Thread: Raks Al Asaya dvd - anyone seen it?

Hi there,

Has anyone seen this? What did you think of it?


Amazon.com: Raks Al Asaya: Virginia: Movies & TV

Yes, I have this DVD. I like it. I can look at it again and give you more comments if you want.

I'd be interested in hearing a bit about it, too!

I have this one and like it. From what I recall she talks about the history, music, technique of handling the cane, steps to use, and puts it into combos with and without twirling, some travelling steps/combos, and a performance. I think there's more but that's what I remember now.

Originally Posted by SirenoftheSun

Yes, I have this DVD. I like it. I can look at it again and give you more comments if you want.

Yes please! I'm mighty curious about the song used in the choreo too. I did an awesome cane workshop last summer with an Egyptian teacher and the choreo was a fun, upbeat piece to Shashkin. If this dvd has the same sort of mood, chances are I will be buying it!!!

Originally Posted by kemintiri

Yes please! I'm mighty curious about the song used in the choreo too. I did an awesome cane workshop last summer with an Egyptian teacher and the choreo was a fun, upbeat piece to Shashkin. If this dvd has the same sort of mood, chances are I will be buying it!!!

It's not a full choreo, but a series of footwork and combinations. Her performance at the end is to this song Amazon.com: Rakset Al Asaya: Hassan Abou El Seoud: MP3 Downloads

I bought this, knowing nothing about cane dance to begin with (but wanting to learn of course!) so I don't know how much my thoughts will count but I liked it, I thought it taught a nice amount of combos...enough for me to mess around with myself and she goes over all of them a few times and doesn't just move right on to the next one, which was nice and she explained a bit about the music which I knew nothing about so for an absolute n00b to cane I thought it covered a nice amount.

I'd be interested to know more, too! :)

It's a good overview of cane technique. She demonstrates how to do the twirls (forward, backward, overheard, etc.), and the proper form to maintain during twirls. She teaches a series of combos that incorporate the cane, including balancing it. There are other sections, but I don't recall them off the top of my head at the moment.

After watching this video, I felt comfortable choreographing a piece for myself using a cane. This shows that you can immediately apply what you learn from this video. So if you're looking for something to get you started with cane, or something to give you new ideas of what to do with a cane, this is a good video for you. If you are already very experienced with cane, you might pass.

The choreography that she demonstrates is cute and had some moves new to me, which was nice. I found it helpful to watch her dance when I was trying to get some inspiration for movements and transitions in my own choreography.

Overall, a good purchase.

Originally Posted by kemintiri

Hi there,

Has anyone seen this? What did you think of it?


Amazon.com: Raks Al Asaya: Virginia: Movies & TV

There was a detailed review in this very forum about a year ago or so. It's a nice video. The instruction is nicely paced, you do it without music, slowly and then with music. she starts with footwork and then the cane is added. She has combinations with the cane, both ones with spinning and ones without. There is some historical information in there. It isn't a full cane instructional like Nourhan Sharif's, but it has a lot of cute combos.

Awesome, thank you ladies!

*off to purchase a cane of my own*