Search - Instructional Bellydance With Jillina, Level 3 on DVD

Very nicely done, clear photography & instructions

Ramona | Atlanta, Georgia USA | 02/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been really enjoying this DVD for quite a while now. My family enjoys watching the performances, and I've been working with the instructional portion. The photography is very nice, Jillina gives clear directions about each movement, and the menu is segmented so that you can easily find what you want to work on. I really liked the fact that the movement combinations were numbered 1,2,3,etc., because that makes it easy to find where you left off last time so you can go directly to what you want to work on. This is also one of the least expensive DVDs in my collection---most bellydance DVDs of this quality cost a lot more. Kudos to Jillina on doing a great job! I own the other 2 DVDs in the set, they're equally wonderful."

Several Months Of Classes In A Box

Parthena Black | Oklahoma | 05/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jillina is one of the best and most professional dancers in the country. Not only is her dancing superb, as a choreographer she has been instrumental in bringing the Bellydance Superstars and the Desert Roses on stage to elevate bellydance to its rightful status in the world of fine performing art.

I've been taking classes for about seven months now. My goal is to become an instructor so I need to perfect my own moves as well as considering different teaching styles. At intermediate level, I found Jillina easy to follow. Her verbal instruction is good and the photography allows you to see the move from head to toe as well as including very good closeup shots. Jillina is in front of a mirror, so you also get to see front and back. I think I've only seen this in one other DVD, Rachel Brice's.

I tried to evaluate this DVD from the viewpoint of an absolute beginner. I feel that Jillina spends adequate time on each move but she goes a bit fast. She spends less time on the less complicated combinations. Her breakdown and cuing are excellent. She breaks down each movement, repeats it a few times and then goes through it again with music. She then takes you through the entire choreography with variations on the combinations, again building on it piece by piece. Don't be discouraged if you don't get it the first time. Jillina truly has packed this DVD with several months' worth of bellydance classes. If you were taking actual bellydance classes, most of you won't learn most moves perfectly the first time and will probably forget them by the next class. Bellydance takes practice, practice, practice. In a class, you would learn only a few new moves per class or per week. Jillina teaches 7 or 8 combinations plus an entire choreography. The good news is that since it's a DVD, you can rewind easily and practice it until you get it as you would in a real class. You'll learn and develop a great foundation of basic moves and learn how they go together with the music. This will help you choreograph your own dances in the future.

The choreography is fun and easy to catch on to as well as challenging enough to keep intermediate level dancers interested. Designing choreography is likely to be my weakness as an instructor and I'm learning a lot from Jillina. Her performances on the DVD are amazing. I'm biased because I love her, but she's only one of my top ten which includes Sonia, Sharon Kihara, Amar Gamal, Kaeshi and Ansuya among others.

You don't have to like the dancer to benefit from their DVD. For instance, I don't care for Suhaila Salimpour's style, but that woman has control over every single muscle in her stomach and I admire her skill. There is still a lot that I can learn from her. We are so incredibly blessed to have such a variety of and access to the best of the best. Every single dancer has their own unique style and areas of expertise. We can take what we need or admire from each one. These dancers have given us such an incredible gift by sharing this. This truly demonstrates their love of their art form.

If you're taking classes, this DVD is an excellent supplement to your practice. If you can't take classes and want to learn bellydance on your own, you'll accomplish that as well. If bellydance is something you think you'll stick with for a while, do yourself a favor and buy the 3-DVD set, because you'll want to go further. This DVD is an excellent investment in yourself.

To learn more about the history of bellydance and Jillina and the Bellydance Superstars' role in educating the public about this art form, check out the "American Bellydancer" DVD."

Quality instruction and a great deal.

Amanda F. | Canada | 09/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jillina has put together some very nice combinations which you can use with almost any upbeat music. She is a very good teacher and she repeats the combinations enough times for you to really learn them by heart. Advanced dancers might not learn any new moves (I am an intermediate dancer and I knew them all except one) but if you are looking for some great, bouncy combinations it is well worth the money."

Everything is wrong with this product

Marta Harri | 07/05/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"
Instruction:
Not deep and sometimes unclear. Some of the moves included in choreography are not explained at all.

Drilling:
None! As some reviewers pointed out, you have to constantly rewind, as each move is demonstrated only a few times. You'll end up spending more time rewinding than practicing.

Choreography:
First of all, in the absence of proper instruction and drilling, it is pointless. Secondly, for quick learners and imaginative dancers, her routines are neither challenging nor cute.

Technique:
I have to note that Jillina is not a very gifted dancer. I find her rather rigid compared to many other bellydancers I've seen, including some that are not famous (yet). Her Egyptian shimmy is downright poor.

Filming:
Will make you nauseous, since the camera was handheld. The "sliding" transitions between sections make it even worse. Most of the time you have to watch Jillina's back, which is quite frustrating, as naturally one tends to pay more attention to the front. In addition, the position of the camera makes her look short-legged. The lighting level is too low, considering Jillina's dark outfit."