Search - 12 Hottest Bellydance Moves on DVD

Specificity, please?

Isis | 05/24/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I had the opportunity to preview this video before purchase, and am glad to have been able to do so. This DVD fails in establishing a specific crowd and intention, and instead is all over the place. It is titled as another "follow the crowd" movie aimed to the masses, but isn't necessarily beginner or intermediate, and the instructor, Layla, has a typical blend of sex kitten meets Egyptian cabaret. Like any "good" fitness instructor, she throws in some yoga terms for good measure, since yoga is popular, too.

The moves she presents are basic, and outlined below, however, she does "variations" of them, and later on, layers them. She also uses western dance terms (releve, etc.) which newcomers may not know. Because of this, I'm not sure who exactly her crowd is, other than those who are familiar with jazz/ballet, and are looking to (in Layla's words) "spice up" their love lives or create a shoddy representation of belly dance for fun, foreplay, a quick buck, or an odd jazz fusion incorporating typical belly dance moves.

The DVD begins with a very short stretch warm-up, maybe about 6 minutes, and then heads into the moves considered to be the "hottest."

-Snake Arms
-Shoulder Shimmy
-Chest Circles
-Camels
-Reverse Camels
-Figure 8s
-Mayas
-Hip Down
-Lock Downs
-Hip Circles
-Traveling Moves (step touch)
-Egyptian Shimmy
-Hand Positions (aptly titled....)
the headache
the double headache
the shy girl
the cute girl
the hair (lifting hair)

Basic posture is never explained, though Layla does give pointers for upper body posture, usually half way through each move, but she does make sure to point out some common mistakes with the posture in the moves. After introducing the basic step, she layers it, and I'm not sure a beginner could accomplish everything in this section of the DVD. After this she moves on to a "workout" section, which somewhat focuses on certain areas of the body, such as...

Hands, Arms and Chest
Abs
Thighs and Hips
Shimmy

It is during this part of the DVD that I became really confused as to what it was intended for, as these are basic belly dance moves, but Layla is almost mute during this whole section, usually chiming in what she is doing as a mere afterthought. This section has some fast movement and layering, again, and without letting the viewer know what is going on, frustration ensues.

Next, there is a very short yoga inspired cool-down with requisite yoga terms and a rather cheesy final shot. This is followed by one short performance which was somewhat bland, but convinced me that Layla isn't a fly-by-night "belly dancer" (at least in the loosest sense of the term) and has some skill to be showcased.

There are pros to this DVD...
-Layla's performance costume is actually nice and provides ideas
-The video work is decent and showcases the moves well
-The background is serene and appropriate
-The music is acceptable, though not the best
-Layla seems to be sincere

I think the issue with this DVD is Layla doesn't seem to know what she wanted to present, as she has a smorgasbord of moves, layers, and music (techno to cabaret), but doesn't know how to synthesize. She also seems to be going through a personal practice session rather than a teaching session, which leads her to not verbalize what she is doing, and it is up to the viewer to keep up with her. In spite of this, the drills ("workout" section) are decent for someone of intermediate maybe intermediate beginner who is looking to improve "hand-eye coordination," but I wouldn't recommend the DVD for much else."