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Video Reviews
The Video: Video Mini-Review
by Nita Collins This is the second DVD in a three-DVD series
What is taught? Some of the movements covered in the instructional portion include rib slides and circles, embellishing arm movements, hip circles, forward half-circles, beledi kicks, hip bumps and drops, two types of hip shimmies, and “Arabian Horse” step (in class you know this step as a “tush push” or “trailing hip lift.”)The second part of the video teaches a short choreographed routine. Veena and Neena demonstrate the movements while they are being described by voiceover. The video begins with opening credits recommending that you “stretch before beginning this or any exercise program” and doesn’t mention warming your muscles first. You are then led through a stretching “warm up.” Be aware, if you purchase and use this video, that stretching cold muscles can cause damage, and you should always warm your muscles before stretching. The instructional portion of the DVD begins with arm positions that you can use while dancing. This is nice because students are often frustrated by not knowing what to do with their arms. As I watched the video, though, I had to wonder if it really is necessary to give every single arm position its own name, especially as these names aren’t common in the dance community. I was unhappy with the instruction to “lean” with each posture. As in the first video, Basic Dance, you are instructed to use this un-authentic and dangerous layback posture. While there are times when a slight lean either toward or away from your arm would be used, no mention is made of being aware of your body and executing the lean in a safe manner. I’m not sure where this leaning or laid-back posture comes from, but you do see it used here and there especially by dancers trained in the 1960s & ‘70s West Coast style of Bellydance. This comes from a time when dancers basically taught themselves by imitating movements they saw rather than investigating how the movement was actually created. Rib slides and circles: the breakdown was incomplete and too quick for a beginner just learning the movement. Hip half-circles & circles: I couldn’t follow the verbal description. The voice was describing a hip slide while the twins were doing half-circles to the front. I had to turn the volume down and watch what the twins were doing without the distraction of the voiceover. There was no useful breakdown at all on hip circles. Beledi kicks: these were demonstrated very nicely along with a good verbal breakdown where what you saw and what you heard actually went together. This was one of the nicest segments of the video with good descriptions followed by a nice combination of beledi kick and pivot turn. Hip bumps, drops, ¾ shimmies, and Arabian horse step: Again there was discontinuity between the verbal and the visual. The verbal breakdown of the hip bump did not tell you where your weight should be while the twins executed the movement with a noticeable weight change combined with a small undulation. This would be confusing for a beginner just learning the movement. It was the same for the hip drop: you are better off turning the volume off and trying to figure out what they are doing by watching because not only does the voiceover do a poor job of describing the movement, but the bumps and drops are not in sync with the drum. Again with the shimmies: I feel that if I didn’t already know how to do it, I would be hard pressed to figure it out by listening to the voiceover. And shimmying is not something you can easily learn by watching alone—especially as in this case the twins’ heads are bobbing up and down (there should be no change of head level when walking with a shimmy.) All of the movements are taught incorporating a variety arm movements. This is really nice, and I picked up some ideas for different arm/hip combinations to use in class. The twins are very graceful and are obviously trained in various dance styles. They are lovely and professional to watch and I would encourage students who own this video to watch and practice the way they use their hands and arms in transitions. The twins end the video by teaching a short choreography. This is a one-minute segment out of a longer piece of music, and is made out of the collection of movements taught in the instructional portion. The student sees how the movements can be put together into a dance. This is a nice touch. The music is nicely reflected in the choreography. Unfortunately, you are not told the name of the song. The video is professionally produced—the set, lighting and camera work are excellent. However, the quotes on the jacket (“sultry movements,” “beguiling stares”) and comments by the voiceover about the sexuality of certain movements, along with the general feeling that the unknown commentator was hired for her voice and not her dance expertise, do not fit in with the otherwise professional quality of the production. I did get tired of the cheerleader quality of the voice as well as the constant “that’s right—you’ve got it!” commentary. Do I Recommend This Video As A Teaching Tool For My Students? I’m sitting on the fence with this one. I would say do not buy this video if you are a level 1 beginner or if you are learning to dance through video alone, without access to regular classes with a knowledgeable teacher. The movements are not adequately broken down and too much vital information is left out. In fact, the verbal breakdown is at times so poor that you pretty much have to already know what you are looking at in order to follow along. A talented student might figure it out, but she would likely have poor technique and an incomplete understanding. Having said that, if you are a level 2 student and are a visual learner, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you decide to purchase this video, please be aware of the posture problems presented and stand up straight when you dance. Do not adopt the layback posture presented. As a level 2 student, you should already be proficient at the basic movements taught and so should not be overly confused by the inaccurate voice descriptions. This would be a good addition to your library if you want to learn different ways to put arms with movements and movements together into small combinations (such as the beledi kick/pivot turn). Also, as I stated earlier, the choreography segment is a very nice example of how to put movements to music, and you may get some ideas for choreographing your own dance. Level 3 students will also enjoy learning the one-minute routine. All of the movements taught in this video are covered between my level I and II classes. Where Can You Purchase This Video? I bought mine through www.Amazon.ca as part of a three-video set. It is available in DVD and VHS.
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