Modern Tribal Bellydance
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Movie Reviews of Modern Tribal Bellydance
Movie Review: Killer Driller
Summary: 5 Stars
Halfway through Asharah's workout and technique drills, I begin to have decidedly sugary fantasies. They quickly progress to vivid hypnotic images of soft sweet sponge cake oozing with caramel sauce...
Asharah's 3-hour video on isolation drills, a strength workout and six combinations is solid hard work - make no mistake about that. But I, for one, love it.
If you're looking for a few quick and cool combos to do on the dance floor, this is the wrong video. This one is about getting a dancer's body, her strength, her flexibility, stamina, and most of all, her precision. Nope, this video isn't for anyone looking for a quick fix. It's for the determined belly dancer to whom every component of a muscle isolation matters.
In this, the 6th tribal fusion instructional DVD to come out of World Dance New York, the conditioning and isolation exercises have been taken to another level altogether. These sections add up to 130 minutes with 60 minutes given to learning six combinations -- and there are two performances. If you're wondering about value for money, there's your answer. There's a mind-boggling amount of content for very little money.
I won't describe the strength and conditioning section because it's been adequately described everywhere else. But I can tell you that I've been working with it and found some difference in a matter of two sessions. I felt the effect on a) my range of movement b) sharpness and ability to break an isolation down into 8 parts c) stamina and strength d) balance. As I continue with this workout, I hope the next step will be to develop the ability to make each part of an isolation really distinct and visible. Working with this video fits right into my approach. I like working hard at the preparation and I totally revel in seeing the difference. I have the tribal videos to thank for where my muscle isolations have reached so far, and am grateful that this instruction seems to be improving on that.
One new development in Asharah's video is her 30-minute amazing section on breaking down movements into tick-tock precise parts. In tribal fusion, you can use those to get that automated robotic look which is visible in this sometimes wacky genre. But if you don't want to dance that way (and I don't) you still end up with perfect control to use with any style. Some of Asharah's exercises will have you doing very controlled movements standing on your toes! Or on one foot! Tht makes you less dependant on cheating with your feet and instead actually using the muscles you're supposed to.
I haven't got to the combinations yet but plan on working with them because they're the most challenging of all the 6 tribal fusion videos (all of which I have). I tend to use the combinations as exercises and drills in themselves and dance more in the oriental style.
Overall, this is a mammoth treasure house of a video. Sometimes, I feel outright grateful for a video - and this is one of those times.
But I have to confess I've sometimes eaten a Mars bar in the middle of it.
Movie Review: "Mercy!" cry my legs and shoulders
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, for those who have never seen Asharah dance in person, it is a gem. I knew her from when I danced in the DC area, and so when I heard about the DVD, it automatically went on my "must have" list.
It is now on my "students must have" list. This DVD is best suited for those with some bellydance background. I also would not recommend it for a beginner dance student with severe lower back problems, only because of the amount of plie's on it that can be hard on the lower back unless supervised.
The DVD is outstanding, and even more outstanding for the cost. There is a 45 minute warmup section, a 55 minute technique section, a 30 minute Modern Tribal section, and a 30 minute combination instruction. This is followed by a combinations drill and cooldown.
I am lucky if I make it through the warmup section. The warmup is shoulder and thigh strength intense, and I find myself sweating profusely by the end, and my legs crying out for mercy. If you are interested in Suhaila format, Asharah's training in the format is apparent. Squats, plies, plies in releve, shoulder rolls, tribal style rippling arms, shoulder rolls and rippling arms while in a plie releve, etc. This woman is incredible.
The technique section has a great dance posture explanation, and a fantastic hip work on the down/hip work on the up/hipword down up and in releve explanation. Again, if you are thinking of SSSD certification, this DVD is fantastic preparation, or if you are a teacher who teaches the 3/4 shimmy flat footed, learning it one-footed in releve is a great new vocabulary for you. Also, if you have unattractive arms when you dance, this DVD is great in it's drilling of keeping the hands and pretty as you dance.
The combinations presented use walking, interior and exterior hip circles, chest lifts with locks, level changes, 3/4 shimmys with a turn, hip drops with locks, undulations down to up and up to down with level changes, slow turns, and ticking.
Asharah is easy to hear, the lighting ambient and pleasant, and the sound is good. Another reviewer did not like the fact you cannot see her feet because of the flare pants, which I did not notice until she said it--again, this is more for the intermediate and advanced dancer, for the foot placement falls under basic dance steps.
The performance does not do credit to Asharah's incredible stage power, which is best seen, as with all dancers, in person. However, the performance does not disappoint.
A fantastic value for the price.
Movie Review: highly recommended
Summary: 5 Stars
If you have money just enough for one belly dance DVD and you want to do some workout by way of belly dance, this is the very one I would highly recommend.
Asharah is not a beauty, nor has she got an exotic figure but her teaching skill and techniques are magnificent. In addition, it is a very well planned and presented DVD. It is extremely interesting, user-friendly, very informative and very much worth the money. For the past week, I have kept practicing on her DVD without getting even slightly bored.
The warm up and conditioning section is already 45 minutes, sufficient to replace my usual workout. It includes stretching the neck, hips and legs and working on shoulders, upper ab, glute, legs and undulation. Oh, there are even press-ups for both chests and triceps. For a few times, I have to pause and drink water. There is also yoga to open up hips in particular and some ballet movements.
The technique section is excellent. I had written in my own blog about a very good DVD "Contemporary Bellydance & Yoga Conditioning by Areillah", my another favourite teacher. However I had fallen asleep a few times during her practice (when I was tired and sleepy) because for every movement I had to do for 30 times and as a result I got bored. (Having said that, it is still a great DVD.) Asharah's practice is totally different. I have to sometimes raise my heel, or raise my leg, or raise both heels while doing the same practice. As a result, I cannot fall asleep but instead I find it a great challenge. How can I dance on one leg? I wobble a lot. What is more interesting about this DVD is it has a 30 minutes' tribal dance movement section, which I find immensely interesting. We have to pause sharply before we move on to the next part of one single move. As a result, my muscles have to be very strong in order to give that kind of movement. Oh, I do LOVE this DVD, in particular it is a gift by my kids. In addition, Asharah's performances are really a treat to watch! I have been too busy to do the choreography practice yet.
After less than one week, I found my upper ab, lower ab and arms toned up significantly, which made me so proud of my body shape.
It is highly recommended to even beginners as anyone can follow the very clear instructions. I feel so grateful for such a high-quality DVD to have been produced.
Movie Review: Modern flair with ease
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a comprehensive program with emphasis at modern tribal style dance merged with belly dance.
Assuming you are familiar with the language of belly dance and have moved into your own particular style, I would venture to say, this is a great beginning video in the tribal style. Ashara patiently takes you from the complex, to the smooth approach from basic belly dance posture , basic moves such as chest movements, hip isolations and embellishing them into more intricate, accented, sharp moves.
To begin, the warm up session: arm isolations, torso rotations,deep lunges.
Followed by comprehensive lessons in the following areas:
Dance posture
Upper body articulating:
Arm and shoulder isolations in the tribal style
Chest squares and slides, lifts and drops circles
Lower body:
Gluteus contractions, sharp accented hips, hips up and down
Vertical 8's up and down, on releve, and flat foot
A great breakdown on the variations of the ¾ shimmy, pelvic contractions, in squares and smoothed into circles.
Ticking, robotic, and mechanical movement section! Reducing range of motion and adding sharpness to create accents.
An entire segment devoted to the mechanism of tribal style movement where chest, hip movements are broken down into locks and the typical robotic like movements characteristic of the style
A simple, short cool down session as you finish the program.
Remarkable performances by Ashara herself but before then,, learn a simple choreography broken down into six very well explained, and fun combinations.
I found this program one of the better, user friendly approaches to what others seem to keep mysterious and complex. It is in-depth knowledge presented plain and simple. The pleasant Ashara unlocks all the secrets of the great tribal style moves with ease and confidence. A great learning tool that is also enjoyable and win you well into the modern flair so popular for this day, tribal belly dance.
Movie Review: Excellent value and usefulness
Summary: 5 Stars
Other reviewers have mentioned how this DVD has an insane amount of content, so I don't need to go into that. Other things I appreciate:
High production values. There aren't many (any?) cuts from camera to camera in the workout segments, and those that are there make sense rather than chopping up the flow of what's being presented. The space is ample but not distracting with plain backgrounds and without cheesy props. The sound is crisp. The images are crisp.
Asharah is an excellent instructor with a really pleasant, relaxing, natural presence. She doesn't seem to be reciting canned lines and she's not reading off a teleprompter (or trying to be cute, or artificially enthusiastic). It's easy to imagine I'm in a class or workshop she's addressing. Her instructions are clear, although one or two movements in the warmup segment are introduced without as much instruction as I'd like, so the first couple times I did the workout I had to muddle along until I picked it up.
The segments are conveniently divided so I don't have to fast-forward through the warmup, say, if I want the technique workout, or do the warmup and then fast-forward through the whole techniques segment and the choreography instruction to get to the cool-down. I don't even have to sit through a corny screen with transitional muzak or anything between segments. It's streamlined and efficient.
I'm not sure what's up with the strange bright green screen, and I could wish for some modifications to be offered for the more advanced conditioning exercises, but that's about it. Overall, this was an excellent investment, especially considering that I can't imagine outgrowing it.