worst instructional DVD I have ever seen

[mish_mish]

Originally Posted by Monica

Me, too! I can't lie...I was actually quite obsessed with sighting them for a few years there (hi if you are reading this!). They even made the Gilded Serpent Rakkasah photo spread one year and were described as "that one couple" or something. They have a bit of local fame, I suppose. I have seen them at some other SF Bay Area festivals, too.

She is graceful, I will say that. It's just so over the top, completely.

[*Shira*]

Originally Posted by Razia

As someone who has actually seen the Estelle video, I have to say that the reason it gets an M15 rating is because she performs one dance--I believe a pharonic inspired one--topless. Yep, topless.

A couple of years ago I got an email from some guy asking if I knew of any topless belly dance videos. So I told him Estelle's was the only such video I knew of and sent him to her web site.

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by mish_mish

Since I'm already going to hell:

Shayla and Yanni Look-Alike Gallery
The upside?
Not an instructional video.

I'll probably join you there.
I couldn't get the vido to play but I'm glad she moves..'cos I though it was a human look-a-like.....blow-up doll

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by laura 2

Well, I've seen it, thanks to Shira, and can confirm the toplessness. I think the thing that surprised me the most was that her boobs were way nicer than mine!

Well she chose 'em.

[laura 2]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Well she chose 'em.

So true!

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by lotus

I know, they say 'judge not lest ye be judged'...

but this ripoff of a video is so bad, I am utterly aghast. I got this at Ross, titled "Belly Dance for Beginners". the hostess is a fitenss expert named Denise Druce. There are so many things wrong with this video that it's hard to know where to start. Oh, wait - maybe with the fact that the woman named on the boxcover is not actually in the instructional portion.

Actually the real red flag comes when the instruction begins, and the 'instructor' is wearing what appears to be black Reeboks, while the backup dancer on the left is in a button-down black shirt and black chinos like a waiter at Pasta Pomodoro. the entire video is only 31 minutes long. In this magic carpet ride, you learn:

• how to do an "isolated hip"...while bouncing up and down and locking the opposing knee into what appears to be a hyperextension
  
• "step touch" - walking forward
  
• a move that looks like you're losing tug-of-war
  
• a move that looks like you're training at a punching bag. wave fists on outward circles at face-level while doing a paddle turn and wagging a$$ around with a crunched lower back
  
• a flail which vaguely approximates snakearms as done by a person in a straitjacket

I've never bashed a dvd online before, but this was terrible. I'm really mad I can't return it and get my six dollars back. Even six bucks was way too much for this garbage.

I got it to review it as a warning in a mag . It is truly dreadful. This is an example of a fitness instructor who thinks belly dancing is easy and trendy so she'll jump on a bandwagon. The way she whizzes through the instruction is an insult to any serious student of this dance.
A redeeming factor is that she looks as if she knows she doesn't know what she's doing!

[Bellydancefanatic]

Originally Posted by dunyah

I got one by Amira Mor at Ross for about that price. I was curious about her since she's rather well known. I pretty much hated it. Not that I actually tried following along, but the whole presentation left me cold. It was filmed in a gym, you can see guys on exercise bikes watching the class through a window. And she struts around yelling like some hideous aerobics instructor. She didn't wear athletic shoes, though. I don't think I could bear to dance along with someone yelling at me like that. I plan to save it for "video night" though.

Her dancing was proficient, I suppose, but her whole vibe was soulless, I thought. Cold and a bit mechanical, or something. It put me off. Way off. The energy she was projecting was kind of gross somehow.

OTH, I found Sarah Skinner's I Love Turkish Belly Dance at the same time and I really like that one. Although it was more like "New York Turkish-Style" rather than "ethnic" Turkish people dancing Turkish style, I still liked it very much. It was well done, the costume workshop was really fun, and she presents herself as a classy dancer. There was obviously a lot more time, effort and caring put into the production of this video than of the other one.

Which Ross did you go to? I have bought those EXACT same videos, and feel the same way! I got them at the same prices. I sold ALL of my Amira Mor DVDs. The one you're talking about, I followed along (barely) 3 times and said forget it. Very cold, yes. HATED the yelling and aerobic dance class style of it. I didn't learn much from it.

Love Sarah Skinner because of that DVD. Nice for a starter in Turkish bellydance, and very well done. I still watch the costume workshop. So, buying instructional DVDs at Ross is risky, but sometimes one can find some good finds.

Really ironic how we bought the same things....

[meissoun]

For those of you who want to expand their collections of craptastic dance DVDs, here are some "recommendations" in French.

Amazon.fr: Danses orientales: DVD
The comment says:

"Dissapointing and misleading article. It's announced to have 2 teachers which is wrong. Regarding the movements, she massacers what makes oriental dance soft and gracious...
I am only giving it 1 star because Amazon doesn't offer the possibility to give 0 stars."

Amazon.fr: J'apprends à danser : La Danse...
Comment:
"You don't lean much with this. The movements are not explained, detailled etc."

Basically one can say: If the cover doesn't show an actual teacher's FACE, it's bound to be trouble...

MEISSOUN

[rakgirl]

Originally Posted by Razia

Wow, she totally stole my idea for a video! Seriously, though, she's got decent technique......I remember seeing this couple walking around Rakkasah West over the years. They're pretty striking, as she walks around in full costume and he, well, looks like Yanni.

omg i am so slow. i thought that was yanni and the pictures were to show that he and shayla look alike. but they don't. well to be fair it is almost 3 am. yeah that rose bit at the end was creepy but she's got great hair and pretty good technique. i just wish there was some music.

[*Shira*]

Originally Posted by meissoun

For those of you who want to expand their collections of craptastic dance DVDs, here are some "recommendations" in French.

So of course I couldn't resist ordering both of these. If nothing else, they'll help me stay in practice with my French comprehension, and maybe I'll even learn a few dance terms in French!

[Bellydancingcaroline]

Originally Posted by jewelbellydance

A great belly-dancer will usually perform a floor mount towards the end of her dance.

I fear I will never be a great bellydancer. Now where did I leave my 'ethnic bathrobe'...

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by Bellydancingcaroline

I fear I will never be a great bellydancer. Now where did I leave my 'ethnic bathrobe'...

in yer ethnic bathroom, love!

[ghazallah]

Hello ladies... This is my first post. I can't resist. I am the proud owner of an "instructional" tape SO BAD it never made the leap to DVD. It stars none other than Nagwa Fouad, and the film is completely silent with voice-over narration on how yer supposed to move. I haven't watched it in a long time, but I seem to remember lots of women in a dance studio (like a ballet studio with the mirrors and barre all around) trying to flail and follow the leader. The production quality is low, the focus seems to be fuzzy a lot of the time, and there are lots of shots of poor Nagwa mouthing silently while some disembodied voice is saying "Bend! Bend! Bend!" or some such over and over. I don't blame her for this trainwreck of a video, rest her soul.

Definitely good for if you have a few friends coming over and alcohol and hilarity are in your plans.

I haven't seen the Estelle, but it seems like a new treat is in store for me sometime in the future. Topless Pharonic diaper dance, the mind boggles. I'm glad to see there are worse things out there than Janine Rabbit. I own her tape too. She never tries to pass herself off as anything but a fan and beginner, and her tape inspired me to find a teacher in my area and get to dancin'. I think that was her intent, ultimately, I'm sure she didn't need the money. And her musical choices were pretty good, too.

Well, now that I've said all that, I'm pleased to have joined your community and hope to laugh and learn much in my journey back to BD. I've been absent a few years, but I'm on my way back with a vengeance!

[jessedan]

Hmmm. I wonder if there's a curse on Nagwa Fouad's videos? I have one, a DVD. I paid a whopping 40 something dollars for it several years ago, and it never got past the first 15 minutes. It's taped in a classroom as well, but curiously there's a man in a windbreaker doing the teaching. Nagwa is just following along up onstage. Then it just freezes. It won't play on anybody's DVD player or computer. So I have no idea what's on the rest of the DVD. Apparently, alot of people had this problem with this particular DVD.

Regards
Priscilla

Originally Posted by ghazallah

Hello ladies... This is my first post. I can't resist. I am the proud owner of an "instructional" tape SO BAD it never made the leap to DVD. It stars none other than Nagwa Fouad, and the film is completely silent with voice-over narration on how yer supposed to move. I haven't watched it in a long time, but I seem to remember lots of women in a dance studio (like a ballet studio with the mirrors and barre all around) trying to flail and follow the leader. The production quality is low, the focus seems to be fuzzy a lot of the time, and there are lots of shots of poor Nagwa mouthing silently while some disembodied voice is saying "Bend! Bend! Bend!" or some such over and over. I don't blame her for this trainwreck of a video, rest her soul.

[meissoun]

Originally Posted by *Shira*

So of course I couldn't resist ordering both of these. If nothing else, they'll help me stay in practice with my French comprehension, and maybe I'll even learn a few dance terms in French!

I trusted you to be tempted I really only posted those links for you alone!

MEISSOUN

[shaynaz]

can someone post janine rabbits on youtube??? and estelles??? id love to see...

[caroline_afifi]

Ha ha....Janine Rabbit, it was worth every penny,dime,cent that video!
I would pay 100 times that just to get the same deep belly laugh again.
I still remember her husband and his speech at the start...fantastic.

Estelle came a close second. With his/her cleopatra bare moobs dance.