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To purchase this video from Amazon:
(Amazon's claim that the DVD version is Region 1 is wrong. Amazon doesn't offer a way for sellers to indicate that their DVD's support multiple regions, so they're forced to pick just one. I have personally tested this DVD and found it to enable all regions except 9.) |
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| Recommended Level | Beginner |
| Formats Available | NTSC |
| Overall Rating |  |
| Production Quality | |
| Content Value | |
| Packaging | |
| Total Video Length | 45:30 minutes |
| Performance Time | 6:55 minutes (15%) |
| Teaching Time | 37:52 minutes (83%) |
| Amount Of "Other" | :43 minutes (2%) |
| Choreography | No |
| Cultural Information | No |
| Music Education | No |
| Health Issues | No |
| Number Of Models | 1 |
| List Price | $24.95 |
| Cost Per Minute Of Teaching & Performing Time | 56 cents |
| Cost For "Other" | 39 cents |
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Cory Zamora has designed this video to be the sequel to her first belly dance instructional video (which I have not seen). She teaches beginning level moves, then leads a practice session to demonstrate how they can be assembled into a dance. Even though she intends it to be a follow-up to an earlier video, I find that her explanations for the moves taught on this one can stand on their own. The only section that really requires prior experience with the other video is the practice session, when Cory incorporates some arm movements that were taught on it. After a brief 1-minute opening performance segment, this video moves right into teaching the dance moves. There is no warm-up. In the 20-minute instructional section, Cory focuses on technique for doing assorted beginning belly dance moves, focusing on hip isolations such as figure 8, circles, and camel. Her explanation for each move is clear and easy to follow. She uses vivid imagery that helps understand how to do the move. For example, for one move she uses the image of a compass used to draw a circle on paper, where one foot is the point at the center of the circle and the other foot is the pencil tracing the outline of the circle. Her explanations for these moves are some of the clearest that I have seen on belly dance instructional videos, and beginners who have had difficulty learning them may find a breakthrough in Cory's descriptions. I wish this video had existed back when I was learning these moves many years ago! After teaching the moves, Cory puts the moves together into a practice session, calling out which to do next. She then pauses to offer some comments, followed by a second practice session to different music for further review. These practice sessions feel like just about the right length. Cory next spends a few minutes offering additional comments on finger cymbals, including advice on what type of buy, then closes the video with a 6-minute performance in full professional costume filmed in the studio. The music for the performance is the song Guardian from the Brothers of the Baladi CD titled "Hope". Her stage presence feels aloof, probably due to the lack of a live audience to dance for. The production quality feels homemade, but it's definitely good enough. The camera usually shows what I want to see, zooming in for close-ups when appropriate but also having the good sense to stay back when it should. The lighting and sound quality are fine. The set is very simple. At times, there is a blank wall behind Cory, and at other times there is a striped curtain. Her leotard-clad body is always easy to see against these backgrounds. As a teacher, Cory projects a warm and likeable personality.
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If you'd like to read my reviews of other videos by Cory Zamora, choose from the list below: |
| Cory has managed to do something that eludes many belly dance teachers: she has offered clear, easy-to-understand explanations of how to do various undulating moves. If your current teacher hasn't explained these moves to your satisfaction, or if you just want a video that will lead you through a practice session that puts the moves together into a simple dance, this video is definitely worth considering. |
| I've never had any kind of interaction with either Cory Zamora. I borrowed the copy of the video used for this review from a fellow dancer. |
| I'd like to thank Lavonne for loaning me this copy of her video to review. |
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To purchase this video from Amazon:
(Amazon's claim that the DVD version is Region 1 is wrong. Amazon doesn't offer a way for sellers to indicate that their DVD's support multiple regions, so they're forced to pick just one. I have personally tested this DVD and found it to enable all regions except 9.) Contact Cory Zamora as follows: Dialogue International Phone: (+1) (559) 241-0421 |
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