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Bellydance - The Next Level: Transitions, Turns & Layers by World Dance New York
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DVD detailsActor: Jenna Director: World Dance New York Brand: STRATOSTREAM DVD: Region Code 0 Audio: English (Original Language) Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen Picture Format: 1.33:1 Running Time: 105 minutes DVD Release Date: 2008-01-29 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: StratoStream - World Dance New York
DVD Reviews of Bellydance - The Next Level: Transitions, Turns & LayersDVD Review: Easy to follow Summary: 5 StarsI was able to work really well with Jenna and follow her choreography. I liked the step by step breakdown and practice.
DVD Review: New perspective Summary: 4 StarsWhile I don't believe this is necessary for every belly dancers collection, it offers new perspective on how to layer moves. Some of the moves look alluring, while others are on the awkward side. This DVD can be very frustrating and hard in the beginning if you don't have the patience. Jenna has plenty to offer someone looking for more complex moves. I recommend taking what you want out of it, leave the rest.
DVD Review: jackie's opinion Summary: 5 StarsGood learning tool. I like the different sections with very good explanations. You can take the different techniques and use them to polish your own dance.
very good
DVD Review: Excellent instructional DVD Summary: 5 StarsIf you are middle to advanced bellydancer, you can, and should have this DVD. It has step by step instructions on turns and transitions, and includes two complete choreography. Excellent DVD, and Jenna is an amazing, beautiful dancer. Congratulations.
DVD Review: Learn two whole choreographies and improve your skills with drills Summary: 5 StarsThe Next Level: Transitions, Turns and Layers takes up beautifully where Basics and Beyond leaves off. Unlike with many videos, there's no doubt that this is a clear step up from beginner to intermediate (for want of better terms).
You begin with a challenging warm up. I've seen so many warm ups on so many belly dance videos. I'll tell you straight off that this one is different. It's not that there are new movements, but there are complex moves that change after just two or three repetitions. You begin with some head rolls following a figure-8 trajectory. You go on to some shoulder rolls. And that's where easy ends. From then on you go straight to undulations, double undulations with level changes, hip twists with a layer of upper body undulations and more and more moves. Some may find this quick-changes warm up difficult, in which case watching it a few times first is recommended.
Continuing in the style of the warm up, Jenna takes you through a series of hip moves using the flow rather than the repetition method. You will not find yourself doing the same move 20 or 30 times. Rather, you'll go from one move to the other like a long, long combination in this hip layering drill. The "drill" aspect will have to come from doing this whole sequence many times. The moves include mayas with twists, twists with reverse undulations, one-hip horizontal circles layered on a traveling step... ah, there're too many to list!
The upper body layering drill has rib cage circles, shoulder pushes and shimmies in different patterns, shoulder shimmies layered on chest slides, torso rotations, squares, hip circles, and on folkloric steps. This is a short, short intense drill. There's no breakdown and explanation of moves here. Remember.. this is the next level. If you need breakdowns you'll need to go back to Basics and Beyond. Both these drills are also a lesson in transitions as you move smoothly and quickly from one move to the other.
Explanations begin in the turns section as Jenna breaks down each turn. She explains each in detail with all associated body movements, footwork, arm work, weight change, etc. She goes through several turns before moving into the actual drills segment. This begins with showing you how to spot. And then, systematically, you begin working on the turns, first with the main elements and adding on more as you go along. Many of these are used in the choreographies later on the DVD. Beautiful, graceful turns.
The only thing that comes as a bit of a shock is that this too is a super short section. It's over before you know it. Thankfully, the choreographies will use what is in the drills and you'll get practice, but I have to admit I'd have liked much, much longer drill and turns sections, specially since that's the name of the video. However, I'm not taking a point off because the sheer amount of content, so well explained, is more than one could have ever hoped for.
Celebration of Rhythm
I have thoroughly enjoyed learning this choreography. I worked with Jenna as systematically as she has worked to teach the 9 combinaitons that make up this choreography, set to Celebration of Rhythm from Jehan's GoddessDance CD. It's a saidi-like piece with the second half being quite drum solo like. Jenna first demonstrates the whole choreography. Not in costume. And then we go through each combination, one at a time, with two rounds of practice with music each. Each combination has only its own practice sessions, not the previous ones in a building block format. I'm fine with focusing on one combination at a time. The teaching is at a lovely pace. Not too fast at all, and not painfully slow. And it's completely detailed.
Raks Bedeya
If you add the previous 9 combinaitons to the 27 in the second choreography, you have a staggering 36 combinations on one DVD. And remember that's not the only thing on the video. When I compare this with a lot of other videos, specially some from IAMED, I'm amazed at the amount of content one gets for less than half the money. You can't get more generous with combinations, really. Two whole performable incredibly-taught choreographies.
I haven't learnt this second choreo yet but plan on getting to it pretty soon. After Jillina's Egyptian Pop. It's a long, long tough one. Lots of turns, nuances, detail. It's a very pleasant choreography and one from which you'd be able to take away so much. All the transitions and turns are packed into this choreography. Get through it and it would affect the rest of your dancing, for certain.
Raks Bedeya is from Wash Ya Wash 2 and is a lovely piece with lots of variation built into it. Changes of pace and all. This choreography moves a fraction faster and does have chunks practiced together rather than only one combo at a time, going all the way through 27.
There's a cooldown of gentle stretches.
Jenna performs both choreographies in costume. She looks cute and if you work witht his video, I'd really recommend looking at the full choreography on each practice session. You'll take in the nuances that kick in only during a stage performance.
What would I give it on a 5-point scale? 9.
Description of Bellydance - The Next Level: Transitions, Turns & LayersBellydance - The Next Level is Jenna's latest DVD for World Dance New York. It offers complete dances to perform, and much more: By learning detailed sequences your body will become accustomed to the transitions used in bellydance, enabling you to shift smoothly from one move to the next. As these become second nature, you will find yourself bringing new movements and increased confidence to your dance improvisation as well. Jenna's program begins with a warm-up, and continues with the Hipwork and Upper Body Layering sections, each of which flows through variations of isolations and undulations, adding layers like shimmies and level changes to increase your control and range of motion. Next, Jenna breaks down dynamic and complex turns in an easy-to-follow manner. The turns are then arranged so that, with practice, you will feel completely comfortable adding them to your repertoire. Jenna's two original choreographies allow you to put together many of the layers, turns, and transitions into beautiful dances you can make your own. Add your personal style, express yourself, and have fun! The first choreography, set to an upbeat saiidi-style piece with a short drum solo section, features percussive accents and shimmy layering. The second choreography is a solo oriental piece rich in musicality and filled with delicious details. Jenna performs each dance for you, then breaks down each combination step-by-step with periodic repetitions, finally demonstrating the entire choreography facing the mirror so you can follow along as if you are right there in the studio!
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