Search - Bellydance Show Basics for Beginners on DVD

Structuring a successful show...

Seir | USA | 04/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can only marvel at the vast amount of information, priceless to a dancer; a full three hours!

This dvd does not teach belly dance but rather how to put together a tasteful, entertaining show for a public venue, or a special guest perhaps in your own living room. Rich in information including costuming tips, how to put together a costume with just what is in your closet, accessorizing, applying dance make up, enhancing your face with color in order to create drama under stage lighting.

I recommend this dvd to those with a background of at least basic belly dance foundation who are ready to entertain family, friends, or a public gathering.

Included are the following elements needed to perform your own belly dance show beginning with this sequence:



Entrance-Several varieties of traveling steps-toe ball heel, shuffle step, practice steps and choreography.

Veil- entering veiled, removing the veil, veil manipulation, a practice and veil choreography. How to discard the veil by twisting it tightly into almost a rope, retrieving the veil gracefully and dancing into it.

Party- the happy beat to get your audience motivated once you have removed your veil, it is time to

entertain, use hip drops, chest lifts, traveling steps



Ciftitelli- the sensual segment of your show, all your sultry moves, done tastefully to captivate your audience; again with a practice mini choreography that is fun and alluring.

Drum solo- the earthy accents that define what the hips of a belly dancer can do, small tight moves with little traveling steps bring taste and even more mystery, a few hand claps to get the audience involved.



Finale- a short graceful choreography to end the show, with veil and just enough music left over to keep the audience wanting more.



This program includes excellent tips on entertaining for a special guest, such as a birthday honoree, or a public group, also audience participation, common ethics in dance, eye contact, so much more!

There is a section with voice cues which guide you into the choreography as if you were right there being instructed by the beautiful Tanna Valentine. The "music only" section is great once you have all the moves engrained in the brain. A mini-class in how to play finger cymbals to add variety to your show, with basic elements of floor work to mesmerize your audience; the classic beauty of true belly dance.

This program is carefully put together, I cannot think of anything left out; there are all the elements needed for a show, guidelines at your hands.

Tanna's costumes are beautiful, the backdrop is breathtaking with beautiful rich flowing fabrics that set you in the mood for belly dancing. She connects directly with her audience without undue jargon and eased into her program with knowledge, drawing you in curiously. I took this course from beginning to end without stopping.

Here is the structure with all the elements to prepare you for a great show, brought to you by professionals with experience and success! What are you waiting for?



"

How to Wow Them on a Stage or in a Living Room!

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 07/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fantastic instructional DVD, not for learning the basics of bellydancing, but by giving you the building blocks to create your own show. This information is hard to get, and here it is all in one 180 minute DVD. Tanna Valentine is a gorgeous and graceful award-winning dancer, and on this DVD teaches an American Cabaret Style routine, with very simple but eye-catching choreography. There is nothing technically demanding in the dances, and Tanna breaks down each step and gives you plenty of practice time.



The Dance

Entrance: On making a serene and graceful first impression, where to focus if you are nervous, etc.

Veil Dance: Shows the endless possibilities in a simple piece of cloth!

Party Song: This is a fun dance and the place where you can get audience participation, especially is there is a guest of honor. Tanna shows you the many ways to get them to dance with you, and also how to get them to go back to their seat when you want them to!

Ciftitelli: This is the slow and sensual number, and Tanna points out the many things you have to consider before doing any floor work in this section.

Drum Solo: This is the hardest part of the dance, as it takes a lot of control and energy.

Finale: This is how to pick up your veil and make a lovely and memorable exit. If you've studied the lessons on this DVD well, they won't forget you!



The How-To of Everything Else

Cymbals: What to buy, how to put them on, how to play them.

Costumes: Tanna has a sumptuous array of costumes in her collection, but for those just starting out, or maybe dancing in only one show, she tells you how to get the best effects for the least amount of money. She even goes in her closet and shows how everyday skirts and tops can be transformed into costumes.

Make-up: This is a great demo of how to apply stage make-up. Dancers need more make-up because the movement makes it harder for the audience to see your facial expression, and Tanna demonstrates the application on her friend Mary.

Staging: Public and private venues, and what to look out for and how to adapt your choreography to the area you'll be dancing in.



The Music

The music Tanna uses is wonderful and with traditional instrumentation. It is all on the CD Bellydance New York - with Amir Naoum. This is a terrific CD for dancing or just listening, and perfect to have everything you need for your show on 1 disc.



This DVD is a must for beginners who are setting their sights higher and want to know more about bellydancing, anyone putting their own show on for the first time, and even seasoned dancers might learn a tip or two from Tanna!

"

Beginners Performance Manual

Shara of Desert Dance | KS | 04/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tanna is beautiful and she wears some gorgeous costumes as she demonstrates, teaches and perfoms. She gives tips on costuming, make-up, and performing in different venues. The veil instruction alone is worth the purchase price! This DVD is a must for the beginner that wishes to perform. Unless you are a super-quick visual learner, you will need some basic moves before this video. Tanna is clear and easy to follow. The best part is that you can purchase or download the music that goes with

the choregraphy you will learn! I loved the music!"

This DVD is a dancer's friend

Desert Dancer | 06/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The thing I really like about this DVD is that you actually get to learn a dance...with some DVD's you just learn moves but it never seems like you're dancing. This one is all about dancing. It's not a bellydance workout if that's what you're looking for. You get to learn a beautiful choreographed dance. I like all the menu options too...you can just go over the movement review or the choreographed dance and with voice and music or just music. There are so many tips about dancing as well to learn from."