Product Details

• Actors: Ava Fleming
• Producers: Suzy Evans, International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000ERHFUC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #249,174 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Different from what I thought but just as great!, October 2, 2006

By 

Eden Russell (Provincetown, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learn Dynamic Combinations with Ava Fleming - Belly Dance Instructional DVD (DVD)

It's very important that the item you've ordered online meets your expectations. Without an extensive trailer or various reviews it's hard to make a judgement.

When started looking around for new material I already felt confident enough with the basic and some intermediate steps but when thinking up my own choreographies I was lost. I knew this or that hip movement but there came the question, how do I make the transition between one combination and the other? I really needed something to give me ideas how to change between two static movements to make a complete dance. When I ordered this DVD I believed I would get a breakdown of traveling steps - there are such sections on some DVDs. It turned out to be 12 combinations that could make a long choreography comprising exclusively of traveling steps.

Ava is a very beautiful and athletic dancer, model and actress. She's an excellent teacher, being always right on the point. While other instructors sometimes take their time to digress, every word of Ava's is focused on the current task. She can be taken as a single measure of immaculate perfection.

The setting is simple but just right for what she teaches (I believe all IAMED productions are filmed in the same room). Ava is dressed in a dark outfit which at first would make you think she could blend with the background but she doesn't. Everything can be seen very well. After a very brief introduction Ava begins with her combinations.

(in order as they appear on the DVD)

1. Super Dancer Entrance - a very good combination comprising of several seperate traveling steps. As the title suggests, it's perfect as an entrance.

2. Super Dancer with Spice Entrance - another great one for entry. Works quite well with or without a veil, after the first combo or as a seperate choice.

3. Stomach Pops - one of my favorites. Comprising of the "stomach pops" and egyptian (knee) shimmy. Ava's knee shimmy is amazing! She breaks down the technique of the shimmy. Popping the stomach (sharp contractions and sharp releases) is a real spice!

4. Quick change - another favorite of mine. As AVa suggests, it's perfect for a small stage. It comprises of cha-cha steps, camels and figure 8s.

5. Sahra style - it takes interesting spirals across the stage.

6. Angelika style - I've seen it a lot on pop songs but when I tried it with a drum solo it didn't look "right". It's a harder one. Ava's explanation of the hagalla really taught me that step, finally.

7. Saucy Hips - suitable for a drum solo because of the hip accents.

8. Funky Figure 8s - just right for limited space and a top tune.

9. Funky Hip Twsists - another one good for pop songs. An easy and effective combo.

10. 3/4 camel with transitions - probably the hardest combination on the DVD and in my opinion the best too. Very beautiful if done right.

11. Boto Fogo - I have no idea where the name comes from. Suitable for drum solos too. A series of hip accents with a basic step and hip drops.

12. Sassy Hips - another nice combination. Last one on the DVD.

A performance by Ava follows demonstrating these combinations plus many others not taught in the DVD.

What I loved about this DVD:

1. Ava drops reminders about body posture. Thank you Ava.

2. She makes a point to show how certain things should NOT be done or what they should NOT look like. Often when I do something on my own I can't quite pinpoint what appears wrong. Great leads here.

3. There's plenty of repetition from both sides but when it starts getting tedious she moves on to something else.

What I didn't quite like so much:

--Ava dances a lot on releve. I'm 5'9" and plump. As much as I try I don't look graceful on tiptoes and also for the comfort of my feet I prefer stepping on the whole foot if possible.

Even though this DVD doesn't belong to my "cheap items" list, it's well-priced for its almost 2 hours of run time and good quality. The material is presented in an excellent way and lots of it I haven't seen anywhere at all. For those of you who have danced ballet before some of it may look familiar... but still fresh and spiced-up. Probably most useful to the intermediate dancers it has combinations simple enough to be easily mastered by beginners and some are a bigger challenge. I warmly recommend this DVD.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great instructional video, August 23, 2007

By 

dreamdancer "dreamdancer" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learn Dynamic Combinations with Ava Fleming - Belly Dance Instructional DVD (DVD)

An excellent, easy to follow instructional video. Best for intermediate, but a beginner could learn and thee are technigqes for advanced belly dance students.

3 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ava is AWESOME, May 24, 2006

By 

Dawn N. Riggs "dnoelle" (Reno, NV, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learn Dynamic Combinations with Ava Fleming - Belly Dance Instructional DVD (DVD)

Although I have not seen the video, I took lessons with Ava for more than a year and have seen her perform on several occasions. She is, by far, the best belly dance instructor around. Her attention to posture, technique, and presentation is flawless.