Customer Reviews

Shakra's Industrial Strength Dance Workout - Tribal Bellydance, World Fusion

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Shakra is 3 women, Bronwen, Na'la and Hilary, who are like 22nd century space Vikings who amaze us with their strength and power, and the incredible speed and precision of their Afro Transfusion dancing. The really good part is that they are excellent teachers, and impart their knowledge so we can do the same (or try to anyway!). You will need to be in heart healthy shape and have lots of agility and athletic ability to do these workouts and dance combinations, and you'll have a lot of fun doing them.

In the 100 minutes of this DVD you'll get: Great safety tips to avoid injury, and some basic technique that helps prepare you for the unique choreography you will be doing in the workouts. There are 2 long workouts, and 2 dance combinations, and a delicious, long "Cooldown" to end with, that incorporates many yoga movements, and really stretches you out nicely. This "Cooldown" could be used as a lovely workout in itself on your non-Afro Transfusion days.

The music goes well with the dance and though not what I usually listen to I find it interesting and very enjoyable. Featured are :wumpscut:, Decoded Feedback, Terrorfakt, Maduro, The Last Dance, and Collide. This music and choreography is new territory for me, and I thoroughly like the adventure. Shakra, with their big black boots, are treading new ground, and "by extracting movements from various dance forms" have created something fresh and exciting. If you want some fast and furious exercise, zoom into the future with Shakra.

Well now, how satisfyingly stompy!

The Shakra girls that make up this tough lookin dancing trio take you through a workout that makes most other exercise programs look \like wet cotton candy. Whew! Where do they get their energy!

But even if this looks like hard work - which it is - it's extremely infectious and empowering. Apart from taking your heart rate up and making you sweat good and proper. Believe me, you're working out.
The Shakra style of dance, "Transfusion" is their own experimental blend of African, bhangra, bellydance tribal fusion, and whatever else catches their fancy. You'd think the moves stick out distinctly - but they don't. The whole thing is a smooth blend so that every movement belongs right where it is. I find that remarkable. As they dance, the girls (as I like to think of this powerful looking gang) create an interesting atmosphere. Like many dances, that aura isn't "look at me" but more like "watch out, here I come". I'd get out of the way if I were me! This is possibly why it feels quite uniquely empowering and very different from doing the usual cardio and aerobics workouts you see around. Yep, the same ones you can't tell one from the other. The ones where a spandex-clad doll goes whee whoo and prances about with impossibly flat abs, leaving you wondering what just happened and why your abs still look the same.

On this video, you learn the moves, along with the necessary safety tips, and do them along right from the start. The pacing is wonderful and natural. The girls then take the move from first gear (on-the-beat tempo) to second gear or double time. They move faster, sometimes going right into "overdrive". There are stretches and counter movements in between sets of high-energy steps so that you don't overuse parts of your body or leave them open to injury. This is very expertly done, in my opinion. The moves are also put into combinations that you can learn and then use for little workouts - or do repeatedly for a good solid cardio session. The whole program focuses on strength and flexibility through powerful movements which will get you thoroughly exercised and increase your stamina. You may feel tired a few times but after a bit you'll feel exhilarated and get that well-known exercise-high.
Transfusion would probably not be my choice of dance style because I really do love all the soft, sensual bellydancing I'm learning; but as an exercise form, this workout is most impressive.

Normaly I dont review that much,But I have to say I had alot of fun with this workout,I'm alittle older(50's).My kids laughed at me,but I liked it,gets your heart pumping and your whole body working,the instruction is very well done.Also it keeps you interested enough so you dont zone out and go into auto pilot.The music is interesting.Wish they did more of dvds.

I was thrilled when this DVD came out--I know the ladies from my dancing in the DC area days. In person, it is amazing to hear their booted feet hit the floor in unison, and I was hoping this unity would translate into DVD format.
World Dance and Shakra did not disappoint. First, the good: there is definitely a bellydance root in their dance, so many of the moves are familiar in some form. For those with no bellydance experience, there is a fantastic breakdown of every step. For those of us with no familiarity with African influenced dance, not to worry--the breakdown helps us, too. There is a great section on safety and form, and the ladies remind us throughout about posturing, turning, and foot placement. I found myself being a bit timid with the DVD at first, slowly trying movements outside my comfort zone, but by my third time through it, I felt completely comfortable to step outside the familiar and let my perma-pretty (as my students call it) arms go and flick in the air, circle, and even make fists.
The ladies are easy to hear, their full bodies in frame so that you can see their feet nearly at all times, and each of them have a definite personality when they present, which was captured nicely on DVD. The lighting is bright (it has been a comment in the past that some World Dance videos are a bit dark), and presentation fantastic.
To say the title of the moves would give no indication of the content, so let me sum it up thusly: There are variations on marches, grapevines, and twist steps, and variations with arm/shoulder circles in all angles, including pulling the shoulder blades straight in, in a move that made my lats hurt for 2 days. There are plie-style marches, varations on spine rolls, and a 1950's pony-esque march that I find just incredibly fun...once I got the hang of it. The strength part of the title comes from, I feel, the increased leg strength, shoulder flexibility, and endurance I got from this.

Now, the bad: There is no performance. You can find them on the Gothic BD: Revelations, but on this DVD, there is no performance section.

Great value for the cost.

Different but cool!
Shakra is three outstanding dancers interpreting their vision of industrial dance, performed beautifully in sync, and with high energy. This is a powerful work out that you will feel especially in the upper torso and arms. These gals don't fool around.
I begin this program with skepticism, but halfway into it, I found an enjoyable,high energy dance that I could easily join into. The dark garb and stomp boots is not typical for me so, I joined in barefoot just to try it out .
Industrial dance by Shakra is the influence of hip hop, bangra, belly dance and African dance, taken into their own interpretation. They are a deviation from the norm and take an eclectic mix of the above dances into their own variation of speed and combinations.
The dance is performed in speeds, called "gears"with variations from first gear to overdrive
Safety tips necessary to perform the dance safely are included as well.
Dance technique emphasizes posture, while executing these basic moves: pulsing, flat back, weight transfers, chest and head slides, drop knee, chest lifts, etc..
The basic moves are executed with power and thrusting behind isolated moves which make them appear mechanical and robotic. The instruction is clear, and user friendly and one is encouraged to repeat the segments as needed.
The workout is intense and targets hips, oblique, arms, torso, in brief you will feel every body part awaken.
The "reach" section is my favorite, intense but increasing strength and flexibility.
The drill section begins with a grapevine and stomp, fling step, twist step, elbow hits, which are fun and great for coordination. Putting all these basics together to create combinations one and two while using different speeds was challenging but great fun.
A cool down with yoga follows this lengthy work out which is approximate ninety minutes.
Overall, this was different for me, but aside from the great workout, I
am ready for the techno-industrial dance floor.

Shakra has effectively combined ancient dances to create a modern workout. To be honest, I did not think I would like this DVD very much, but I was wrong! I love it! It is so much fun! I loved the music and the moves are really fun to do! I love that it is in sections, so that when life happens, you at least can get a section or two in before having to go rescue someone or fix the dishwasher that just leaked all over the kitchen floor! This is fun! Try it!

I really loved the way these girls personalities came out in the intro, but this was otherwise disappointing. The pace of this workout was way off. For every 3 minutes of movement there seemed to be a whole minute where you stop everything and talk. It seems this workout was clumsily put together and so was the menu system. The workout feels like it goes on forever but the next day, the only place I feel it is in my hamstrings.
The long and short of it is, I'd much rather have bought a video of their performances (which are strangely only glimpsed on the DVD) than the workout. Though, to be fair, the music track is great and the moves are fun. Overall, just poorly put together. Sorry Shakra!

This is good for a workout and muscle toning, but there is not very much dance in this DVD. As far as an actual dance routine there is about a three minute routine, and another two minute routine at the end of the DVD. For me that is not enough if you are going to title it a "dance workout". It's more muscle toning with a bit of aerobics to simi-creepy music. The moves are fun and I did feel like I had gotten a good workout at the end. The moves are extremely easy. It's a good workout to do when you don't want to have to think too hard. I have only done it twice in the few months that I have owned it. I would not buy it again however since I now own it will occasionally do the workout.

Previews always make things look so easy and it can be so misleading. I bought this dvd awhile ago excited at the opportunity to learn what looked to me to be really cool dancing (it still is fun). When I saw the preview of it I was so excited and I ordered it almost right away. My gripes with it however have led this dvd to remain on my shelf for now until I have more dancing experience. They spend very little time on the precautions and foot movements before diving right in with a go go go pace. It seems they should have mentioned at some point in the beginning that this is not a beginner workout dvd. If you want to get a good workout, I would suggest finding something easier before starting on the Shakra Industrial Workout. I couldn't even make it 15 minutes in when I started it. I'm in somewhat better shape now and will eventually try it again but if you are a true beginner like me and have no dancing background, buy this dvd later rather than sooner.

I love gothic/industrial music and dancing to it!

I liked the way it looked in the clip, but I didn't expect it to be so fun. It is fast becoming my favorite workout dvd!

If you like sweating to goth/industrial music GET THIS!

I can't say enough good about this dvd, my only (tiny) gripe is that the second workout doesn't seem as long as the first.