Things in good instructional DVDs:

1) either mirrors, or multiple shots on the screen of what you are doing. Capturing three-dimensional movements on a flat screen can be frustruating for the viewer to try and figure out what's going on.

2) In the videos I've liked better, there may be personal conversation with the instructor, but the demonstration portions are usually voiced-over while the video and music are recorded of the dancer(s). When people try to dance and explain at the same time, the instruction and movements can compete with each other (if that makes sense).

3) Clear enunciation! :)

If you can't be there to help the students, then more verbal and visual descriptions help. Where should I be feeling the movement? Can you point to those muscle groups and talk about them when showing the movement, or afterwards? When should I be even more careful with posture and protecting my lower back? Is this an easy move to get, or should I work on it for a while and not get discouraged?

And, let the viewer know something about what *you* want to see in dance, or get out of it. Understanding an instructor's aesthetic can be really helpful.

The above comments all are related to what has helped me to learn the most and what has been most frustruating about DVD instructional videos.

I've been dancing for about 3 years or more now, I've performed, I travel for good instruction and workshops most definetly!

Hi everyone, I just joined and I'd like to give my input on Jill's questions, but first off to say I'm excited for your new production!
To answer your inquiries:

I want to make a truly helpful dvd and would love input from dancers like yourselves.

*what are you looking for in an excellent instructional dvd (and why)?

Mainly, regardless of my own level of experience, I like everything to be explained to me as if I was a two year old. Everything broken down piece by piece, and explained in a way easy to follow no matter how challenging it may be. Make me feel that I can challenge myself to do it. Frequent posture/arms/shoulder check up, as if you were looking at me, remind me of the correct posture.
I like instructionals to be recorded in front of a mirror just like a regular class. Close ups of the body part that makes the move is very helpful, but a full body shot is a must.
Extremely user friendly menus. I like Jenna's DVD menus they are so easy to navigate and to jump to.

*are you a a beginner, experienced, performing or teaching bellydancer?

I am at an intermediate level, don't expect to go solo or professionally perform anytime soon.

*where are you located? (city state country) and Is it rural, suburban, urban?
I live in Olympia, WA, outside city limits.

*do you travel far for good instruction? do you attend festivals workshops or intensives?
Yes I do whenever time and finances allow, mostly to Seattle. I like to take workshops, to soak in what other instructors besides my own have to offer.

*do you have good quality instruction in your area?
Yes.

*have you studied with me? what did you like about it? what was frustrating?
I took my very first bellydance workshop with you when you came to Oly last year....I absolutely loved the drills, and your instruction style. I like the way you explained things.

*what got you interested in bellydance?
Well my cousin is a bellydance instructor and she used to teach at a bellydance school where my mom makes costuming. I used to go to their annual galas and fell in love.

*how did you find out about it?
see above.


*what do you aspire to in your dancing?
learn proper technique above all, but in general I just live the dance one day at a time. Bellydancing makes me and my body very happy.

*what has helped you learn most?
Having an instructor who gives me realistic feedback, more than just a pat on the shoulder and a "good job". I like to know when I am doing things wrong, or when they don't look good. Also I give kudos to my teacher who always encourages us to take lessons from other people besides her, to see different points of view from other people.

*what has you most frustrated?
My posture. Many times it just takes a hike and leaves me cold. although my arms have considerably improved in the past year.

*if i cant be there with you how can i best help you?
Like I said first...explain things like I am two years old, no matter the level of experience I have.

*can you think of anything else that seems of interest?
not at the moment. but I'm looking forward and good luck with your project!

what are you looking for in an excellent instructional dvd (and why)?
- I agree with the above recommendations for mirrors or multiple angles
- frequent reminders to check for posture, alignment, placement; things we should or shouldn't be doing during a particular move; explain what muscles should be working during the move
- "level up" options, ie how to do a move at its most basic, along with optional variations on the same move that may be more challenging

are you a a beginner, experienced, performing or teaching bellydancer?
- I'm a student dancer; just started taking advanced classes. I perform occasionally at haflas and charity shows or community events (definitely NOT a professional!).

where are you located? (city state country) and Is it rural, suburban, urban?
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada. urban.

do you travel far for good instruction? do you attend festivals workshops or intensives?
do you have good quality instruction in your area?
- lots of good instruction in our area -- I attend workshops offered by visiting dancers usually a few times a year; there are also plenty of good local teachers.

have you studied with me? what did you like about it? what was frustrating?
- not yet ;)

what got you interested in bellydance?
- a combination of being a big fan of world music + wanting to get some exercise

how did you find out about it?
- my very first exposure to belly dance was from my yoga instructor, who taught us to do a hip figure 8 "to massage our internal organs"

what do you aspire to in your dancing?
- to acheive a greater connection to the music, have fun, get some exercise.

what has helped you learn most?
- I've been lucky enough to have some really great teachers that provide a lot of useful feedback, are really encouraging, and aren't afraid to whup our asses with some real challenging drills once in a while! ;)

what has you most frustrated?
- layering

if i cant be there with you how can i best help you?
- break the moves or combinations down cleary so that they are easy to understand; demonstrate them a couple of times slowly first before doing them full speed

can you think of anything else that seems of interest?
- make sure that your voice can be heard over the music mix.
- it's also interesting sometimes to hear bits of information related to what you are doing. for example, if you are demonstrating a move that has its origins in Flamenco or hip hop or Polynesian dance, it's interesting to know.

good luck with your production!

what are you looking for in an excellent instructional dvd (and why)?
New combinations and fresh moves; menu choices that allow you to skip the “basic” instruction and go right into the dance vocabulary and combinations. Verbal tips from the instructor about things that help them dance better. What I DON’T like is when a DVD teaches the same exact moves in the same exact way as a dozen other DVD’s do. Let’s get to the meat of the dance!

are you a a beginner, experienced, performing or teaching bellydancer?
Experienced (14 years), have performed with troupes but scared to death to solo.

where are you located? (city state country) and Is it rural, suburban, urban?
Kent, WA - a suburb of Seattle.

do you travel far for good instruction? do you attend festivals workshops or intensives?
Yes. Luckily we get good instructors in Seattle fairly regularly. I am traveling to Florida for Spirit of the Tribes to study with some of my favorite instructors this year, too. If I could afford to, I would come to CA a few times a year for workshops.

do you have good quality instruction in your area?
Yes and no. Yes there are good instructors, but not so much for the style I am interested in, which is a version of Fusion Bellydance I really haven’t seen around here much. In my area, if you want instruction I feel like you pretty much have to choose a side: Cabaret or Tribal. There are very few instructors around here who are comfortable with letting dancers explore their own style.

have you studied with me? what did you like about it? what was frustrating?
Yes- last January (I think) in Seattle. It was a great class. I loved learning moves that were new to me, such as Moroccan Campfire, Arabic Hip Twist duet and the One/Six rhythm step (where you hit beats 1 & 6 in an eight count).

what got you interested in bellydance?
Since childhood I was in awe of the lush, beautiful costumes and mesmerized by the aesthetic of bellydance. In my early 20’s a friend told me about a local bellydance class and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love the femininity of it and the overall appearance of this dance.

how did you find out about it?
Movies, books….my mother also had an album (this was the 1970’s) and a “harem girl” costume that he had bought herself- presumably to teach herself to dance. I used to sneak into her bedroom and try it on. Later, I got to see a few bellydancers and was always captivated by them. The allure was the beauty, exoticism and mystery.

what do you aspire to in your dancing?
I would like to overcome my stage fright and perform solos at local haflas. I also want to feel as if performing good quality dance is within reach- not an elusive set of skills that only a select few dancers have, who sweat and practice for hours each day. I don’t have time to practice for hours per day. I would like a quality practice regimen that only takes 45 minutes, max, yet I can see results from doing it regularly.

what has helped you learn most?
Detailed explanation of moves and information about what the rest of your body is doing while you are working on an isolation technique. For example, “When yo udo this move, you should feel a stretch here and a contraction of muscle here. You support yourself and balance by holding your weight this way.”
Pacing is also important. Instructors who rush without giving good explanations are frustrating. Instructors who take forever to get to the point are also frustrating. Keeping things moving along in logical order is also good- not skipping around so the student loses the context of what they’re doing.

what has you most frustrated?
My No. 1 pet peeve is when instructors don’t know how to explain something, so they either rush through it or make it harder than it really is.
On a personal note, I have yet to see a DVD that offers ideas about how to choreograph and how to improvise. I can’t improvise to save my life. I think that choreographing and improvising are skills that can be learned…..but I can’t find anyone who is able to teach them! Improvising is one of those “elusive” dancer skills that I mentioned before. What is going on in a dancer’s mind when she is improvising and how does she know/plan which move comes next while she’s thinking on her feet (literally)? I don’t “get” it. I wish I did.

if i cant be there with you how can i best help you?
Assume I already have a foundation in basic moves. Show me some new ideas and movements that are based in good posture and technique. Tell me how you are inspired to create choreographies and how you go about putting a dance together. Also, how you stay motivated and keep things interesting!

can you think of anything else that seems of interest?
Yes…..When you are performing, what are you thinking about - the moves? The audience? The music? How do you approach a performance? How do you prepare yourself to perform (there has to be more than just warming up)?

Jill, I see you as an innovator and a leader in our dance. I would like to understand how a dancer can move from being a perpetual “follower” of other dancers to a new level of inspiring oneself and creating your own personal style as a bellydancer. There has to be a place between following and leading where you explore your own creativity in dance. I am trying to find that place.

Thank you for asking for our feedback! I am glad you are working on a video.

what are you looking for in an excellent instructional dvd (and why)?
Lots of mirrors and camera angles. Someone I believe mentioned voice over as preferable to trying to demonstrate the move while explaining it, and I concur whole heartedly. Before you do the final release, make sure the voice over description matches the description of what you're doing while you're doing it, or it looks like a bad Japanese dub

are you a a beginner, experienced, performing or teaching bellydancer?
I am experienced, possibly moving in to teaching soon.

where are you located? (city state country) and Is it rural, suburban, urban?
I live in a city, urban environment

do you travel far for good instruction? do you attend festivals workshops or intensives?
Yes, yes, yes. I do believe that there is always something that you can learn from someone, and that the only way to continually improve in this ever evolving art form is to take classes, from everyone and anyone. I will take workshops I'm not particularly interested in if I have the time slot open on my schedule.

do you have good quality instruction in your area?
Yes.

have you studied with me? what did you like about it? what was frustrating?
Have not had the chance to yet, unfortunately. I can say that in workshops I've attended with other instructors, I enjoy the teachers who slow down and make sure everyone gets it.

what got you interested in bellydance?
SCA

how did you find out about it?
SCA

what do you aspire to in your dancing?
performance...and more performance. Maybe my own studio someday, but I know that's a ways off.

what has helped you learn most?
Patience and an open mind.

what has you most frustrated?
not enough performance opportunity in the area I live in.

if i cant be there with you how can i best help you?
Make the video as clear and concise as you can. If you want to include any historical or cultural details, put it in a special menu, don't include it in the voice over of the instructions. Too much information makes it hard to concentrate on what's being taught

can you think of anything else that seems of interest?
not yet, but if something occurs, I can PM you if you like

Another thing I haven't seen done, but which I would *think* to be helpful, is give the viewer the ability to set "loop points".

Scripting on professional authoring tools can give us the ability to have "buttons" enabled on the screen while the movie is playing.

Would it be helpful to have the ability to press a "loop this segment" button, that you could basically click to loop a particular exercise over and over again until you "unloop" it (or press the "menu" button to go back to the menu)? I'd think while studying or learning a technique, that would be mega-helpful!

what are you looking for in an excellent instructional dvd (and why)?

I always look for something that is clear, has great visual impact, plenty of repetition of moves and music to really get you going. Clear anunciation and explination without over doing it. I would love to see more intermediate/advanced dvds.

are you a a beginner, experienced, performing or teaching bellydancer?

i am an experienced performer and instructor. 3rd generation bder

where are you located? (city state country) and Is it rural, suburban, urban?

el paso, tx. very urban

do you travel far for good instruction? do you attend festivals workshops or intensives?

as much as a possibly can and bring in good instruction as well

do you have good quality instruction in your area?

i think i am pretty good but i wouldn't say it is bad but very limited in knowledge

have you studied with me? what did you like about it? what was frustrating?

I haven't studied with but i have been dieing to do so.

what got you interested in bellydance?

my mother and grandmother

how did you find out about it?

see above

what do you aspire to in your dancing?

to grow and challenge myself and the art. to educate my audiences through movement, costuming and music. to bring my gypsy heritage to the forefront of all my dance and help the dance grow with more acceptance from the general public all the while keeping it's mystery alive.

what has helped you learn most?

different instructors perspective of the dance. how movement could be applied to show different emotion. not just the basics but the theatrics of it.

what has you most frustrated?

a lack of passion from dancers. a lack of education.

if i cant be there with you how can i best help you?

constant reminders of posture (ie, keeping the hips tucked), where you should feel movements. motivational blurbs on the dvd that can be played during frustrating moments.

can you think of anything else that seems of interest?

if you could make the dvd more personal as if you were teaching a regular class that would be fantastic.

"- I agree with the above recommendations for mirrors or multiple angles

- "level up" options, ie how to do a move at its most basic, along with optional variations on the same move that may be more challenging"

Yes, I agree with these two points ALOT.
For myself and others I know....
I am an advanced student who has been performing in public 2 years now.
We don't have access to regular tribal or tribal fusion classes or workshops, once a year we attend some workshops and buy DVDs
The best technique/layout for teaching via DVD I've seen, uses combos (Such as Sahira's DVD)
With a good description and breakdown of a move. Starting from the very very basic structure of it, down to the more advanced 'version' of the move.

I'm always on the look out for good quality tribal and tribal fusion DVDs to add to my collection Both technique and choreography) , so I can learn more of the style to add to my dance repertoire, because belly dance is my passion :-D