A belly dance drum solo is actually a duet: Together, a dancer and a drummer create a unique piece of performance art. For the belly dancer, the drum solo is a uniquely exciting experience demanding a profound understanding of rhythmic patterns and a wide vocabulary of belly dancing moves and accents, all necessary to enable her to interact at will with the music created by the drummer.
Rhythm Workshop: Raquy breaks apart eight popular belly dance rhythms: baladi, saiidi, maksoum, masmoudi, ciftetelli, malfouf, ayub, & semai. Acclaimed as a percussion performer, instructor and composer, Raquy teaches us how to recognize each rhythm. Then Jenna, a star dancer, instructor and choreographer, demonstrates effective dance combinations for each of the 8 rhythms. Accompanied by Raquy and Carmine, Jenna then also demonstrates the unique art of drum solo improvisation including the above rhythms.
Choreography Workshop: Jenna takes you step-by-step through 3 belly dance drum solo choreographies; beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each instructional session takes place before the mirror, enabling you to follow Jenna as if you were right behind her in the studio. On screen, a beat counter accompanies choreographic demostrations. Choreography breakdown sections separate each dance into numbered combinations, and provide titles naming each move. The "Learn and Practice" section offers a step by-step breakdown of each combination and a presentation of the choreography "from the top" with practice repetitions inserted, so you can follow Jenna and learn the steps in real time.
The DVD also contains a warmup sequence recommended before learning or practicing, and Jenna's famous Shimmy Drills: the Belly Dance Shimmy Layering Drill, and her 3/4 Shimmy Drill. The drills are fun mini-exercise routines to help you learn and build on the art of the shimmy, one of the most colorful and vibrant bellydance moves.
Drum solo choreographies workshop:
Three choreographies performed and taught by Jenna
beginner (drum solo #1 by Mogador band, NYC from the "Bellydancing for Fortune and Fame" CD)
intermediate (drum solo #2 by Mogador band, NYC from the "Bellydancing for Fortune and Fame" CD)
advanced (drum solo "Duelling Darbukas" from "Raquy and the Cavemen - "Jordan"CD)
PURCHASE CDs with drum solo tracks used in Jenna's choreographies:
Bellydancing for Fortune and Fame CD/album
Raquy and the Cavemen - Jordan CD/album
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