Search - Mystery: Fantasy Bellydance on DVD

The Best of the Best, Vol. 1

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 03/31/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
One of 3 fantastic DVDs for advanced/intermediate dance students, this one is entitled "Mystery," and the instructors are masters in the art of belly dance. All 3 choreographic pieces are unique and whether you're learning the intricate, marvelous choreography, or just reveling in the intense beauty of the performances, this DVD is worth its weight in gold. It is wonderfully produced, with excellent lighting and backgrounds, as well as lovely costuming and music.

The first piece is "Serpent" by Neon. My admiration for Neon knows no bounds. Her technical skill, her grace and beauty, and her sheer intelligence and know-how in all aspects of belly dance and its production are amazing. Here in "Serpent" she looks like an exotic jungle flower undulating in the breeze, wearing a costume that seems as if it was created by nature.

The second piece is "Shadow" by Sera. Sera is stunning in this dance, with isolation movements that are executed to such perfection one almost thinks one is looking at time-lapse photography. This is an incredible piece of choreography, and a privilege to be able to learn it from such an expert dancer. You'll need a lot of patience with yourself though! Don't expect to look exactly like Sera even after a ton of practice! She is downright magnificent.

The third piece is "Phoenix" by Ayshe. This is a "Wings of Isis" piece with all is shimmering, glamorous magic. If you're using "wings" you'll love Ayshe's tips on how to make them work for maximum effect, and the choreography in this piece is meant to tell the story of the rising Phoenix and has a few props that Ayshe explains too. It's a beautiful work and a delight to watch.

This is a superb DVD, with a total running time of 2 hours, a wealth of instruction, and a feast for the eyes for anyone who appreciates the art of belly dance."

Let the story unfold......

Seir | USA | 04/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fantasy Belly dance
Mystery- this is one of a series of three performance dvds.
Three fabulous New York belly dance artists; each with their own story to depict their character. This is modern fantasy belly dance, belly dance taken into a theatrical approach with a story to tell. Each dancer has included a great bonus-section to include dance combinations and choreography broken down for learning! Ayshe includes tips on dancing with 2 sets of wings and choreography with and without the Isis Wings.

Neon-fabulous in a beautiful, slithery performance depicting the inner serpent in each one of us. Her story of the serpent is incredible, speaking of our secret self and our inner strength gained by all the challenges in life. Her dance tells the story vividly through her fluidity and combinations of accents.

Ayshe the Phoenix - A magical performance with Isis Wings; spell binding interpretation of the life of the mythical bird, who represents rejuvenation and good luck. The life stage of the bird are represented in three sections from birth, to flight , and the final resting and completion of the circle of life, bursting into flames, yet leaving behind new hope, in a next generation . Ayshe begins her choreography on the floor, her floor work, and back bends are impressive. Her dancing in wings is so much as a bird in flight; her spins are clean, and enviable!

Sera the Shadow - this is tribal and earthy performance in contrast to the other performances. Her story is powerful as is evident in her dance. Sera connects totally with mother earth also beginning her routine on the floor, and her floor work is fabulous, her staccato moves set to new wave/industrial tones turn her belly dancing into a signature all her own. I enjoyed immensely her interpretation of the power of "Shadow" as her body works in total isolation to define each move distinctly.

This is an enjoyable presentation with three beautiful, powerful dancers, each with a style of their own. A compilation of modern fantasy belly dance, sultry, mythical and alluring with the added bonus of choreography breakdown.
"

I may not use the choreographies BUT....

Rom Deussen | St. George, UT | 04/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of a 3 part series--each volume features 3 different dancers. In this case, Neon is the serpent, Sera the Shadow, and Ayshe is the Phoenix.

The pro's: The length is a great value for the money, the variety of dance is good, the costuming is beautiful, the instruction is solid. I did not care for the choreographies as much on this DVD as the others, but I could use SOMEthing--actually, several things--from each choreography, and isn't that what dancing is all about--interpretation and putting it together? Considering that if I walk away from a workshop with two things, I consider it good, I walked away with a list of things I said, "oh!! I like that" or "Oh! I can change that a bit!!", so that is incredibly useful. It is also geared for intermediate/advanced dancers, so that is such a pleasure. This is also a DVD where you can get cabaret-style, wings, AND a tribal fusion lesson in one place.

The con: The camera is a bit, on all three, hyperactive on performances, whipping about at times and changing angles. This is more of an aesthetic thing--you can see the sides of the stage, the lighting rigs, which is meant to be seen but my ADHD mind finds it distracting.

Neon's piece is first. Her costuming is unique and lush, as always, and her teaching is always clear. The dance is more arm intensive with the unfurling of fingers, decorative turns, etc. I honestly did not care for how the dance fit to the music, but her instruction quality is superb here and when I played a faster beat of music over the choreography just to see, I liked it very much. This is the one I found many pieces that I said, "well, if I alter that a bit more to suit me...hmm...I like this a lot."


The second piece is "Shadow" by Sera. Where Neon's is more fluid, Sera's is isolation driven. The previous reviewer was right--practice, practice, practice on this one. While the isolations may not be for everyone, they can be interpreted in so many ways and altered to fit a tribal fusion style, or even used as an experiment in trying something new.

The third piece is "Phoenix" by Ayshe. This is done with wings, so if you have no experience with wings, this is a good tutorial, and Ayshe also has a DVD on the topic. Her performance, as always, is artistic and more modern in style, and incorporates many aspects that can be taken from to enhance your dance.

Each dancer, by the way, gives the story behind the creation of the dance, which is a way to get a behind the scenes look at the creation of a dance as well as get inspired for ways to look at a song for your own choreography.

At over 2 hours, this is a great value for the money. Again, you may not chose to use the choreographies, but there are aspects of each dance choreography that are usable in many aspects."

If you are a fan of Sera, get this for her performance, alon

Lisa M. Mims | Austin, TX United States | 06/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have another World Dance New York bellydance video featuring Sera, "Bellydance: East Coast Tribal" that is one of my favorite dvd's. But, it's easy, compared to the technique dvds put out by people like Ariellah (who is my other favorite). I had assumed, wrongly, that Neon and Sera both were in another class of bellydancer, less technically adept, perhaps. Wow, was I wrong.

First, Neon. Neon's other dvd's give the impression of being less than serious. However, Neon is an incredibly fluid classical bellydancer--no techno or sharp movements. Having watched this performance, I would tell someone who wants very clear instruction on classical bellydance to look at Neon's other work, and at the choreography on this dvd.

Second, Sera. The word jaw-dropping comes to mind. Her performance on this dvd is one of the best club/techno bellydances I have ever seen. It's breathtaking.

Having said that, this is not a beginner choreography. You have to have the full bellydance vocabulary to follow both teachers: Ariellah is the best for drills on basic technique for the dance Sera does; Neon's dance probably should be preceded by more basic bellydance taught by Neon.

If you are interested in bellydance as an art form, this is well worth having. There are a lot of good ideas that could be used for other choreography. Also, the level of dance is very inspiring. If you're getting bored with the basics, pick this up.
"