As Printed in the Quarter 2/2006 Issue of The Belly Dancer Magazine

Baraka Mundi and Friends Present

Secret of the Ashes: The Phoenix Reborn

Reviewed by Johonna Gamble

     Having taken seminars from members of Baraka Mundi, I was thrilled to be able to do a review for their debut DVD.  So for my birthday, I purchased their DVD and sat down to view and review.

     The music is superb and the stage lighting terrific.  The dancers are very talented and perform well.  I enjoyed the Phoenix (elder) and Baba Yaga performances.  I also found the changes in angles of photography well done, with few distracting special effects.  The performance also includes a solo by the musicians and a belly dance ensemble piece at the end that brings home that this was recorded live.

     Telling a story through dance is hard.  Especially when the story is not one the audience is familiar with, like The Nutcracker, and there is no narrative.  Based on several Ukrainian folktales, with strong central characters and themes such as the Firebird and the Egg-seller, Baba Yaga and Good vs. Evil, I was lost without the insert in the DVD which put into words what I was seeing and how it related to the story.  I found this part a bit disappointing and believe that it showed how important a central choreography is in building and maintaining characters.

     As I stated at the beginning, I enjoy Baraka Mundi and their unique blend of world fusion.  Since they bring more than just belly dance to these performances there are many combinations that can be added to any dancer's repertoire.  Their choice of costuming was unusual, but I found them especially appropriate for the Phoenix (both) and Baba Yaga.  The use of feathers, wings, veils and headwear was very effective to give height and stage presence to characters that needed to appear bigger or more dramatic to the audience.

     After viewing the fabulous performances on this DVD, its no surprise to me that they are award winners in the 'Best of WNC 2005' for local dance group, a readers pick list for the Asheville and Western North Carolina areas for Xpress magazine, and were nominated for a 'Golden Belly' in Zaghareet.  Their talent and hard work show in their live performances including this DVD and I look forward to more from this talented group. 

More information is available at http://barakamundi.com