Customer Reviews

The Goddess Workout with Dolphina - Advanced Bellydance for the Warrior Goddess [VHS]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This video is more of a workout than Dolphina's intro to bellydance-- which is as expected since this is for the "warrior goddess" as opposed to the beginning goddess. The moves are much harder to master (I'm a little rusty and plan to go back to the beginner for a refresher now). Focuses some on the "core" abdominal muscles-- perhaps a little Pilates style coaching. I definitely felt my abs being stretched! The focus/direction in this video allow the viewer to see *all* of the whole body's movements--not just head & shoulder shots. Sometimes Dolphina does go a bit fast in "how to" do the movement-- you'll have to think about it and practice the moves a number of times before mastery. Keep your clicker handy & rewind and pause. It'll give you more workout time, anyway-- and we all know you need at least 20 minutes of workout till you get that fatburning anyway!

The set is gorgeous and interesting; I always wonder where they find these places-- Dolphina is great, too, but (yay) gone are the "cheesier" aspects of video one, those superimposed shots of Dolphina's head (a la Debbie does Dallas).

The routine & cool down do, however, feature two new bellydance costumes that can give you some ideas for your own costuming. (For those of us addicted to the clothing/fashion of bellydance too). During the rest of the video, Dolphina's clothing is more what you would wear to a bellydance class, as opposed to a performance.

I only gave this one four stars because it is definitely not for beginners, and I felt I would have liked to be able to hear more of the middle eastern music that goes with this style of dance. But that's just being really picky on my part. I also think it's going to be much harder for most people to master, so you'll want to get another bellydance video first if you're just starting out.

But primarily, for intermediate to advance bellydancers, this will give you much more of a workout and fatburning once mastered. It's worth being part of your collection-- anything to keep the fitness video boredom from setting in!

Still, even the best video will never replace an in-person instructor. Use this for days when there's no class in town, and go meet your fellow bellydance devotees at a dance studio near you!

I bought the first video Dolphina outputted, and while I did like it, I did have a few problems with the camera focusing on her midriff, not showing the moves well enough.
Dolphina in this video has resolved a lot of issues that many online reviewers complained about. First of all, the camera does not linger on her torso or face extensively. In this video you pretty much get a full body shot throughout so you can see all she is doing.
She's simplified things somewhat, too, wearing comfy pants and a tank top throughout most of the video, so you can more easily see her movements, until she changes into a costume for the dance routine at the end and for the cooldown. I'll admit I miss all the costumes from the first one; I thought they were beautiful to look at and they offered some great ideas for designing your own.
I've got probably close to 20 bellydance workout videos at home, and whereas some of them gel together (same moves, different dancer, slightly different order) in this one Dolphina offers more variety.
The workout focuses more on the lower body and it's a lot more challenging. The first time I worked out to it I really, really felt it in my abs (like doing situps but you're actually incorporating ab exercises into dance moves).
Dolphina also shows you a lot of dance steps ("Mayas," "camels," "dolphins" and so on) and layers moves to offer a more challenging workout.
The first time I did the routine I could not mimic all the moves and even rewound some parts to better get a feel for the steps (she does, by the way, explain them very well, but they are more complicated, so if you're out of shape or out of practice you'll have more work in store for you), and I personally liked that. After doing this workout maybe three times a week (but still working out to other bellydance tapes in between), my pants feel a little bit looser and I'm definitely feeling stronger and more powerful, really like a warrior goddess.
The dance routine toward the end is pretty involved, and you can get a better idea of Dolphina's dancing skills, too. It definitely a more difficult workout, and I'm very happy with this tape.

I could barely work my way through this video once. I have been belly dancing off and on for two years, so many of the moves were familiar to me. I bought this with the expectation that I would be able to practice and enhance my belly dancing while getting in shape at the same time. This video was not helpful as a fitness program - I did not feel as though I had worked out at all. Also many of the moves favored one side of the other, giving an uneven practice and learning. I also thought that several techniques were not adequately explained or showed, and was therefore hard to follow, even with my prior belly dance knowledge.
Overall, I was disappointed. I did, however, enjoy the opening goddess salutation, and felt well-stretched and enlivened after that.

This video picks up after the Introduction to Bellydance video. I think it is much better. The camera work is better (not perfect though), Dolphina took out her hideous hair weave, dropped the false sexuality and speaks to the viewer like we're a familiar friend.

In this video, like in her other videos we start with a warm up, move on to the technique sections (divided into sections for the upper and lower body), practice a short routine and then end with a cool down. From the beginning of the workout to the end, it's about 40-45 minutes.

Dolphina has some difficulties with keeping time. She sometimes counts unevenly.

As in the the other videos, the scenery and outfits are really beautiful to see.

Even after many months of owning this video, it still presents a challenge. It is also fun because after a few tries, you can feel that you are really getting the hang of the moves. You can feel that you are doing something beautiful with your body.

I recommend this video for advanced beginners, who are no longer challenged by Veena and Neena's beginner's workout videos.

There is nothing that I did not like about this dvd. Dolphina's cues are right on and you can see her entire body the majority of the time so you don't get lost while learning. This is a combination workout and dance lesson. While it is targeted for someone who knows a bit about belly dancing, I think a beginner would not get lost.

For the workout part, I definitely felt the heat. It is a good core workout. The dance choreography is more challenging and advanced but fun all the same. Dolphina is personable but not showy. I am very impressed!

Mostly, my low review comes from not being huge fan of the "arabesque" move. I was disappointed that it was relied on so heavily for this video. I've always preferred layering moves(think drum solo focus on belly/hips) to travelling steps. I would have preferred if she had used more layering moves. Theres a shimmy section (which gets you're heart rate up for a few mintues), and a hip section and an abs section (which are okay), but then a lot of travelling steps. If you are another dancer who prefers layering over travelling steps, don't get this video.

Do to the lack of layering (sorry, bitter) you don't get a great workout.

Also,I don't like the way it is broken up into sections: can't we mix it up!!

THIS is much better, much improved than her first one. I guess Dolphina was listening or reading to all the "not so flattering reviews" { although I enjoyed that one but not as much as this second one}
The quality is excellent, background is simple but soothing to the eye{ water...dessert like areas...}And Dolphina herself is pleasant to look at{ actually more like a GODDESS!!!}
The workout is challenging{ not for the ones whose clueless in bellydancing, that's why it's advance!}and very good abdominals workout and some good legs workout as well.
The workout start with warm goddess salutations, it's yoga-like but without the push-up-cobra-downward dog pose. Then on to
Hips {fun}, Arms and Upper body {short but sweet}, Undulations, {love those camel and dolphin {a new one to me} movements plus some legs movement}. Followed by Combination movements{ smooth to sharp, steps, hip cirle to chest circle, mambo steps, arabesque, etc} you will be challenged to this one. Then the wonderful shimmy movements. Dolphina finishes it with an exhilarating Routine{ beware though: a bit faster for me to follow but I will get this part downpat in the near future!!! and the steps turn can get confusing..} then a short cool down. The workout is 50 minutes long.
This workout will make you sweat and satisfied. I can't get enough of it, I'm doing it daily {well, almost}.This is worthy of your money. Most importantly you will have fun learning the moves and feeling like a goddess while burning calories.
Go ahead and try it!

Despite so much criticism of Dolphina's videos, I enjoyed her Goddess Workout.
Dolphina's technique is not precise, she doesn't finish her movements, her transitions are blurry and sometimes random. However, if you are already familiar with the vocabulary of bellydance, it works.
"Warrior Goddess" is an exercise program, not instruction. If you think of it as a fitness class where you casually follow the instructor, and you know all the moves, this video is fun! Yes, the camera occasionally focuses on the wrong body parts, but, again, if you have experience studying bellydance, you know what Dolphina is doing- her dance vocabulary is simple and doesn't require a lot of effort to figure out. I love the sun-lit California swimming pool and blue sky, Dolphina is dancing on a white "island" in the middle of the pool. I like the colors, Dolphina's outfits, and I like that she is very comfortable in front of the camera and that she talks. Unlike some other video bellydance instructors, Dolphina doesn't look tense or lost, she doesn't make "sexy" or "sultry" faces. Her casual easy attitude makes me feel relaxed. I don't care for the "every woman is a goddess" motivational talk, but I don't care for chakras and mudras either - even though I do yoga. If you can digest yogic fantasies, you won't mind Dolphina's stuff, it's mild.

I loved this video! I have been belly dancing for about two and a half years now, since I bought the first Goddess Workout. I have used several other tapes since, but I always love returning to Dolphina.

The first thing I must emphasize is that THIS VIDEO IS PART OF A SERIES. Do not try to jump right into this video if you have no belly dancing experience. Better yet, become familiar with the first video before attempting this one. Moves to be especially comfortable with are: Camels, Snake Arms, Snakes, Undulations, and Shimmies. If you have mastered these moves, Warrior Goddess should not be too difficult for you. However, the Warrior Goddess video does offer a new challenge to those who have mastered the Goddess Workout, so it is definitely worth buying. Also, if you are a fan of Neena and Veena's Beyond Basic Dance, you should be able to pick up the moves in Warrior Goddess without much trouble, as Neena and Veena use many similar moves.

I have read some of the complaints about Dolphina talking too much during the workout, but I have to disagree. I find her mood to be playful and fun, and it kept me going during the hips, buns, and thighs section when I thought I was going to collapse! I felt as though I was getting a great workout, and had a blast doing it. This tape is a wonderful addition to any belly dance enthusiast's video library.

Dolphina's instruction was quite good and she sets a good pace, as well as being a good dancer. However, the filming was terrible; it was often impossible to see her do the step she was teaching! If I were not an experienced bellydancer, I would have been completely unable to follow the steps.