Plot: What’s it about?
The art of bellydancing is an ancient practice, one that exudes passion and sexuality, as well as physical fitness. This alluring style of dance has not only survived over time, it has evolved and remained more popular than ever, even in modern times. But this dance not only looks good, it is good for the dancers and promotes enhanced health. This is because the art of bellydance allows you to burn calories and fat, as well as increase your metabolism, all key elements in any successful weight loss program. In addition, this ancient dance is fun to do and that means you can stay involved, so you won’t be as tempted to slack off the exercise. No, you’ll be enjoying every minute of bellydance and telling all your friends about it, not to mention the exotic allure of the dance movements, sure to spice up any intimate situation. This deluxe four disc set from Natural Journeys is a great place to begin your trek into the world of bellydance, as your beautiful and talented hostess Rania guides you through four special programs. So if you’re interested in the weight loss aspect, the dance itself, or both, Bellydance: Fitness for Weight Loss is very recommended. Below is a quick look at the four programs found in this release.
1. Cardio Shimmy- Can you shimmy with the best of them? If not, you’ll be able to after you’ve mastered the techniques found in this workout. Rania runs us through just what a shimmy is, how it enhances our workout, and the role it plays in the art of bellydance. A shimmy is a quick, kinetic move seen in bellydance, shakes from all parts of the body. You’ll be shakin’ from your hips to your shoulders after this one, thanks to Rania’s guidance.
2. Hip Drop, Hip Hop- In this upbeat workout, you’ll be flexing and toning muscles you didn’t even know you had. Rania breaks out some great combinations in this hip hop driven program, which opens up some more complex moves. This means you’ll have to work a little harder to pick up all the new combinations, but since you’ll be getting firmer, having fun, and losing weight in the process, you won’t mind even for a second.
3. Pure Sweat- I hope you’re ready to move fast and move often, as Rania guides you through a workout loaded with spice. This is a fast paced and always moving program, with the bellydance set to Samba, Rumba, and Salsa music. That means Rania is going to show you how to shake, twist, and gyrate like never before, burning tons of fat & calories in the process. A nice mix of old & new, Pure Sweat is a great workout.
4. Bellydance Boogie- Join Rania in an upbeat program that meshes old with new, as bellydance moves into the world of hip hop. Learn to work every muscle in time to the music, as you dance your way to a slimmer, more toned physical presence. This workout focuses on the smooth kind of bellydance movements, so you’ll learn to be more graceful and feminine, thanks to Rania’s superb instructional methods.
Video: How does it look?
These programs are presented in full frame, as intended. The image is crisp and sharp at all times in these workouts, as good as we could want. I saw no print defects or compression flaws either, which is excellent news. These programs have vivid colors throughout, usually through Rania’s ornate costumes, which look terrific here. Aside from Rania, the visuals are simple and understated, so while the image never gets a chance to show off, this presentation is solid and never falters. In other words, these look great and as far as workout programs are concerned, you couldn’t ask for better looking ones than these.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio for these workouts is in Dolby Digital 5.1, but as these are exercise programs, don’t expect too much. But these workouts are driven by music and in these mixes, the music sounds excellent. The speakers come to life and allow the music to move from channel to channel, creating a powerful, immersive experience. You want the music to have punch in these workout releases and it has it here, to say the least. The other elements come through well also, but aside from the music, its all dialogue and natural effects.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Each disc houses two bonus performances, a bonus workout, trailers from other Natural Journeys releases, and a selection of still photos.
