i'm assuming most of you aren't familiar with it...it's a 3-DVD set i got a best buy a couple years ago. a bellydancer (a blond, caucasian one) who calls herself dolphina takes you through beginning moves and routines. some of it's hard (coordination-wise) and i sure feel like a moron trying to bellydance when my belly is as huge as it is, but i can really feel the pull in my abs...

just wondering if anyone's tried it...or other bellydancing workouts...

that's not ALL i do, of course, but it's part of my program...if you can call it that...

btw, i'm sorry this thread got posted twice...i was having ISP probs and thought it didn't go through...

I don't but think it would be fun to try. It would drive DH crazy!!

heh yeah...the moves are pretty sexy. i just ordered 3 more bellydance workouts...one that was rated highly (i like dolphina, but i get bored easily, so i want different instructors...besides, some of the camera work on the goddess workout makes it hard to see what she's doing) with several top bellydancers in it and two more that focus on toning specific areas...one for abs and one for buns, hips, and thighs. if i ever get in good enough shape that i'd want to bellydance with other people around, i'd really like to take a class someday. i've always thought it was the most sensual way a woman can move her body...and the costumes are gorgeous...

i haven't done the last DVD of my goddess set yet...it requires a veil and finger cymbals, which i don't have. it looks really cool, though, so i suppose, eventually, i'll have to buy those things.

anyway, when i get those DVDs and try them out, i'll post a review in this thread and compare them...and i'll make recommendations (although there are a ton of instructional bellydance DVDs available on amazon and i'm sure i passed over some great ones just 'cause i don't know what i'm doing).

aaanyway...catch ya later! i have to lie down...i can barely move my neck/back 'cause i slept funny (i think)...and i'm hoping it will be a bit better after i sleep.

peace!

A review wowuld be great. I can't afford to buy any now but after you do the review I will try to start.

video please

i don't have the videos yet (should be here by monday)...but i'll post back and review!!

How do you like the videos?

I love bellydance. I have Neon's Rythmn workout, it's awesome and has two different levels, one for beginners and one for more advanced dancers. The combinations are a little more difficult in the advanced one and when you do combos with more moves, more calorie burn.

It's great for the thighs, butt, abs, and general posture, plus burns calories and makes you feel sexy.

Suhailah's Belly Dance Fusion videos are pretty good too. The buns one will really make your glutes cry before she's done with you and I like the jazz one too. The yoga one is fun, she mixes the belly dance moves with other forms of exercise.

Anyways, hope you are continuing to shimmy away.

Delaney

Oooh, it's great to hear someone talking about bellydance! I'm just in the beginner level, but I love it! I discovered bellydance when I was looking for something to do for exercise for my health but found the treadmill and weights too boring. I'd like to get the opinions of more experienced dancers on a good progression of videos to use as I go along. So far I've done Amira's Bellydance 101, Leila's Bellydance for beginners, and Sadie's Complete Bellydance. I tried the Bellydance twins Neena and Veena but for some reason I can't explain I didn't really like them. Now I'm looking for something with choreography based on these beginning level skills that doesn't involve too much spinning around or going too fast but does provide a good workout. What complicates things for me is that I'm on oxygen--that tube can get really twisted up when I exercise! Thanks for any input.

I love Delilah of Visionary Belly Dance. I had all of the DVDs but they got lost in one of my many many many moves. Now it's just something I do when the mood strikes, but one of these days I would love to take lessons.

Thanks, I will check it out.

Michelle Joyce's Pop Lock and Shimmy DVD has a really good drills section to it and only one of the combos has a turn in it - so it would be easy to work around.

I just got Sarah Skinner's Shimmy Workout DVD and I'm liking it. She has several 5 minute shimmy drills that you can do seperately or one after another for an hour long workout. She has a very nice warm up section. In the cool down she does several advanced yoga type stretches and the stretches in between have a couple of advanced sections. You might end up using a chair to hold the back for balance. There are a couple of times when she shimmies in a circle.. for instance, arabic 3/4 shimmy walk doing points.. forward.. side.. back.. side.. basically staying in place and turning with the walk.. hard to explain.. but you could just stay in place during that part and it wouldn't hurt a thing.

I have done 4 segments of it so far - and then the cool down. She has some walks front and back.. and walks to the side with the shimmies. She has a review at the end covering each shimmy - I need to watch to see if it has a break down. I've been dancing several years, so I know the ones she is doing, even if I'm rusty a bit, but I love having a break down anyways. Just good to hone the technique.

I also bought 'Hard Candy' Bellydance workout.. it's a strength/toning one. I haven't gotten to do it yet, but I'll let you know what I think.

I am considering Sadie and Kaya's drills and pops/locks/shimmies types dvd's but they are expensive $36 on Amazon, and I may not get one until after I get my taxes. The ones by Michelle Joyce are very inexpensive by comparison.. in fact she has her older ones 3 DVD set for $11.. and they are a good workout too!

Amira Mor's Cardio BD workout is pretty good too, I've had it for a long time and take it out now and then. She really works the basics and has a very cute accent, too!

Anyways, I'll post more DVD's as I get them and use them or remember them from the collection.

The shimmy workouts sound good! That's one thing I haven't yet mastered. It sounds like a good pace for me, too. Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm an actual belly dancer. While Dolphina is good, her stuff is mainly targeted to the male audience lol. I suggest looking around your area to see if you can take classes. I love them dearly.