Customer Rating: 
Summary: Great workout to do over and over again
Comment: After several years of practicing bellydance in classes and workshops, I've only recently started trying to build and perfect my technique at home. This DVD is an excellent choice for that, whether you're into Tribal Fusion/Gothic or not. Useful for advanced students to perfect moves and continue drilling as well as for beginners to begin practice. Everything is very well-explained, with helpful comments during drills (ie "check in with your chest", etc.), and endless drills (75 minutes of drills alone!) to make it feel just like a class or workshop taken one-on-one with the teacher. Thank you Ariellah! This is a wonderful DVD that I will come back to time and time again! Please come to Paris soon!!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: worth the money
Comment: This dvd works for me - I think it is a good workout and certainly worth the money. There is a lot of material, not something I can do all at once (please can we have a matrix? or long dvd's broken down into different workout lengths like yoga ones?)
I've been reading through the other reviews so that I don't bother saying the same things. (Mala, you always give great reviews, thanks.) I will say that what I like most is the clear instruction on which muscles to isolate, and why.
Some of the negative reviews say the drills are boring - well yes they are, but long drills build muscle memory and cleaner movements, which is why I need a dvd to keep me going and Ariellah does that...if you just want a dance workout get luscious or something like that.
Another says the yoga isn't integrated into the bellydancing. The yoga, drills, combinations are all seperate sections. Yoga is of course wonderful for building strength, flexibility, calmness etc etc I'm not sure I understand why you need it 'integrated'. It's cross training! I am no yoga teacher though and don't feel qualified to comment on the quality of the yoga instruction. A few more stretches inbetween drills would be nice, but of course I am capable of pausing and doing that myself. (Or like I said at the start, sections broken down and remixed into a series of 30, 45 60 minute workout would be wonderful, but I don't deduct a star as none of the dance dvd's do that yet...). I think if you want yoga and dancing integrated then you need to look through the vinyasa flow dvd's. Dance the chakras has the yoga and dancing seperate aswell (and the dancing is not great!)
And I think the one star review came from someone who couldn't bring themselves to watch the dvd because of the gothic feel - absolutely, if for some reason goth freaks you out, don't buy it! Although on a scale of gothic this really is quite mild in any case.
Personally I like most of the music (except the beautiful piece for the second performance ends with a rather 'hellish' last phrase, but if you like the genre you won't care). Overall, I think Ariellah teaches well, it has a good mix of options (probably not for absolute beginners) and it is worth the price.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An invaluable asset to any serious dancer.
Comment: This video was amazing. It's going to take a few more times threw to really get a grasp on techniques but it was well worth the purchase. Its a very detailed, lengthy video as well which I really appreciated. Its a very good step by step instruction. This could have easily been two discs, so I love the fact its all in one spot. Not to mention her performances are just, Wow!
Customer Rating:
Summary: wonderful
Comment: I love this video. Her tribal bellydancing is beautiful and very inspiring, I find that if I need help getting into "bellydancing mode" watching her choreography gives me the inspiration to keep going.
Her drills are very tiring, but very beneficial, she constantly reminds you about your posture which is very good for a beginner.
The music isn't distracting and neither is her voice.
I absolutely love this DVD and it will be one that I will continue to use in the future.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Contemporary Bellydance and Yoga Conditioning with Ariellah
Comment: I love this video, Ariellah gives great step by step instruction and is very thorough. I'm just beginning Bellydance, so I couldn't do all the drills yet, it'll will be nice to grow into this DVD.
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