As Printed in the Winter 2007 (Jan/Feb/March 2007) Issue of The Belly Dancer Magazine
Bellydance for Body Shaping Series
Reviewed by Johanna
Buns and Thighs DVD
I became a fan of this series when I reviewed the Abs DVD in this series. With its mini workouts, I could easily pop the disc in the player and have my workout on its way to being done. I also really liked how little space I had to use for a great workout. This second one with Neon wasn't a disappointment. Starting with the About this Program section, though not as engaging as the Abs DVD, I love this part since it is a review of safety and muscle interaction. I had hinted in my review of the Abs DVD that I found Andy Troy's information reminiscent of a Pop-up Video episode. That is not the case here. He talks less, but when he does it is on the money.
The movements in each of the workouts on the Buns and Thighs DVD are based on getting you moving and using your…buns and thighs! This means using a bit more space than the Abs workouts, but still manageable in my small living room around the usual obstacles of furniture and floor caltrops (you know those sharp kids toys that when stepped on just make you collapse over your injured foot, or just hop and curse). The movements are mostly easy to moderate in difficulty and the handy counter at the bottom of the screen and diagrams at the left are great motivators. I found a couple of the moves could stress the knees but since it is geared for the thighs, hips and buns, and you are on your feet throughout the workouts it can be expected that some of the moves will challenge that area. Did I mention there are 3 workouts, that include warm-ups, dances and cool downs on this DVD and that they are about 15 minutes long? I can enthuse over that more, but think I'll move on to save room.
Filmed in a studio with a black background Neon's bright red costume throughout is functional and attractive. I could have gone for a couple more camera angles that weren't just straight on for some of the moves but can easily say that there are some terrific people working on World Dance New York's production and post production teams. The sound and voiceovers were well done and the catchy stay in your head tunes return. As with the Abs DVD, I like this one enough to keep in my collection and recommend to all levels.
Floorwork DVD
When I find something I like, I tend to look for more of the same in an effort to expand on a good thing. I'm also a closet traditionalist, no matter how much electronica/dance music I listen and work to, and love to see some of the more difficult parts of bellydance come back into the main of our dance form. I mention this up front because this DVD features one of our dance forms more difficult elements. Quickly glossed over in the Tutorial is some of the history of Floorwork and some of the dances, like Guedra, that use it. I was disappointed that the practical reason being the height of many of the traditional tents through the Middle East and Africa are fairly low so to do the same movements we associate with bellydance they would need to be done on a lower elevation, was not mentioned. (I use Tents: Architecture of the Nomads, by Torvald Faegre, Anchor Books, New York, 1979, regarding this theory.)
I rather enjoy the About This Program section on each of the DVD's in this series. I mention it every time. I just get such a kick out of being reminded what and where we are working in each DVD and fitness consultant, Andy Troy, does such a good job of not only explaining, but making it understandable, I just have to mention it since he almost never appears or make comments on the whole rest of the DVD. The quick suggestions by Tanna in the Tutorial section went really skimpy on recommendations for adapting more difficult movements, like an upward facing plank position, for students who are not flexible and strong or have injuries that might limit mobility. Just a little more time spent on position variations here would have made this DVD friendlier for all levels of dancers. In keeping with this series, it has three quick workouts with a dance section to help put it all together with warm-ups and cool-downs for each set. This means I can program my DVD player to do one warm-up and exercise set and another dance and cool-down set and be done with my workout in less then 20 minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
Filmed at Morocco's dance studio in New York City the imagery is terrific with excellent color and good sound quality, a sometimes difficult thing in a studio/dance room setting where you have multiple surfaces reflecting light and sound. They did an excellent job working with a warm, bright studio with a large bank of windows facing outdoors. A bit different from the Abs, and Buns and Thighs DVDs, that only have one costume for all three workouts, there are different costumes in the routines which were all good clothing choices for Tanna in color, attractiveness and practicality. This DVD also includes a Performance section which was filmed in a low light setting. Although visually dynamic, I found it too shadowy with the camera cuts too rapid between angles to really appreciate it as a dance routine or show what a floor dance could look like in a full costume. The majority of the movements in all the workouts are good for any level. The exceptions and limited suggested adaptations though make me not able to recommend it to a beginner. These are great workouts for more flexible and strong students, so I recommend this DVD to intermediate/advanced students or beginner students who want to take on a challenge.
Bellydance for Body Shaping: Upper body DVD
When it comes to exercise videos most people are of a 'break it out of the box, pop it in and lets go' mentality. I'm no exception. Image my surprise when I got past the About this Program section, which I again love on each of the DVDs in this series, and into the Tutorial and found I'd need a veil and a cane to do two of the three workouts on this DVD. To say my jaw dropped and hung there for a while is an understatement. Since veils and canes aren't something in everyone's closet, it is a good thing Tanna reviews what to look for in a both and some reasonable substitutes in the Tutorial section along with many of the foot patterns and dance moves used in the workout routines that can't be broken down in the 15 minutes allowed for each workout.
Unlike any of the others in this series, this one is not a great one for a limited area what with the veil moving around....or that dastardly cane ;-), though I was able to do okay in my small living room. I felt they could have used more spinal twists and flexes; I truly enjoyed all the hands and arms throughout all three routines. I absolutely loved the excellent use of folkloric steps for cardio in the cane routine and the simple and effective veil combinations for upper body work. They also worked to show a good use of small space for steps and movements that could easily be expanded to cover a whole stage.
Filmed at Morocco's dance studio in New York City the camera work is terrific with excellent color and good sound quality. They did an excellent job lighting and working in her studio at various times of the day with different lighting needs. Call me easily sidetracked, because as I used the huge bank of mirrors behind Tanna to see what she was doing from the back, which was truly great and something I enjoyed in the Floorwork DVD too, I found myself looking past her through the windows reflected there. I mention this because as I'm focusing on Tanna and what is happening there, I saw people walking or standing outside of windows on a balcony area. Like I said, I'm easily sidetracked but this was uncomfortably distracting on this professional quality DVD. As with the Floorwork DVD this one includes a Performance Section. This seems to have been shot in a studio possibly in front of a green or blue screen. I found this not as enjoyable as the dances with each section because the background pattern behind Tanna tended to overshadow some of the beautiful veil work she was doing and the videographer, possibly was not familiar with filming dancers, seems to jump around trying to find a focus point just a shade slow to catch Tanna at her best. I can easily recommend this to all levels of dancer…with the knowledge that I've forewarned you that a veil and cane, or substitutes, are needed to do all of the exercises on this DVD.
As a big fan of this series I need to point out that these are not technique videos, they are workout videos. They don't break down a movement for technique and there are few adaptations for the less flexible, because there simply isn't time during the workouts. If possible moves are quickly covered in Tutorials. What these DVDs are about is excellent, well rounded workouts using a good blend of cardio, muscle isolation, and some props. I'm am thrilled they are releasing them as a boxed set in September 2006, just in time for Christmas J.
Bellydance for Body Shaping: Abs DVD
As some of you know I make an annual trip to New Jersey for Rakkasah East. This puts me in contact with a lot of the dancers from all over the East Coast. That said, I hadn't heard of Neon till this last year, as I looked over the DVD's available from several of the tables. Somewhat skeptical, I thought I'd give the Bellydance for Body Shaping: Abs a try and see what, if anything, I could recommend. I was pleasantly surprised. Since I view everything on a DVD including credits I really enjoyed the overview of the abdominal, back, hip and leg muscles that will interact through many of the exercises in the About This Program section. It was great to hear how they work individually, in concert with or are triggered by the other muscles.
The three full exercise routines themselves are good but are not break-it-down, get the move right sessions. They have almost no instructions on how to do a movement properly, which left me a bit worried on several movements that could easily put stress on the lower back, knees, or neck. Fitness trainer Andy Troy's occasional comments are on cue, but are glossy in that they are like a pop-up ad giving advice while never interacting with Neon. The dance section for each session uses moves with no instruction except the graphic sidebar, so it is watch and learn with some moves not mapped or described which makes that part a bit hard to follow.
The music was enjoyable with several stick in your brain melodies. Each session is a good workout with its own start to finish exercises from warm-up to cool-down. With only 15 minutes for each workout, they are fast paced with few pauses and limited stepping moves which is a fabulous bonus if you have limited space, don't want to get on the floor or invest in any special equipment. I really enjoyed the graphics telling how many of a move to do, as well as what kind of motion we were working with. I also found several of the combinations in each workout interesting and easy to use. On the whole, I can say this is an 'add to my own collection' DVD and look forward to seeing more from World Dance New York and it's publisher Neon.
For More information: http://www.worlddancenewyork.com
