Bellydance Jam With Bellyqueen

I got this video since the reviews made it sound like it was a fun blend, taking bellydancing and making it a bit less formal so it could be used for club dancing. Overall, I was very disappointed. The instruction was extremely simple and poor. It did not give pointers to explain how to make the moves look correct, nor how to do them correctly while protecting your lower back. The workout section is extremely simple, which is great if you're a bad dancer (like me!) but not very fun or challenging in the long run. The improvisational section was effective at pointing out the "forest for the trees" when trying to improv dance, but otherwise not too helpful. Even the performance sections were disappointing, as half of them were clips from various performances, all set to one song, or were filmed oddly. There were many times when the camera focused on one body half, and you were left guessing what the whole performance looked like. Even when the camera zoomed out, it zoomed out too far. The best part of this video, sadly, is the interviews. I found them inspirational, and they gave me good food for thought. If I had rented this video first, I never would have bought it. Since I've already paid for it, I'm debating whether the little bit of info in the interviews and improv sections make it worth keeping. If you want a good instructional video, PLEASE check out Jenna's "Bellydance Basics and Beyond" -- it is EXCELLENT instruction with tons of pointers and tips! I'm still seeking a good bellydance workout video, but I like "10 Minute Solution: Fat Blasting Dance Mix" as a fun and easy set of dance workouts. Having said all that, the ladies are definitely talented and I would love a quality performance video of them, but I will definitely steer clear of their instructional DVDs.

Not all bellydance DVDs are workouts, some are just designed to teach the art of dancing with a workout being secondary. Bellyqueen: Bellydance Jam falls into this category. Not purely traditional, the title and front cover of the DVD alone should give away the modern bent on bellydance. This one is designed for the younger generation and or those completely new to bellydance who don't foresee themselves as the next headlining act at the local Mediterranean restaurant but are still interested in learning how to dance better for parties, club, and the like. Bellydancing is the epitome of feminine movement; it's no small wonder that learning some simple bellydance moves with styling tailored for the modern girl is a great way to learn how to club dance. Teaching bellydance moves appropriate for the club floor is the focus of this DVD.Where this DVD really excels is in the teaching. Amar Gamal of Bellydance Superstars' fame and her Bellyqueen partner Kaeshi Chai, a member of The Desert Roses, are excellent teachers for dancers so young. Moves are all shown full body and if needed, from multiple angles. Instructions are voiceover style and lots of pointers abound on what muscles to relax, what body parts to isolate, and sometimes even when to breathe. All dance descriptions go much further than "just lift your hip and drop it." They have one of the best descriptions of the Camel, an undulation move, that is difficult to teach women whose learning style doesn't fall along the lines of `monkey-see, monkey-do.' The clear and concise description of this move as well as several others, a backward moving horizontal figure 8, for example, are clear enough that even an absolute beginner to all forms of dance could eventually get with some practice. If you've had trouble with other DVDs in the past not being clear enough for you to `get' the moves, this is the one for you.The section on "How to Improvise" in the Improvisation section is absolutely priceless for both the newbee and the intermediate dancer. This is a topic rarely covered by instructors in any form of dance. You'll learn how to listen to the music and then choose which moves will appropriately fit the song. The knowledge you'll gain here is transferrable to all forms of dance. In "Partner Combinations" Amar and Kaeshi teach you how to dance with a partner in much more dynamic and interesting ways than the basic routine they provide in the instruction. "Guided Improvisation" also gives you the chance to practice.Those of us who have been dancing for a while will probably be a bit disappointed at the length of the DVD. 115 minutes sounds long but consists of a 37 minute technique section with only 25 minutes devoted to instruction, 5 minutes of guided stretching and loosening (which happens to be excellent), 3 minutes devoted to practicing the "BQ Boogie" -- a dance routine best described as a cute, belly flavored version of the electric slide, and a 3 minute cool down stretch (again this one is excellent.) Other than 10 minutes devoted to learning to improvise, the rest of the DVD is bonus material. However, the included 12 track CD is alone worth the purchase price of the DVD. Twelve groovy belly tunes by Mission to Mars (Vin Scialla) and Turbo Tabla -- the classically trained Karim Nagi, provide the Arabic House soundtrack. Some fun and excellent stuff is found here -- some of it exclusive to this DVD. In the Special Features section, each girl has a solo bellydance performance in traditional costume. "Call of The Drum with Mal Stein" is a Drum Solo Performance By Amar Gamal, and "Dunyavi Gypsy Passion" is a solo performance by Kaeshi Chai in a Folk or "Gypsy" style. There are two video montages -- "Bellyqueen Around The World" is of Bellyqueen performances and "Bellydance Superstars" is the Bellydance Superstars promo montage you've probably seen before if you own any other Bellydance Superstars DVD. The rest is interviews with the dancers and musicians from this DVD. All of this is available in English or Espanol on the same disc. The Spanish translation is accessible from the Main Menu and includes Instruction, Menus, and Bonus Material.*Foundation moves taught on disc:Shoulder Circles, Vogue Arms, Shoulder Thrust, Shoulder Shimmies, Chest Lift and Drop, V-Pop (Chest Lift and Drops in a "V" Shape), V-Strut (V-Pops while walking forward and backward), Hip Twist, Inward Figure 8, Hip Shimmies, Contraction and Release, Omi (Small Hip Circle), Medium Hip Circle, Chest Circle, Undulation -Upper Torso (Chest), Undulation - Lower Torso (Pelvis), Undulation - Whole Body, Hip Lock, Hip Lift and Drop, Walk to Side, 3-Point Turn*Transition Steps:Hip March, Step Touch*Partner Combinations:Mirroring, Synchronized Call and Answer, Opposites, See-Saw, Back and Forth*Improvisation Section (Freestyle)Lean how to: Listen to the Music, Dance to the Beat, Dance to the Melody, Dance to the Accents, Dance to a combination of the Beat, Melody, and Accents, Add variety by changing the movements: Circles, Undulations, Shimmies, Change LevelsBonus Bellyqueen Music CD Track Listing:1. Turbo Tabla Two - Turbo Tabla2. Full Circle - Mission on Mars3. Where Do We Begin (Hikaya) - Said Mrad4. Queen Saidi On Mars - Mission on Mars5. Mofongito Maksoum (Qanun Remix) - Mission on Mars6. Telegraphin Telleri - Turbo Tabla7. Shall We Shimmy - Mission on Mars8. Azziza - Turbo Tabla9. Exhale (Chiftetelli) - Mission on Mars10. Turbo Zaar - Turbo Tabla11. Mofongo Maksoum - Mission on Mars12. Shall We Shimmy (Qanun Remix) - Mission on Mars

This is a really basic bellydance DVD. I would recommend it for three reasons: 1.) the dancers look like they are having so much fun, that it's catching. I'm in a better mood after this--a lot of other bellydance DVDs are almost grim in comparison. 2.) There is a huge amount of extra material. If you want to know anything about the Bellydance Superstars, there are biographical interviews and lots of dance solo extras. 3.) There is an additional CD, so if you don't have music to bellydance to, if you buy this, you don't have to get other music.What's not so great about this: in a lot of the moves, they don't tell you which muscles to use.

This is a fun and easy video that teaches simple moves and an easy-to-follow choreography to pop music. It is suitable for bellydance beginners and hobbyists. It is not however a professional choreography or a bellydance training video. If you buy it for what it is, you'll enjoy the heck out of it.Amar and Kaeshi are stars of the bellydance world and they certainly know their stuff. While there are many belly-fitness videos out there, you can't go wrong with these two professionals.This video has high production values and mine came with an extra CD of contemporary/techno belly dance music.

I own several bellydance DVDs and wish I had purchased this one sooner. This is an excellent and well paced bellydance workout for beginners. I can tell they put a lot of thought into what should be included in this DVD. Bellydance instruction is successfully integrated into the workout. I am a plus size and I felt comfortable with the pace. The music alone makes you want to get up groove and it doesn't hurt that they included a separate music CD. You get a lot for your money with this one: Instruction, workout, interviews, performances, cccccccd.

I bought this DVD many years ago when I first started Bellydancing. It was good practice. I stupidly gave it away. I bought it again just for the exercise. It is great fun to do, not that I will be strutting my stuff at a nightclub or on a stage - heaven forefend.

The instruction is good and the tips on how to incorporate the simple routine into a 4 step dance is okay which earn the dvd a 1 from me, but overall, I found the workout slow and simplistic with no sweat whatsoever. If you want a good bellydance instructional base as well as a good workout combined with a dance you can learn, buy the Kathy Smith Flex Appeal Bellydance workout. You'll learn the basic moves from Superstar Ansuya and get a good workout from an exercise instructor who is a guru in the industry.

ベリーダンスの初歩の動きを細かく教えていて、基本の動きの確認をするような形のエクササイズＤＶＤだと思います。しかし、細かく教えているのはいいのですが、パターンが少ないような気がして、私にはちょっと物足りない感じが。ベリーダンスを始めて1年未満の人にはうってつけなのではないでしょうか。付属のＣＤの収録曲はなかなかよかったです。普通に売っているベリーダンス用ＣＤよりレベルが高いです。この値段で、この内容ならば、納得いくと思います。

ベリーダンスの基本動作の初歩わかりやすく説明してくれるＤＶＤだと思います。エアロビのような雰囲気もありますが、内容はきちんとしたベリーダンスです。とてもわかりやすく細かいのですが、パターンが少なく私には少し物足りなさがありました。ベリーダンスを始めて、1年未満の人または基礎練習をしたい人にはむいているし、楽しいと思います。付属のＣＤは普通に売っているベリーダンス用ＣＤよりも、レベルが高くてよかったです。

2005年来日予定のKaeshiがAmar Gamarと共に作っている二人組ユニットBelly Queenの練習DVDです。ちょっとエアロビっぽい雰囲気はありますが、普段のエキササイズにちょうどよく、うまくできていると思います。CDが一枚ついています。即興の踊り方も講習してくれるところがユニーク。