Product: Bellydance: Magical Motion [VHS] (1985)
Rating: 2.0
A Disappointment: Save Your Money and Find a Local Teacher!
I really wanted to like this video. I TRIED to like this video, tried to keep in mind that it was filmed in the mid-80's, but I just can't help feeling disappointed. What I spent on this tape could have paid for 2 weeks of classes, which would have done me more good. Specifically: it lacked a structured warmup. A complete beginner would need to be taught the warm up exercises as well as the dance moves. And the pacing was uneven -- I was expecting a workout tape that I could pop in, watch once, then rewind and work out with. Instead, it was an instructional tape which left it to the individual to build her own workout. Great if that's what you're looking for, but a disappointment to someone like me, who hadn't danced in 15 years and is starting over from scratch. Finally, Atea's speech and mannerisms were distracting -- while she is a good dancer, she is too stiff and stilted when speaking, and was obviously reading from cue cards. She would have done better to rehearse more, or to have someone else do the instructions in a voiceover.