Belly Dancing Basics

I have just received this book in the mail. I am very pleased with it. It is easy to read and has many pictures... It gives you step-to-step instructions with belly dancing moves with excellent and understandable pictures. The author involves you in this book. The introduction gives you a quick rerun on this art's history. I would recommend this book especially to beginners and intermediates. However, its not as good as real lessons. But pretty close ;) .

This book is going to be one of my favorites. Not only does it give clear written instructions to several dance moves, there are colorful pictures of various dancers of all ages and body sizes (there is even a pregnant woman in it). I love the chapter on how to dress yourself with a veils in several different ways. The tips are invaluable. I am going to be looking for videos by this author because if the book is this good, I am sure the videos are great.

For those of you always lamenting the lack of `real' women examples in in belly dance, you will be pleasantly surprised here. Photographs of nearly a dozen different `real' women (all Oriental Dance performers) from different races, multiple ages (even one very pregnant!) demonstrate the different aspects, proving that belly dance is for every woman and not just for the young and rail thin! While no one should expect to master belly dance, or any form of dance, from a book, (it is mandatory to see some things in motion) this one is an excellent resource for both student and teacher and a good supplement to lessons by a professional Oriental Dance instructor. Because so many different aspects of belly dance are introduced here, this book can significantly direct your study and help you decide which aspects of bellydance to seek out for further training. I've recommended it to my students and they all devoured the book just like I did. The writing in the book is also inspiring. The author's love of Dance Oriental is clearly evident in in each chapter. Warning! It could be quite contagious! This book is packed with so much geat stuff! I broke everything down by chapter so you could see that the author devoted whole chapters to topics usally covered by a few paragraphs in other books! There's SO much to learn and SO much to be inspired by! -Introduction -- The origins and history of belly dancing from ancient civilizations to Mata Hari to the enthusiast of today. -Chapter 1 Getting Started --where to dance, what to wear, and selecting music. This chapter also has an introduction to Arabic rhythms. -Chapter 2 Preparation -- Learning the essential, proper posture and how to stretch and warm up your body before dancing -Chapter 3 Basic Elements -- This is where explanations are listed for nearly thirty moves and basic steps for building a belly dance routine, from hip drops to dervish turns, and traveling steps to arm movements, plus the tips and styling to give them all spice. -Chapter 4 Adding Mystery -- Bringing beauty and subtlety to your dance with a veil. Wearing a veil, unveiling, and dancing with the veil are all covered here. You may just develop what the author calls "veilitis," a condition impelling dancers to buy multiple veils in a variety of colors limited only by your storage space! -Chapter 5 Drawing on Power -- Mastering the art of sword work in your dance. Read this chapter to tap your inner warrior goddess. -Chapter 6 Wings -- Adding spectacular drama to your steps by the use of wings. A modern addition to Belly Dance, wings recall the majesty of ancient Egyptian royalty. -Chapter 7 Variety: The Spice of Life -- Introducing different props, such as candles, canes, and zills. It's `how to play with fire and not get burned' plus canes and finger cymbals. -Chapter 8 The Oriental Fantasy -- Performance: perfecting your art by dancing for others. Building a routine, routine/show sets, dance routine examples, costuming variety and make

Not only did the author clearly lay out the fundamentals of bellydance, but her dreamy prose drew me into another, more romantic, world. How marvelous that one can "always be a lady" while reveling in sensuality. This book is informative and inspiring!

It is a beautiful introduction to a beautiful dance! The book offers cultural and historical perspective on Danse Oriental, or "belly dance," it describes various styles of dance - historical and modern fusion, provides costuming and performance advice and tips on improving one's showmanship and interaction with the audience. I wanted to have this book as a teaching reference (it is definitely a must-have for a dance instructor's library), and I will also recommend it to any beginner student of belly dance who is choosing a creative direction, curious about various aspects of this dance. I loved the sections on dancing with props - cane, sagat, wings of Isis, tray of candles, sword. From its excellent description of dance movements step-by-step, to transcripts of full show routines, the book is rich in learning and creative material. One disappointment was that I hoped to see the photos of the author herself (an amazing dancer) demonstrating the movements; instead there are about a dozen models in the book (all very good), but no pictures of the author.I enjoyed the elegant writing style and the inspiring focus on the artistry of dance. This book is definitely among the best in its field, written by an acclaimed dance instructor with a powerful artistic vision.