Rachel Brice Arms and Posture DVD review

Ah Rachel Brice!! EEk!! The girl who really changed the tribal fusion scene and some people argue create it. I actually first saw her when the Bellydance Superstars first began their tour. It was in a really small venue so I got to see it up close. Watching her dance live is magical. Seriously.

Her arms and posture DVD. First of all with sound and video. The quality is good. She is in front of a mirror so you can follow her, like in a traditional class. It is voiced over, which I always think is awkward and less personal.

There are 6 sections: Prep, Dance movement prep, shoulder sequence, examples, practical application, and end stretching. She gets a bonus for having a warm up and cool down. After doing so many DVDs, it is nice to have that. Beginning section there are a lot of squats and your thighs will burn. You actually don't use your lower body for a good portion of this DVD. Actually in the drilling part of the arms you sit on a chair and isolate arms and shoulder. There is lots of work with arms and shoulders, its both a massage and a workout at the same time. She explains those elusive sidewinders and breaks them down nicely. There is a small combo she builds up to, and has a good explanation of things combined with long drilling. Which is a plus. I really like when you can drill until you are fatigued. That is how you build strength as a dancer.

This is not any sort of cardio DVD but intense drilling. After this DVD I felt taller and felt like my upper body opened up and I could breathe better. Verdict is a Keeper. Not just because it is Rachel. But because arms are so many dancers weaknesses. In the bonus section there is an interview with her and miles copeland. She talks about what she has, how long it takes to get ready, etc. She also says she gets stage fright still. Which blows me away, because she is that awesome.

Cheers,
Lauren

Bellydance DVD Review: Serpentine By Rachel Brice Part 1

I have finally sat down (and worked up the nerve!) and did some of this Rachel Brice DVD. For those of you not in the realm of bellydance, you probably have no idea who Rachel Brice is and what this woman can do! OMG if you have never seen her, you are missing out.

Let me digress temporarily. I first saw Rachel Brice in the inception of the Bellydance Superstars. I had just been dancing 1-2 years then and was pretty new and fresh. I was more interested in cabaret dancing and less in the tribal field, until I saw her. They came to Pensacola, Florida one evening during the week and I drove over with some friends. I was so excited to see dancers from all over the country. We were one of the first people in and got close seats. While waiting to enter I saw the tribal girls practicing on the stage, Rachel, Melodia, and I think Michelle but I could be wrong about her. They had different costumes, no sequins, funky flared pants, metal coins, indian belts, tattoos (Melodia has a lion face on her back, with the eyes on the lower back-they pull you in), a polar opposite of the pretty, girly, shiny, blingy cabaret bellydancers. I had never seen anything like this before and I was just intrigued. The show was phenomenal, there was a drummer, drum solos, group numbers, but the thing that stood out the most to me was the tribal girls, which I learned they were dancing tribal fusion and not ATS (american tribal style) bellydance. It was a new breed of bellydancing brewing in California, forged from the basics of ATS, with choreographed routines taking in dance from other forms: indian, asian, spanish/flamenco, but with a dark twist. The music was beautiful. Rachel came on the stage and did a solo, she had this look on her face and energy that just drew you into her dancing. She also did a layback and dropped to the floor like a pancake, completely controlled.

From then on, I continued to follow Rachel and the tribal fusion girls as the field began to grow. I will always be a fan. Rachel can do some phenomenal moves that require a lot of strength. A lot of strength. She has released several DVDs in the past, which I have but never completely followed. This DVD is her most recent one which is a double DVD set. All of her DVDs are highly yoga intensive as she is a huge yoga guru. Which I think in the past has disappointed people with her DVDs b/c they were yoga intensive. In my opinion, if you want to dance like Rachel you better do her yoga. LOL!!!

This year I wanted to go through more of my DVDs and get stronger from last year's injuries now that I am healed. So I busted this one out! The first DVD is yoga and drills. The second is more choreo and performances.

This is only a partial review, as I go through it more, I blog more on it. I am starting out small here since I am not as strong as I used to be from the fracture in my spine and the torn knee MCL. This post is solely on the yoga portion of DVD 1.

What we did: lots of yoga in its proper terminology (so like 8 syllable words!) lots of stretching. I will say the yoga was fast but not too fast. This was only my first time doing it so I was getting lost. I felt like I stretched everything and felt longer when everything was done. I did not do any of the drilling sections since my body hurts and I am only regaining my strength.

Production: ah this DVD is soothing, there are no graphics, bad music, and is set in a studio with only rachel. nothing bright and distracting. It was nice and calming to me. She also voices over her poses which is nice too. No weird camera zooms or angles just straight up Rachel.

I have no complaints on this DVD other than I wish I was stronger. :)

And I would totally do this again.

She posts a schedule (a 5 day schedule) that would target different areas of your body. I am not at that level yet to do everything, unless I want to be back in physical therapy. One of these months, I will start it but just not right now.

Love this DVD!!!

I was even sore the next day. I did pilates last night so today I am slightly crippled. No pain no gain right??? :)

XOXOXOXO,

Lauren