Music for Sitamuns Students
Sitamun performing at the Culture Arts Center March 2006
Photo by Doug Miller.
Music for belly dancersMany of my student's approach me for recommendations on what Cds or videos/DVDs they should buy or they enjoy a particular song that I used in class. The music I use for class changes from year to year, and it’s not just a single cd. I will list the music I currently use for class. However there are certain CDs that I use for teaching zills, traveling steps, shimmies and rhythms. These cds will be listed under class cds. They normally do not change as much as the other music I use in class. The harder part is what I recommend for music, I believe music to be a matter of taste so what I like is maybe not what you prefer. I will list a few recommendations that I find that many of my students enjoy, songs from these CDs will pop up in class from time to time. If you are purchasing your very first Music CD and are totally over whelmed by the choices, I would recommend either Belly Dance Super Stars Vol 1 or 3 and Desert Rose Vol 1, 2 or 3. I use these CDs in class many of my recital songs some from these CDs. They offer a wide verity of music taste from tribal, pop to classical Egyptian. Great way to see what type of Belly Dance music you like. Amazon and Borders both carry these cds. Two other Cds for beginners I would recommend are Belly Dance for Fame and Fortune and Eddie Kochak's Vol 6. This page is meant to be a guide of products that my students or myself have found useful in the past. Research the products on your own and asked others what they liked or did not like about a product. For more product reviews visit Shira’s site at Shira the Art of MED. On this page are several Belly Dance Instructional Videos. Instructional DVDs and Videos are not meant to replace a teacher but are wonderful "Practice Companions". This statement is true no matter if the dvd/video is Pilates, Yoga or Belly Dance. The reason I say this is a video/DVD can not give you spot checks on your isolations and posture and other things that you maybe doing incorrectly. The videos and DVDs I recommend are not the popular workout series like Neena and Veena or Rania offer at many book and fitness stores. While these are excellent videos or DVDs if you are just looking for a way to workout, the videos and DVDs recommended on this page are isolation and step instructions oriented. A workout video/DVD will have a continuous flow of movement to get you exercising and sweating, not much details provided on how to do the move precisely. The instructional videos are aids for you to study Belly Dance and learn the isolations precisely. In the instructional video a section is to be rewound and repeated so you can learn at your own pace. Most of the items on this page can be purchased from either Dahlal International or Scheherezade Imports. Links to these vendors are provided under Belly Dance Vendors. Also Borders Books and Amazon offer many of the music titles. Class Music CDsDolphina’s Belly Dance Goddess Cd Amazonor Pink Gypsy Electric Oasis Belly Dance with Kamaal & Anja Various Artists Night Life in the Medina Remix by DJ Karam Jalilah's Rhythm Workshop - Raks Sharki 4 Rhythm Studies Oriental Grooves Volume 1 Rhythm Studies Other Recommended Music CDsBelly Dance Superstars Vo1 1, 2 or 3 or Desert Rose 1, 2 or 3 offers a wide range of styles from fusion to classic oriental to Arabic pop.The Queen of the Balady Fatme Serhan, my favorite Egyptian singer, try this if you want the real Egyptian sound. Essential Bellydance Veena and Neena nice range of songs from Persian, Turkish, Greek, Egypt, Lebanese, Saudi Arabia. Tapestry of the Dance or Sirocco by John Bilezikjian. Good Arabic/Armenian/Greek style music for belly dancing. Music for a complete American style routines offered. Vol 2, Vol 6 or the Silver Anniversary Album by Eddie Kochak. Eddies a popular figure in the American Belly Dance Community for over 25 years, his cds have good short numbers for a first solo piece. Eye On The World or anything by the Brothers of the Baladi Arabic American style of varity of different songs from a varity of countries nice to be cause ensembles ranging from one minute to six minutes. Good for finding music for first solo. Belly Dance for Fame and Fortune A cd with a varity of artist and the songs are short and perfect for first time solos. Recommended Instructional Videos For BeginnersMany Beginner students tell me that they want to practice at home but can not remember how to do the moves. They want a Companion DVD that is inexpensive but at the same time covers most of the material from my class. Here are several Practice Companions that are inexpensive. Belly dance One-on-One: Essential Technique with Virginia runs about 1 hour it is short enough for a daily practice and easy to follow and is structured with a class feel to it. Cost around $25.00. Available only in dvd format. You can order it from ventors or directly Peko Records at this link, Bellydance One-on-One: Essential Technique with Virginia. Movements covered Hands & Arms, Hip Circles, Camels(Undulations), Snaps(Pushes), Shimmies, Hip Lifts and Drops, Stomach Pops, Twist, Figure 8's Vertical and Horizontal, Rib slides and circles, a few traveling steps. Another choice that is can be found at Border's and other books store, it is inexpensive at about $15.00 is The Goddess Workout by Dolphina. Here is a link at Amazon Books. Goddess Workshop with Dolphina. Movements covered are: Rib Circles, Hip Circles, Shimmies, Hea Slides, Snake Arms, Wrist Circles, Hip Lift, Hip Drop, Snake (Gush), Vertical & Horizontal Figure 8, Camels(Undulation), Chest Lifts & Drops, Pelvic Scoop, Shimmy, and Twist. DVD runs about 1 hour and is available in dvd/video format. For Advanced Beginners(over 12 weeks of classes) and UpZahra Zuhair a favorite instructor of mine has a dvd/video in more of the traditional classic oriental style called Middle Eastern Dance Basics Another of my favorite instructors Habiba of Philadelphia, PA has a new dvd/video on the market. I purchased this one from her because I heard it was a helping tool for teachers. This dvd/video is 2 hours long and the cost per set $75. Habiba's dvd/video is structured more as a course than a single class. You can order you video directly from Habiba at http://www.habibastudio.com/quickvideo.html. Kathryn Ferguson's Introduction to Belly Dance video is another good choice. This is the video I used to help me as a beginner, yes its been around that long. I also recommend for those who have the basic but want a bit more variation. Kathryn's video can be purchased at Dahlal International or at Kathryn's website: Anubis Productions - Bastet Productions Kathryn's video runs 2 hours and 2 mins. She is a wonderful instructor and a favorite of mine. Unfortunately this is not offered in DVD format.
Continuation Level 2 ClassTry videos with Zahra Zuhair, Suzanna del Vecchio and Yasmina Ramzy. These dancers produce professional quality videos and now DVDs that provide combinations and steps for the intermediate to professional level dancer. To order videos/dvds or find out more information about their dance retreats visit their websites at Suzanna and Yasmina's and Zahra Zuhair's is for those interested in learning Egyptian Style. Yasmina's videos/dvds are labeled Volume 1, 2 and 3 etc. Don't let the number listing fool you they have no bearing on content level. Her videos/dvds are available online at Eclypce Belly Dance Shoppe or at Dahal's International, she also sells them from her website in Canada but then you have to deal with the exchange rate. Zahra Zuhair's Advanced Oriental Dance Class is good for Level 2 students too, in this video she has shimmy drills and combinations. She also has a new DVD out Magnificent MovesIAMED also produces very good instructional and performance DVDs. Visit their webpage for more information on their products. If you want to be a good dancer you need to cross train. I recommend finding a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor they can make those corrections you need for full benifit. For those of you who can not attend weekly class to get extra workouts that are not belly dance related I recommend the following DVD's.
Cross TrainingShiva Rea Yoga Shakti I love this DVD! It is unlike many other Yoga DVDs and videos I have tried. There are several workouts to select: Basic Flow for beginners, Lunar Flow for intermediates, and the more vigorous Solar Flow for those who are in top level shape. You can customize your workout to suit you as well make it as long or short as you like. I doubt you will ever need another DVD for your Yoga home practice. Pilates For Everyone Has various routines to choose from which are divided first by level (basic, beginning, intermediate, challenging, advanced), then into individual 5- to 25-minute workout chunks so that you can fit your Pilates into the busiest day. Fitness Pharaoh Gerson E. Kuhr aka the Fitness Pharaoh is certified both as a Fitness Instructor and Conditioning Specialist and has trained for several years as both a body builder and power lifter. Gerson wife is a belly dancer and he has several belly dance clients that were looking to improve their over all appearance and dance presentation. His workout strengthens the core muscles of the abdomen and lower back with nine back- and neck-friendly movements, using your own body weight as resistance. Varity of workouts to choose from divided into skill level and then into minutes.
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