Bellydance for Body Shaping: Upper Body

I absolutely love this DVD, and I don't think I will ever be tired of it. The DVD contains a tutorial that teaches basic moves, such as chest circles, hand ripples, and snake hips. The tutorial also demonstrates basic veil moves, including barrel and flamenco turns, and finally into cane basics. The cane moves are excellent, and include folk moves using a few Hagallah, or light jumping steps. The video then divides into three workout sections demonstrating basics, veil, and cane technique, which then form into a dance choreography at the end of each section. What I enjoyed best is that the choreography is set, but it still feels improvised, which I love. The video is also low impact, yet strenuous enough to get the benefits of a good workout. The production quality of the video is excellent. The DVD offers details on where to obtain the music used in each section. However, I missed the information supposedly offered on where to obtain a cane or veil. This video is both a great workout, and an awesome source for students who want to learn veil and cane technique. Most videos on the market are either exclusively fitness or instructional videos, but Tanna's video is a blend of both, with the added value of teaching two props. Finally, Tanna performs with a veil using the moves she teaches in the video, which is beautiful. This is one of the best deals I have encountered.

Tanna is an apt dancer and instructor. In the introduction, Strength & Conditioning Specialist Andy Troy goes over some of the moves you will cover and what muscles you'll be exerting - but then he vanishes, not again to be seen on the DVD. Tanna is articulate and looks you in the eye as she goes over the different props and the history of the dance as well as the step by step moves.

Somewhere along the way, however, the lessons begin to segue away from upper-body workout to full body jazzercize. The music is a mixture of sometimes Middle Eastern, then tossed in with some whacky New Age style stuff that just seems inappropriate.

While demonstrating the dance moves in a well lit dance studio, reflections of the outside windows are visible in the mirrors and during the lessons a construction worker can be seen waltzing back and forth. This is simply distracting.

After lesson one, we're no longer just doing upper body - Tanna is twirling like a Dervish and leaving the floor now and then with a hop. For the people who need to workout the most, these are not the best maneuvers. They are pretty movements, but more of a performance than a lesson in upper body toning. Unlike the "Buns & Thighs" edition, this is not a DVD suitable for just about any body type or conditioning level. I for one, could not keep up and watched the last two thirds from my recliner.

Tanna does a great job of instruction, but it seems like the lesson plan was dumped about half-way through. If you suffer from vertigo - or heck, if you're over 25, you're probably going to get dizzy doing some of these moves. I was following at first, then it was just "Bring on the Dramamine!"

I was a bit lost on the Performance section. This looked like a music video - not like a performance so to speak. The camera zooms in and out so it's hard to concentrate on the moves, choreography and the gestures.

The cover art looks like some disciplinarian is going to smack you with her riding crop - I think they should have consulted someone outside of their circle of dance afficianados on how the cover art could be interpreted.

The DVD is well presented and put together, but it does lose a star for the issues I cited above. Just going over the tutorial and first half of lesson 1 will really help those learning belly dance incorporate moves to tone their triceps and other problem areas above the waist. Another well-done job by WorldDance New York.

I find Tanna's dancing a bit stiff, but she has a great personality.
It starts with a 8 min intro about this dvd. With Troy, a personal traainer telling you how the arm movements work which muscles using a computer graphic. There is also a little history about the costumes & use of veils & canes. Also a short info about different kinds of veils & canes.
The tutorial is fast, it's best if you've bought already the bellydance twin's dvd, jillian's, etc. & about 14 min. she gives good verbal clues, builds up but only slows down a little.
Then there are 3 session each with a 2 min warmup, 10 min learning, 1-2 min dance & 2 min cooldown. She gives verbal clues for the warmup, learning & cooldown, but is always going normal speed.
The first one is w/o veils.
The second one has alot of turning.. A LOT & uses veils.
The third uses a cane & much more hip work.

There's a more in-depth review at shira net & more pics at the production site at worlddancenewyork com You can see a trailer at totalvid com

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