Thread: Amity's DVD Review: Alimah’s Meaning in Movement, Dancing with Musicality, Texture, and Nuance by Cheeky Girl’s Productions

I just finished watching Alimah’s Meaning in Movement, Dancing with Musicality, Texture, and Nuance by Cheeky Girl’s Productions for the second time and I have to say this is a wonderful tool for your dance belt. Young dancers who may be just starting to perform will enjoy the easy to understand concepts and begin to not only apply technique, but the “icing” on the cake items that really make the dance pop and flow. More advance dancers can use this DVD as constant reminder and refresher of important items that we all forget at some point to include in our dances.




The DVD is broken into multiple sections. The first section includes sixteen concept items, such as using breath, space, dynamic range, level changes, texture, and even zippers and bowling balls! This was in my opinion, the most useful section of the DVD. Each concept is carefully explained, broken down, and then demonstrated. The second section includes flow, in which each concept is demonstrated by Alimah dancing and connecting each concept together in one piece.The remaining time of the DVD is used applying the concepts through used of combinations, extended practices, and choreography. Although I usually don’t go for choreography in DVD’s, I felt that Alimah did a great job creating a beautiful piece that exemplified everything taught in the DVD. The DVD also included additional bonus performances of the Lovely Alimah. My biggest critique of this DVD is that the choreography and dances seemed awkward and did not have the audience connection as it could have had it been videotaped in a different venue, or camera angle. I would have loved to see it for a live audience!




Let’s face it-the market is flooded with DVD’s of dancer A doing amazing technique and combos, and Dancer B teaching choreographies that promise that “wow” factor. I think this DVD fills a void in the market. For individual dancers who are trying to find their style, emotional expression, and want the ability to take basic movements and bring them alive, this DVD is for you!


Review by Amity (NH)

I have the DVD and am really enjoying it! I don't feel at this point I have worked with it extensively enough to give it a thorough review (hence tagging along on Amity's thread), but I do want to thank Michelle for the opportunity to pick the brains of a dancer of this caliber via the DVD. The focus on dynamic presentation and polish (rather than technique) is a brilliant approach. Michelle, if you're reading, please keep it up.

I only knew of Alimah as the dancer with all the fabulous Bellas on Bhuz prior to the DVD, so was I in for a great surprise when I took a look at the choreography: It is beautiful, and it is meaty. I do really love the style of many current American bellydancers (like Aziza, Ruby, Sandra), and I think anyone with a similar eye will also be thrilled with this piece. The DVD is not focused solely on choreography per se, but I had to mention it as I think it's a stand out piece of work.

Overall, lots of content and a huge bang for your bellydance buck.

I just got this dvd and it's probably my favorite of Michelle's catalog so far. I really love that it's a DANCING dvd as apposed to the TALKY dvd it could have been. Those dvds really don't stay long in my collection. The concept section had a flow and the choreography had several repetitions of each combo to drill. String all of this together and it makes a nice drill/practice section for days I don't know what to do with myself. Very useable for my needs.