Thread: Rachel " Advance your bellydance" instructionals: vol 1 - Drum; vol 2 lyrical choreo

Rachel - 2006 Bellyance USA

Hi guys!
has anyone seen these? a trailer maybe?

The trailers are on youtube, well one of them anyways.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m19jcZcAPP8&feature=channel]YouTube - Rachelpromo[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n3Z4Bi_5YI&feature=channel]YouTube - Rachel DVD release Spot[/ame]

Oh thank you!!!

The drum solo moves she uses look excessively Latin inspired in some places, at least to me. But looks interesting enough to give it a try!
I'd love to see the lyrical choreography trailer.. are these dvds brand new releases?
Is she the Rachel from the HMC performance video?

Hi Dina,

Did you check Yahoo groups? I remember a comment on the dvd being oddly structured, but the reviewer said she ended up appreciating it.

Someone didn't like the style off the bat. Two Dif.

Helen

hi helen!!
oh I WAS wondering whether I had read on this dvd this morning, when I saw the ad - it must have been on the yahoo group then :)
thank you!

They should be really good. She was my teacher (before she moved back to San Diego) and she taught us combos from both the drum and lyrical choreos in class. She said they're designed to be pretty advanced and that she doesn't spend a lot of time breaking down individual moves.

I don't know about Latin dance, but I know there's a lot of hip hop in her dancing. While developing the choreos, she'd been taking hip hop classes in addition to continuing to study with Suhaila.

she is here in San Diego now and I take private classes from her, she studied with both Aziza and Suhaila extensively, but she has her own style using both techniques and advance moves she learnt from both teachers...
She is great, I highly recommend, you will learn great moves and her technique is very clean and precise...

I took from here here in Portland as well and I found her instruction to be very helpful. I haven't gotten the video yet (soon) but if it's anything close to what we did in class it's sooooooooooo worth it!!!

sounds really good, thanks girls!

the move at 56 seconds
that's an aziza move that i want to learn then i was reading about this chick and aziza was her teacher
the dvds dont look particularly interesting though

Well, I got it a few months ago and couldn't get past the complicated chaptering. I don't know if it was just me or what, but I got so frustrated with it that I ended up giving the dvd away in a barter. I think I remember hearing someone else having problems with it on yahoogroups as well.

What I did get to see I liked a lot. I can tell she's a good teacher.

Originally Posted by sharifeh

the move at 56 seconds
that's an aziza move that i want to learn then i was reading about this chick and aziza was her teacher
the dvds dont look particularly interesting though

That move is the tail spin, which Aziza got from Delilah. Delilah does briefly go over it on her workshop 2 DVD.

I own both of Rachel's instructional videos & really enjoy them.
For me, it was a pleasure to find something that was new, refreshing & very challenging!

I agree that the chapter layout is a bit "unique". It took me a few run throughs to get the hang of it. However, I feel that the content is worth it. I love the technique break-down, drilling of movements and both choreographies.

I know these are DVDs that will provide me with a challenge, refine my technique & are videos that I will continue to work with for many, many months.

If you have studied with Aziza or Suhaila and/or enjoy their dance style you will definitely appreciate these videos!

Originally Posted by mathkitty

That move is the tail spin, which Aziza got from Delilah. Delilah does briefly go over it on her workshop 2 DVD.

thanks the tail spin
ive never seen delilah do it
but aziza looks awesome when she does it
i felt dumb when i tried it
i think it doesnt look as good on thinner bodies
for example i dont like the way it looked on myself or rachel
(but i dont know how to do it)
but i LOVE it on aziza
..g.:

Originally Posted by shahenda

I own both of Rachel's instructional videos & really enjoy them.
For me, it was a pleasure to find something that was new, refreshing & very challenging!

I agree that the chapter layout is a bit "unique". It took me a few run throughs to get the hang of it. However, I feel that the content is worth it. I love the technique break-down, drilling of movements and both choreographies.

I know these are DVDs that will provide me with a challenge, refine my technique & are videos that I will continue to work with for many, many months.

If you have studied with Aziza or Suhaila and/or enjoy their dance style you will definitely appreciate these videos!

Ditto. It was nice to get a video that was HARD!!! This is complicated stuff and I'm still working the individual little combos/moves. It will be a while before I get it all together in the choreographies. :)

I bought these after seeing Rachel's performance dvd and thinking "Wow! I gotta study from her somehow!" The chaptering is weird, but the content is well worth it.

Originally Posted by sharifeh

thanks the tail spin
ive never seen delilah do it
but aziza looks awesome when she does it
i felt dumb when i tried it
i think it doesnt look as good on thinner bodies
for example i dont like the way it looked on myself or rachel
(but i dont know how to do it)
but i LOVE it on aziza
..g.:

Just curious, how does Rachel explain this move? I've never been able to get it.

Oh yes I get what you mean - definitely an Aziza/American move, never seen it on an Egyptian dancer :) looks Latin or African inspired to me.
I do think it looks good on Rachel in this video!
It is more impressive on curvy Aziza I agree.

Originally Posted by vron

Just curious, how does Rachel explain this move? I've never been able to get it.

It's not something I do very well myself (need to practice more), but Rachel explains it as part of a weight shift, your rock back and forth on your feet, pushing back with your front foot during the back part of the circle. Then it's like you're combining a front back twist with a 1-sided omi (interior hip circle). You are drawing a circle with your hip, but the circle slightly in back of you. I think it also helps to tie a hip scarf on and see if you can make the ties spin in a circle.

It's also a move that looks good on ALL body types when executed with confidence. ;)

Originally Posted by gretchendances

It's also a move that looks good on ALL body types when executed with confidence. ;)

oh ya you definitely need confidence when doing this or else you'll look downright silly
and it looks good on all bodies im sure
but i think it looks better on curvy bodies.

but i was on rachel's website reading up on her and one thing she said in an interview REALLY bothered me.

O. So as we speak, you are certified at level two in the Salipour Technique and about to take you third level certification. What comes next?

R. Respectfully, I am not interested in studying long term with any other teacher because I feel it will pollute the integrity of what I've learned. I feel I'm lucky to have Aziza's fun and fluidity and Suhaila's strength.

Rachel — 2006 Bellyance USA

huh? two teachers and that's enough?

The whole article explains that she has had many teachers -- she just chose to focus her later studies with two of them.

This isn't unusual -- if I lived in California, I probably would choose to focus on studying only with Suhaila and Shareen el Safy. Or maybe just one or the other. If Mona Said moved to my town NOW, I wouldn't feel the need to study with anybody but her because she best represents what I want to be as a dancer, after multiple classes with multiple teachers over the years.

Originally Posted by sharifeh

oh ya you definitely need confidence when doing this or else you'll look downright silly
and it looks good on all bodies im sure
but i think it looks better on curvy bodies.

but i was on rachel's website reading up on her and one thing she said in an interview REALLY bothered me.

O. So as we speak, you are certified at level two in the Salipour Technique and about to take you third level certification. What comes next?

R. Respectfully, I am not interested in studying long term with any other teacher because I feel it will pollute the integrity of what I've learned. I feel I'm lucky to have Aziza's fun and fluidity and Suhaila's strength.

Rachel — 2006 Bellyance USA

huh? two teachers and that's enough?

Rachel has definitely had more than two teachers, and if you read the quote, she doesn't say she won't study with other teachers, I think the key is "long-term." She invested a lot of time into the Suhaila format, and I don't think there's anything wrong with her wanting to focus on that.

My ex-teacher was always talking about "her friend" Rachel George but this is the first time I've ever actually seen her. They both have very similar styles from what I can see in these clips. She learned this tail thing from Aziza as well and uses it sometimes, she really makes those fringes on her belt fly. I don't like it much though. It's not a move I'd use. I don't think you'll ever see an egyptian dancer doing this...unless she's copied it from an American dancer.

Originally Posted by dinavienna

Oh yes I get what you mean - definitely an Aziza/American move, never seen it on an Egyptian dancer :) looks Latin or African inspired to me.
I do think it looks good on Rachel in this video!
It is more impressive on curvy Aziza I agree.

Originally Posted by aziyade

The whole article explains that she has had many teachers -- she just chose to focus her later studies with two of them.

This isn't unusual -- if I lived in California, I probably would choose to focus on studying only with Suhaila and Shareen el Safy. Or maybe just one or the other. If Mona Said moved to my town NOW, I wouldn't feel the need to study with anybody but her because she best represents what I want to be as a dancer, after multiple classes with multiple teachers over the years.

Yes, the interview mentioned several teachers she started with. well she mentioned "fariba" and someone else.
i dont know i cant really explain what bothered me i guess.

Originally Posted by jessedan

. She learned this tail thing from Aziza as well and uses it sometimes, she really makes those fringes on her belt fly. I don't like it much though. It's not a move I'd use. I don't think you'll ever see an egyptian dancer doing this...unless she's copied it from an American dancer.

hahahhaahah
..l;,

good one
hmm im still on the fence though about this move i feel like it looks good only on aziza
i feel really stupid doing it haha
i feel like a horse!!!
maybe i will always just admire it from afar...

aziza does this move in this clip
at like 1:50
she is the next to last dancer
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYlLgR8vO40"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYlLgR8vO40[/ame]

Delilah tried to teach this move to me but it's really an intense move. You have to have a lot of strength in your quads because of the rocking. To see if you are doing the move correctly you should have a scarf hanging down on one hip.

Stand in a narrow hallway with your hands bracing each side of the hallway or doorway and proceed with the rocking movement. The scarf will be the tale-tale (excuse the pun!) sign that you are doing the move correctly by it's moving in a circular motion and not a "cigar" type of shape. Delilah explains this a little bit in one of her workshop videos - don't remember which one. This move is a Delilah move which Aziza learned.

Originally Posted by jasani

Delilah tried to teach this move to me but it's really an intense move. You have to have a lot of strength in your quads because of the rocking. To see if you are doing the move correctly you should have a scarf hanging down on one hip.

Stand in a narrow hallway with your hands bracing each side of the hallway or doorway and proceed with the rocking movement. The scarf will be the tale-tale (excuse the pun!) sign that you are doing the move correctly by it's moving in a circular motion and not a "cigar" type of shape. Delilah explains this a little bit in one of her workshop videos - don't remember which one. This move is a Delilah move which Aziza learned.

if you look upthread a poster(mathkitty, thanks!) tells us that it's delilah's move that she goes over in her workshop 2 dvd :)

thanks for the tip!! the move does seem pretty intense
is the circle backwards or forwards (w/ the hips)??

Sorry, I don't remember which way the hip circle goes. I think it's a personal preference. It depends on what works for you.

[QUOTE=sharifeh;445191]oh ya you definitely need confidence when doing this or else you'll look downright silly
and it looks good on all bodies im sure
but i think it looks better on curvy bodies.

but i was on rachel's website reading up on her and one thing she said in an interview REALLY bothered me.

O. So as we speak, you are certified at level two in the Salipour Technique and about to take you third level certification. What comes next?

R. Respectfully, I am not interested in studying long term with any other teacher because I feel it will pollute the integrity of what I've learned. I feel I'm lucky to have Aziza's fun and fluidity and Suhaila's strength.

Rachel — 2006 Bellyance USA

huh? two teachers and that's enough? [/QUOTE

I'm a little confused... why don't you just email her directly to clarify this point instead of bringing it up here online? It comes across like you are trying to talk smack about her... and have you seen any performance videos of her? Would it really matter if she's studied with one two or ten instructors? She's good at what she does and has worked hard to get there.

BTW... you can do the hip circle either direction.