The Heartbeat of Bellydance: Rhythms & Belly Dance Combinations for Drum Solos

Jenna and Raquy have put together a great instructional DVD for all but the highest level of dancer. I am at an intermediate level, and I have plenty to work on with this DVD. Jenna's technique is very technically clean, and her emotive style is natural and pleasant. She is natural with the viewer, and also with her dance. You have seen the other videos with other great dancers that can't speak or their dance comes across herky-jerky on screen. Jenna is encouraging without talking down to the viewer or being repetative. I loved the shimmy layering drills and will get a lot of practice to clean up my technique, the REALLY simplified way that Raquy teaches how to identify different rhythms (an A-HA moment here!), the different levels of drum solo work, with the additional improvisational drum solo (or duet as they like to say) That is very inspirational. The warmup is a good basic one that gets the job done without being tedious. I have paid a LOT more for different bellydance instructional DVD's and this one is the cheapest, as well as one of the best. If Jenna came out with more, I'd be all over it in a HEARTBEAT!

if you want to learn how to dance to different drum rhythms, this is a great dvd. they break down the different types of drum beats and the choreography step by step. beginners can use this as well as experienced dancers, but if you have never done bellydancing before, you will want to start with a basic moves tape or dvd such as veena & neena, since this one does not break down the components of each move (like how to do an upward chest circle or snake arms, for instance). the performances are inspirational. you get a lot here. definitely one of the best dvds i've seen. highly recommended.

This DVD teaches you how to dance to a drum solo - not to a particular performance or sequence (although there are 4 performances done in detail) but helps you understand the music and as cliched as this sounds, feel the music.

The DVD is well-chaptered, where you can choose a specific segment you want to work on.

Instructor: Jenna
Percussionist: Raqui

Warmup - a bellydance specific warm-up with some hip swirls and such

Choreography Workshop - there are 4 performances or drum solos done in detail. They're supposed to be beginner, intermediate, advanced/expert. Each of these is broken up into 4 segments - performance (done by the instructor in front of an audience), tutorial (step-by-step of each move), learn & practice (loops it 2x, so you can practice) and finally one where you do it in full.

The tutorials are all done in a studio in front of a wall-to-wall mirror with a view of the front and back of the instructor, so you do not miss anything. There are even close-ups of the footwork, at the end of some of the more complicated movements. Another great thing is that there is a little countdown marker at the bottom left of the screen, while the instructor counts it out loud as well.

The tutorials are done at a good pace - slow/explanatory, perform it once or twice. When you move on to the next movement, it gives you detailed instructions on how to segue smoothly from one move to the other.

Rhythm Workshop - Raquy, the percussionist, explains a little about the music. How you can pick up what type of rhythm or style it is just from listening to it. There's also a tutorial and performance by the instructor, Jenna, in how to dance to the drum (and the drummer).

Shimmy Drills - Shimmy Layering Drills, 3/4 Shimmy Drill. These are pretty amazing and it'll really make you work on those shimmies.

Performance, Music etc. which are typical of most bellydancing DVDs.

What I especially liked was how well organized the DVD was. It was easy for you to skip between movements in the tutorial (Choreography Workshop - #2) .. from move #1 to move #2, which may not be a big thing but for repeated viewings or practices this would be advantageous.

Again, I highly recommend this DVD. It is best for beginner-intermediate bellydancers since you do need to know some of the basic movements beforehand.

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