Belly dance for Fitness DVD'S

khalilaNZ · 01-19-2008, 11:04 PM

I just did a quick search for this, but no immediate joy. My friend is looking for a DVD for teaching Bellydance based moves to a bunch of non-belly dancers who just wanna have fun, improve their flexibility and fitness but don't want to bellydance exactly, or perform. She has been dancing for 5 years herself, but is at a loss as to what to do for 'fitness'. Are there any DVD's out there that anyone recommends as better that others? Or, if there is already a good thread on them, please point me in the right direction!! thank you thank you thank you...

gypsydanse · 01-19-2008, 11:17 PM

Sohaila (from San Diego) has quite a few DVDs that include fitness, including one called BellyRobics. You can see them on her website at Home.

*Shira* · 01-20-2008, 02:23 AM

I think Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Basic Moves by Veena and Neena is actually pretty good for brand-new beginners to belly dancing.

Tammyraks · 01-20-2008, 08:52 AM

Keti Sharif has some fitness DVDs, that might be useful.
Keti Sharif's Bellydance Site

jenlindseys · 01-20-2008, 08:53 AM

I like suhalia's bellydance pilates and bellydance yoga videos. Don't let the names confuse you. It is much more bellydance than it is yoga/pilates. Rania also has a 5 10 minute workout DVD that is pretty good. Not for anyone trying to learn the art of dance, but good ideas for building strength and flexibility.
good luck!

jenlindseys · 01-20-2008, 08:54 AM

YouTube - Suhaila Bellydance for Beginners...

YouTube - Suhaila Salimpour - Bellydance Yoga

Rosette · 01-20-2008, 09:41 AM

I've just purchased the Temple of Jehan (Jehan Kamal, that is) "Ultimate Bellydance Fitness Workout" DVD. I haven't taken the wrapper off yet, but hope to have a look at it later today. I'll check back in and let you know how it looks.
Rosette

Gyda29 · 01-20-2008, 09:48 AM

I'm waiting for ** Shimmy ** to arrive.

Gyda

Rosette · 01-20-2008, 12:58 PM

Well, I'm back, having just "done" the Temple of Jehan "Ultimate Bellydance Fitness Workout." This is labeled as being for "all levels of ability" but I suspect that only the most determined (and already athletic) of beginners would not feel overwhelmed. This video moves RAPIDLY through a big variety of dance moves and layering. The narrative gives some instruction on how to do the moves, but unless you already know them, it's not enough breakdown to ensure they will all be understood correctly.
Now if you're an intermediate or advanced dancer and you have times when you're just not feeling creative and you'd like to be mindlessly led through a good workout, this is just the ticket. That's actually what I bought it for, and I'm sure I'll use it. If you whip right through the whole thing non-stop, it take about 45 minutes. It's divided into sections so you can skip parts of it if you have less time.
If I were a teacher and I were counseling a student on using this video, there are a couple of things I would say.
First, in the narrative Jehan frequently speaks of moving to the left or right, but the dancers on the screen are facing forward, so she is describing what THEY are doing, and if you are to follow the verbal, you have to go the opposite way. Given how fast this program moves and all the other stuff you're trying to pay attention to, this seems unnecessarily difficult. I recommend ignoring the verbal instructions on right-left and simply mirroring the dancers on the screen.
Second, there's a "cool-down" section at the end, but not much of it consists of stretching. I wouldn't do all this stuff for 45 minutes without a good stretching routine to follow, but the video doesn't provide this so you should do it on your own.
Rosette

kina · 01-20-2008, 01:18 PM

I have not found a belly dance fitness dvd that I would do as a workout.

I teach fitness and I teach a cardio belly dance class, which i announce to people is not a good cardio workout, but a better anaerobic work out.

da Sage · 01-20-2008, 01:29 PM

I really like Kathy Smith's Flex Appeal, although it isn't that aerobic, and the producers made a mistake when they let Kathy lead it, instead of Ansuya (who actually shows good form).

If you're going for cardio, nothing beats fast Tunisians moving across the room while holding your hands above your head and zilling.

HotDogYogini · 01-20-2008, 01:55 PM

For the non-exerciser & non-dancer, as long as you keep moving kinda fast for 20 minutes, it is aerobic. I like the Keti Sharif because she uses some Latin dance to pump it up. I have Body Quake Elements, but some of the other ones are probably good too. Some of it is hard or a little challenging, but as I keep moving, I feel that it is good enough. Most dance classes aren't really aerobic because they focus too much on technique, & are stop & start with the music. Sometimes to pump it up, I just shimmy some, or do some of my own moves, in between - with teachers I've been with awhile. When I was first starting, whenever I would get tired (while dancing at home), I just did travelling twisty shimmies - anything to keep moving. Because I am usually looking for my dance at home to be aerobic, I prefer DVDs with at least 20 solid minutes of movement, without starting & stopping. It seems like that's not too much to ask in bang for the buck.

HotDogYogini · 01-20-2008, 01:58 PM

gypsydanse, would you give some timings on the aerobic portion of the Bellyrobics DVD from Sohaila? If it's got at least 20 minutes non-stop, I might like to buy it. Thanks.

HotDogYogini · 01-20-2008, 02:03 PM

Shira (or anyone else who has done this DVD), Do you think the belly twins' Basic DVD you described above would be conducive to adding zills? Thanks.

Linnyg · 01-20-2008, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Shira*

I think Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Basic Moves by Veena and Neena is actually pretty good for brand-new beginners to belly dancing.

I totally agree! I have all of their videos and Basic Moves is how I got started. I wanted a workout video that was different from just jumping around for 30 minutes and it worked out nicely. I would also suggest after Basic Moves/Fat Buring (they usually come in a combined video, their "Slim Down"video is good to. For more toning their "Arm & Abs" and "Hips, Buns and Thighss" also provide a fun decent workout. Who knows, they may end up like me and it could boost their interest to start dancing. I am a little biased because I love the twins so much though. I just like the way that they teach the moves and they are not so skinny that I have to hate them.

gypsydanse · 01-21-2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotDogYogini

gypsydanse, would you give some timings on the aerobic portion of the Bellyrobics DVD from Sohaila? If it's got at least 20 minutes non-stop, I might like to buy it. Thanks.

I'll get one out of the box and check the times for you. She also has some video clips of herself on youtube. Search under "Sohaila."

khalilaNZ · 01-21-2008, 05:49 AM

Wow!!! I just checked in - you guys really know your dvd'S!! Thanks for these suggestions. I'll let Lisa know what the recomendations are so far. I might even be tempted to try one.....

*Shira* · 01-21-2008, 12:02 PM

Comments on some of the other videos mentioned on this thread:

Temple of Jehan Ultimate Bellydance Workout. I really like this video, but I wouldn't recommend it for a beginning student. It's better suited to an intermediate who already knows how to do the basic moves with confidence.
Keti Sharif's three workout videos. I really like these, but again I wouldn't recommend them to beginning students. Her original Body Quake video would be fine for intermediates, but the other two (Body Quake Elements and World Dance Aerobics are better suited to upper-end intermediates and advanced dancers. These latter two are reviewed on my web site at Belly Dancing: Shira's Reviews of Fitness Videos, Arranged Alphabetically
Suhaila's Bellydance Fitness Fusion series. Again, these are fine for intermediates, but I wouldn't steer brand-new beginners to them.

Hotdogyogini, I think you could add zills to the twin's Basic Moves workout. Regarding the twins, I guess I should add that the DVD edition comes on the same disk as a second video they did called Fat Burning. I didn't like Fat Burning at all because I thought it was dreadfully boring. For aerobic exercise, I agree with Linnyg that their Slim Down is a more pleasant cardio routine than their Fat Burning one.

I just remembered another video suitable for brand-new beginners that I often recommend, and that's Joyous Laughter, Volume 1: Belly Dance Basics with Michele by Michele Morrison. See Farfesha Belly Dance, belly dancing . This one is reviewed on my web site at Belly Dancing: Shira's Reviews of Fitness Videos, Arranged Alphabetically . It starts with a warmup that includes instruction in technique, then it goes into an 18-minute drill session. Although the primary intent is drilling, it can double as a workout, and it's nice for beginning students because of the instructional technique session at the beginning.