the way you feel and showing how you can more was beautiful and even easy for a beginner. I am glad I didn't walk away from this DVD. It will be cherished in my collection and I look forward to getting another DVD with Hemalayaa.

Hemalayaa has given women all over the world an incredible gift in this video. It is like no other video out there. So many of us in our day to day work have lost our luscious sensuality. It makes you feel so good. This video is absolutely gorgeous, the filming, the details, the music, and the reference to our human spirit. I think all women should be given this as a gift. My sister loved it too. There certainly is nothing else like it right now in the U.S.

There are sections to this DVD, however, it really feels as if it is meant to be used as a whole. I do think maybe if I were to do it again, I might skip the first section, though, as the whole DVD seemed to build a little too slow for me. I understood that it was a slow dance, but just a little faster build might be better.

I did enjoy the DVD, though, and several times found I had a small smile on my face. The main reasons I only scored a three is the slow build and the fact that I probably wouldn't use the DVD frequently. However, if you have some quiet "me" time and want to relax and feel seductive, this would be a good option.

SECTIONS:

Invocation: Heart Awareness (6 minutes) -

quiet meditation to set the mood

Open the Neck and the Eyes (13 minutes) -

Gentle neck rolls and stretches, followed by eye movements. Then the start of some gentle dancing cat pose varations, including some nice arm circles

The Offering (9 minutes) -

Gentle, seductive, rolling on the floor, cobra, dancing legs while lying on the back. Builds into the next section, adding some arm movements.

Seduction with the Arms (8 minutes) -

Arm movements, floor dancing, various seductive poses remaining on the floor

Standing Moves (6 minutes) -

Slowly coming to standing, and gentle dancing

Circle, Sway, & Focus ( 7 minutes)

Dancing adding hip movements and sways.

I love Hemalayaa's other DVDs. Yoga, Bollywood, I have them all. My instinct when I see she's come out with something new is to scoop it up quickly. This video, however, was a bit disappointing. It'd make a great workshop, as the moves are designed to celebrate and make you feel good about your body, and I feel like that'd be even more powerful in a group setting. The moves are even kind of fun to do. However, they mostly entail writhing around on the floor, and while it was somewhat relaxing, I didn't get much of a workout out of it. I was hoping that I could do some sensual dance, not take myself too seriously, but also get in my exercise for the day. Not so. There's a bunch of instruction in here about working your gaze, and then most of the rest is learning to move slowly and deliberately, in a flowing way. I must say, had I made up a sensual dance by myself, it would have included all of these elements :) There wasn't anything surprising about the routine.

I love watching Hemalayaa (she really is beautiful), but even the bonus dance routine she did was a little tedious. I'm hoping she'll release another yoga DVD soon.

This video is excellent! It's for any woman that wants to move her body, learn to love the body she's in and make it something sensual for her partner. This video allows for a lot of self expression and self interpretation. After doing this video a few times, your body will begin to have it's own movement and rhythm...perform these movements for yourself or for a lover and WOW. Sensual, empowering, beautiful, feminine and incredibly fluid, this is an exotic dance video without being demeaning or without objectifying anyone. Simply amazing. And perfect for any body type or fitness level. Smile and enjoy yourself. Is there anything sexier?

This dvd is a pleasant surprise. Flawed a bit in instruction but mostly a pleasure. Hemalayaa leads a simple and very sensual practice, most of which is done on the floor (always a good thing for me!). She encourages the viewer to think of a beloved one--either a lover, a friend, or a god/dess--and to devote the practice to your beloved.

The movements are very slow. It feels like a luxurious stretch but when you watch Hemalayaa do it you quickly realize just how sexy a stretch can be, especially when it is done very slowly. It would be easy to dismiss some of the instructions as silly (look coyly at your love, offer flowers from the heart) but in the context of the video these all sound like lovely and loving suggestions. I was able to easily follow along, for the most part, until the practice moved to a standing one. Moving from a sitting to a standing movement was a challenge for me and would probably be difficult for people with hip or knee problems.

But this is a "dance" and moving with your own body is what this workout is all about. You won't be dripping sweat. This isn't hard cardio. Think more a dancing yoga practice meant to awaken your inner seductress. Anyone who is uncomfortable in her own body will surely become more confident watching and practicing along with this dvd. I would imagine that even the most clumsy woman will find herself moving in ways that feel sexy and the body learns and listens from repetition. Muscle memory will be there when you want to feel sexy and you may find yourself moving in ways that before you would have felt either uncomfortable doing or unattractive in attempting.

What is most remarkable is that throughout it all I didn't catch myself thinking, "Of course she looks sexy doing that--look at her." Instead, I just allowed myself to follow along, enjoy the experience, and follow along with Hemalayaa's gentle lead. My only disappointment in this whole practice is that she didn't suggest at the beginning the object of love for whom the viewer is doing this dance could be the self. At the end she does say something about loving the self and that love begins with loving one's self. I hope more people watching and doing this dvd will dedicate their practice to themselves. I think that would be a great blessing.

I loved this video. women forget what charms we have been born with, this video brings some of that charm back. Hemealayaa is so beautful and moves like a ribon in a breeze, I loved being brought back to my body. We forget that we even have a body during the busy day. We dont move our bodies enough, so if we make the slightest wrong moves our back goes out , we walk and move so stifly. I felt like a sexy goddess after doing this . Hopfully if I do it several times a week it will carry through the day and I will feel like a woman again. throw those jeans and tennis shoes away and be sexy like you were meant to be. The background and furnishings were like being in an Indian palace, and music was moving through the body. I have to give 5 stars to this as everything was very well put together, also her voice and instructions were slow enough I could follow and understand.

This workout is hard to discribe. Slow, sensious movements combined with some yoga poses (like cat and cobra). It has some dance movements, but everything is slow. It's physically and mentally relaxing, and it's not cardio. I liked it and would use it for relaxation after a stressful day. Hemalayaa offers positive commentary throughout, in voice-over format. The set and music are beautiful as usual.

At one point you do a mudra over your ovaries while Hemalayaa talks about your chi, also they show her lighting incense at an alter with statues (Shiva and Kali?), so if this is going to offend your personal religion, just be warned.

This is a gentle, enjoyable, feminine workout. I enjoy it as a change of pace from my athletic style workouts. Holistic, integrated fitness is more than calorie burn and firming. This workout is flowing, body conscious, and very centering. It definitely has a place in my rotation.