Product Description

The Fantasy Bellydance instructional series consists of 3 DVDs: Each program teaches 3 dances by 3 instructors. Dance styles presented range from Classic Bellydance to Fusion, Tribal, and Gothic. The instructional level of all three DVDs is intermediate-advanced.

Each choreography conjures up an evocative archetypal image, and emphasizes story-telling through dance. In addition to a full breakdown of every choreography, each segment includes a demonstration of each dance, as well as a full theater performance in costume.

Additional features enrich each instructor's section, such as tips on props use (hand veils, sword, Isis wings), conditioning for dance, expression and projection, developing meaningful dance, creating sacred space for dance, the value of dance as a personal ritual, and more.) .

Instruction includes step-by-step breakdown of each dance and practice with music (or music and vocal prompts) for each combination.

1. FANTASY BELLYDANCE: MYSTERY - Transformation, secret realms, illusive mystery with a dark edge
Dance 1: Serpent (Neon)
Dance 2: Shadow - Tribal Fusion (Sera)
Dance 3: Phoenix (Wings of Isis) (Ayshe )

2. FANTASY BELLYDANCE: DESIRE - Sensuality, passion, enticement, goddess.
Dance 1: Nymph (Blanca)
Dance 2: Salome - Tribal Fusion (Naraya)
Dance 3: Temple Priestess - Tribal Fusion (Darshan)

3. FANTASY BELLYDANCE: MAGIC - Regal presence, secret knowledge, powerful spell.
Dance 1: Enchantress - (Autumn Ward)
Dance 2: Warrior Princess (sword) - (Isidora Bushkovski )
Dance 3: Kali /Creator-Destroyer- Tribal Fusion / Gothic (Ariellah)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67502 in DVD
• Brand: STRATOSTREAM
• Released on: 2008-03-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 150 minutes

Features

• Dance styles presented range from Classic Bellydance to Fusion, Tribal, and Gothic. The instructional level is intermediate-advanced. Each choreography conjures up an evocative archetypal image, and emphasizes story-telling through dance. In addition to a full breakdown of every choreography, each segment includes a demonstration of each dance, as well as a full theater performance in costume.

Customer Reviews

Useful instruction, variety of styles
This DVD is one of a series of three. This is my favorite out of them all, featuring Blanca as the Nymph, Darshan as the Temple Priestess, and Naraya as Salome.

Pro's: It, like all of the DVD's, is geared towards intermediate and advanced dancers. The instruction is clear and concise, and as I stated on other DVD reviews of this series, gives a range of instruction on one DVD--in this case, hand veil, indo-fusion, and a more interpretive/lycrical like style of dance. At over 2 hours running time, great value for the money. The choreographies are not something I would have developed for myself, but there are aspects of each I liked and can interpret for my own usage.

Cons: Duing the performance of Naraya's piece, the camera work is a bit jumpy, and the lighting makes her face seem to lack expression, which I don't think at all is the case.

The Nymph dance by Blanca is beautiful, somewhat stylized, using hand veils. Hand veils is not commonly seen, and so I was very happy to see it taught here. It, like all of the DVD's, is geared towards intermediate and advanced dancers. Great teaching as well, and love the costume. The dance is very fluid, lots of arms.

Naraya performs the Salome piece, listed as Tribal Fusion but I did not see any of what I call Tribal Fusion in it, namely b/c of the "tribal" label. Lyrical jazz kind of bellydance fusion, but not "tribal fusion." The dance is, out of the 3 DVD's, seemingly the simplest and most repetitive (as is the song) of the group. Her teaching is clear, her costume is unique and very simply un-adorned but fits her very well. At first, I was impartial to the piece and did not see how the name fits the performance, but the second time I watched it, I noticed subtle nuances. I'd like to see more of her work. The dance has more sharp movements, lunges, etc.

Darshan was the tribal priestess in a tribal fusion piece, heavily Indian based. I was so happy to see Indo-fusion here. Hand and wrist movements are emphasized here, and she teaches the head-veil dancing.

Each dancer, by the way, gives the story behind the creation of the dance, which is a way to get a behind the scenes look at the creation of a dance as well as get inspired for ways to look at a song for your own choreography.

This is my favorite out of the 3, but all are a great value b/c they all touch on a different arena--hand veils, Indo-fusion, tribal fusion, isolations, fluidity, wings, etc. However, of all, this has the performances I was most drawn to. As with any choreography DVD, I found aspects I would use in my own dance, although the entire choreos did not suit me--but isn't that the point of learning steps? To take what you can use and make it your own? Great DVD.

Lovely hand veil and head veil dances!
Fantasy Belly Dance
Desire
One of a series of three dvds featuring Blanca,Darshan, and Naraya. By now we have learned that anything from World Dance New York is innovative, captivating and perfect for the day.
This dvd is no exception.

This program runs 75 minutes and contains choreographies with complete breakdown, the story which depticts the dance and various tips from the dancers.
Nymph
( Blanca) a fairy tale of a nymph who sheds her magical powers for she encounters a human that she has taken to heart; only to realize she is not visible to him. This is a flowing hand veil dance with strong hints of flamenco, impeccable hip work and hand embellishments. Veil tips and choreography break down in depth, including footwork, arm work and the blend of hip work. Blanca is a beautiful performer, sensual and feminine in all her moves. She is easily becoming a favorite and has several great performance and instructional videos out.

Salome tribal style
Naraya -complete technique and choreography breakdown based on the biblical story of Salome with a twist from the Oscar Wilde version. Her dance appears to be contemporary/ modern tribal style with a strong hint of contemporary jazz or perhaps it was the music she chose. I am not sure what her vision is, but entertaining nonetheless. Her costume was lovely as she, her style unique and personal. Her performance was best revealed in practice garb as I felt the costume hid a lot of her great moves.

Temple priestess Darshan tribal fusion
a WOW of a performance. Clad in black head veil and costume, the mysterious Darshan has beautiful expression with her arms and hand embellishments, they are so captivating, its hard to notice anything else. There is a bollywood blend to the fusion of choice. The dancer's vision here is to pass on a ritual for a full moon and such.

Overall this dvd is entertaining with Blanca taking the lead in her extraordinary, flowing style enchanced by the hand veils, Darshan with her head veil dancing and the tremendous arm and shoulder articulation.
The instruction and choreography is an asset for building your personal vocabulary in dance.

Second in the series!
This is a very good video, but I liked the first one better. Let me tell you what I love about this one, though....

The first two routines are performed on the concept of having a specific story to tell. Illustrating this concept should encourage dancers to use their imagination, find a character that they identify with, and interpret how they think that character might have felt.

Blanca: Blanca is beautiful to watch, look at, and listen to. Her costume has a soft, floaty feel to it and is such a hue. Her instructions are pretty clear, but she uses some dance terms that may be unfamiliar if one has not taken any other forms of dance, such as jazz or ballet, but an intermediate dancer will catch on very quickly.

Naraya: Beautiful, also. Her costume is a luscious red that looks great on her skin. Some may not like that she does not smile much, but I have to say that I enjoyed seeing her expression as opposed to an ever-smiling face. She extrapolates that Salome might have been experiencing a temper tantrum of sorts, and portrays that in this dance.

Darshan: Beautiful girl... loved watching her dance. This one may be a little mystical for some, but allegorically it is very interesting. I thought her hand movements were lovely when she was "drawing the entrance"
to her sacred dancing place. As many have said, take what you can use from each lesson. There is a lot to take away from this DVD.