Thread: ABS-Solutely Fantastic - Princess Farhana

This is a review I wrote for another publication that doesn't look like it will get published...so I'm posting it here....Hope you all find it useful.

Part 1

Abs-olutely Extra-AB-dinary Fantastic.....


Ab-solutely Fantastic is one of the latest instructional DVD by the famous and infamous Princess Farhana. 　Many articles and letters have appeared about the Princess regarding everything belly, burly or just plain bully, but here is just a plain ol' review of one of her many instructional DVD's.


Like the Fan Veil instructionals by Mahsati, this one just focuses on the subject matter at hand. 　Farhana warns us that you should already be warmed up before attempting to follow this instructiona. The introduction starts off with Farhana doing a voice over while the viewer watches her performing with plenty of undulations and flutters. She explains that the ability to perform strong abdominal work enhances all genre's of belly dance.　Farhana states that strength, spiriual health and posture are all of the benefits from core which is the foundation of movement and goes into forgotten history of how a woman's belly is the center of femininity, fertility and wealth and how all of that has been lost due to current misconceptions and secular views of a woman's body; a soft rounded belly chalenges modern ideas about beauty.

At the beginning, Farhana explains your belly - all of the different abdominal muscles and their functions (I didn't know there were that many...) and which muscles you will be using during this DVD. She teaches us the different abdominal muscles and what they are good for. You can tell with the detailed physiological explanation of each muscle and how it relates to belly dance that Farhana did her homework. The next 2 chapters focus on your diaphragmatic breathing and strething. then there is you core strengthening and basic crunches. Farhana encourages you to do extra warm ups and proper crunches to get those abdominal muscles ready. She focuses on breathing and using your diaphragm, since this is essential to advanced abdominal work especially flutters. You’ll be encouraged to know that it doesn’t take long to develop your abdominal muscles, but remember, this is not an exercise video; Farhana is not teaching you how to get a washboard stomach. On the contrary you are taught to relax those abs and with the flutters and pops you're actually poking your belly out (most of us are used to holding it in). Tt feels good to know that you can let it all loose.

Part 2
The next chapters,Farhana teaches us Stomach Pop & Abdominal expansions, Belly Rolls and Unduations and the difference between the two (the former is muscular while the ladder is skeletal) and the incredible "flundulation". Her last chapter is Abdominal Layering techniques where, for example, you flutter while doing a belly roll. There is no way these will be mastered in one sitting. you will indeed have to practice so this will look natural. You have to breathe and practice with a smile - it helps not to have a funny look on your face when trying to do a flutter.



This entire DVD is taught with Princess Farhana's outrageous humor that only she can do. Farhana fans will know what I'm talking about. We are then treated to a performance by Princess Farhana with all of the techniques that could eventually become part of your dance. It will seem a little over the top with all of the abdominal work in this peformance but I know she's just highlighting what you've learned and presumably giving you ideas at certain points in the music. There is also a bonus performance to a drum solo where Farhana uses a lot of abdominal flutters and pops instead of the usual shimmies. Another bonus chapter is a tour of where the DVD was filmed, at the Historic Columbian Theatre in Wamego, Kansas and its connection to Little Egypt of the 1893 World's Fair.



The music used is "Henna Ya Henna" from The Masters of Belly Dance (Caravan Records), "Khalf al Tahnoun" from Taxim: The Art of Arabic Solos by Hollywood Music Center and bonus music by "Belly Beats" from Bellylicious Raqs by Negma Entertainment (Aleya Belly Dance)


I've seen many undulation and slow move instructional DVD's but not one focusing only on abdominal flourishes. I believe I've seen one 'coin rolling' video once but not sure if its instructional and I've seen flutters and pops added to drum solo DVD's but not where this actual work is explored and broken down into pieces. There are some dancers who are known for their fancy belly rolls, but never teach on this skill, but a dance career shouldn’t be built on being a one trick pony. I learned how to do some belly rolls and flutters on my own before reviewing this DVD, but its nice to have all of the different undulations, pops and flutters broken down so I’ll know exactly how to drill and isolate, plus I learned some new ones.

This DVD is for intermediates and above and produced by Princess Farhana and Dikenga Films. Some dancers, myself included, forget to add all of the ‘belly moves’ in their belly dancing; we’re so focused on our hips. This will give us some ideas to "roll" a little spice into our dance.

I love this DVD and I love Princess Farhana's teaching. I've just hosted her here in London teaching her abs workout and I was really amazed by the way she managed to get even beginners moving their bellies and doing little flutters.

As for myself, I've had the DVD for a while now and it's one of the few that I actually use and practice the techniques regularly.

This DVD breaks down those "special" movements really well, and of course the fabulous Princess F. is hysterically funny. It's fun to work the muscles and the laughter muscle at the same time!
Also Delilah has a great DVD with stomach work broken down. Also flips coins. Vol 2.
It was produced in the 80's or 90's but has great production value and is still relevant. Content packed.

Glad you gals liked it!

I watched the dvd only so far, you make me want to work with it! btw it's called Abs-olutely Fabulous in my memory..

Thanks for the review! I've been considering this dvd for quite a while now, and this was very helpful.

Hot damn do I want this DVD. And I want to meet the princess! She seems like so much fun!