Thread: Good Beginning DVDs to Recommend to My Students?

I teach an open level class and I often have more beginner students who want to get more basic technique instruction and reinforcement on their own time. They ask me to recommend good DVDs for beginners. I don't use instructional DVDs so I'm asking your guys for recommendations. My sense is that most beginning technique is pretty similar across the board. Can you recommend good beginning DVDs that teach proper support and technique and are interesting?

Thanks!

I sell Michelle Joyce's instructional DVDs at my classes. "Drills Drills Drills" is wondeful - I always sell out of that one first.

Hi there,

As a beginner I recently started a thread asking about the best DVDs for technique for a beginner and got lots of very helpful response - might be worth checking that out?

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/product-ne...nner-dvds.html

Originally Posted by laura 2

I sell Michelle Joyce's instructional DVDs at my classes. "Drills Drills Drills" is wondeful - I always sell out of that one first.

I really like this DVD (except when she calls a gallop with zills a triplet). I wish I had it when I was a beginner! I still can't do all the layering on it, but I think this is a great practice companion. I would recommend this for other students.

Jenna's Basics and Beyond has a lot of the movements and some practice flows. Luscious from World Dance New York drills the moves in a more dance-like way. Both are reasonable priced and available from Amazon.

I love Jenna - she was one of my first teachers, so I was hoping ot hear good things about her DVDs. Thanks.

Amira's Bellydance 101 is in my opinion the best DVD to help a beginner learn the basic moves.

Originally Posted by stardancer711

Amira's Bellydance 101 is in my opinion the best DVD to help a beginner learn the basic moves.

I second that. I think Michelle Joyce may be a little difficult for a beginner. Amira's breaks the basics down well, but on the flip side it offers very little room to grow.

Michelle also has Belly Dance Crash Course which might be a little closer to beginner level.

Hi Everyone!
I just released Authentic Bellydance Level One where each chapter is its own move, broken down step-by-step. You can easily scroll the menu to learn "snake arms" "figure 8s" "mayas" "shimmies"....then in between those moves are segments for improv.

Please check it out, and if you are a teacher willing to recommend it to your students, I would gladly provide you with a copy for your enjoyment. you can email detroitbellydance@yahoo.com or visit my bio on my site Lana Detroit Bellydance Home

So nice of you to ask!

This is an interesting discussion. thank you for sharing


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There are a lot of good instructionals out there, but I'd suggest finding the one that is most similar to your own style.

Basic technique is mostly similar, but beginning students will get REALLY confused if you and the video use:

- different vocabulary
(when they say "shimmy" are they doing the knee or hip version?)

- different posture/technique
(are the knees just unlocked or more deeply bent? does the instructor use cabaret or tribal arm carriage? mayas flat-footed or lifting?)


The video doesn't have to be 100% the same, but if there are more than a few differences, you'll probably want to point them out to your students, so they don't get confused.

Originally Posted by jmdruadh

There are a lot of good instructionals out there, but I'd suggest finding the one that is most similar to your own style.

Basic technique is mostly similar, but beginning students will get REALLY confused if you and the video use:

- different vocabulary
(when they say "shimmy" are they doing the knee or hip version?)

- different posture/technique
(are the knees just unlocked or more deeply bent? does the instructor use cabaret or tribal arm carriage? mayas flat-footed or lifting?)

Those are really great points. I have never considered them but after reading your post- I see exactly where the breakdown was occurring for me. I recently wanted to learn ATS- purchased some DVD's and couldn't do a darn thing. The vocab was different as well as the techniques. I look forward to the live instruction (ATS, of course) to be supplemented with the DVD instruction (ATS, of course). Thanks for the tips!

So far, everything mentioned here is really good. I did four of Jillina's videos before I ever took a live class (didn't know of any). Neena and Veena are really good too, and Jenna is awesome as well. Bellyqueen has a wonderful beginner's video too.

Nobody's mentioned Habiba's Quickstart
The Habiba Studio- DVDs

I REALLY enjoyed this video set, now on dvd. It really does cover everything from posture to REAL history, practice segments for each series of movements taught, and a full choreography!

Habiba said this was basically akin to about 6 months of classes, but I think you could easily use this as a practice session for your first year, maybe more.

The quality isn't pristine -- it's filmed in the studio, and the sound isn't perfect -- but it doesn't look home-made. Habiba is a great teacher and a scholar. She teaches what we would classify as Modern Egyptian.