Dolpina is an LA based performer/teacher who promotes her workshops, DVDs and other lifestyle goodies through her website GoddessLife – “Modern Living For Modern Women”. This workout DVD is the follow up to her “Intro To Belly Dance” DVD and is part of the Goddess Workout Series.
Starting with warm ups, Dolphina progresses into hip moves, arms and upper body work, undulations, shimmies and then some combinations and a final performance.
The most frustrating thing about this video is that it’s sort of half instructional belly dance but not instructional enough. While there are some good drilling moves, I don’t think her form is good enough to recommend her videos for instructional.
The workout aspect too leaves much to be desired. It would be better if it was oriented more to be either strictly instructional or strictly a workout.
Dolphina also describes some of her moves with names I’ve never heard of. I think she just makes up her own names and that can be confusing. She performed what look like a Maya, but called it “reverse snakes”. She also does what looks like a reverse camel, (that she isolates just to the lower half of the body), and calls it a “Dolphin”.
Perhaps her namesake move is one of her favorites, but watching her do a traveling version of the “Dolphin”, I thought it was somewhat awkward.
The production value of the DVD is excellent. I do like Dolphina’s whole theme of women as Goddesses and the setting and costumes were gorgeous.
Also worth noting is the music. The original and very dreamy middle Eastern sounds are relaxing, danceable and inspiring. You can buy the accompanying music CDs for all her DVDs through her website by clicking here.
So while I appreciate the ideas Dolphina has, and I share in her promotion of women as warriors and goddesses, this DVD is not among my favorites. It’s really light on the workout and instructional aspect of belly dance and favors more what I call the “pretty” factor.
This DVD is most suitable for someone who wants something light and easy to follow along with, that’s very pretty to look at, not overwhelmingly challenging, and offers a sweet kind of fluffy spirituality along with really nice music.
Worth mentioning however is that it’s so cheap on Amazon they’re practically giving it away at $3.99. Click below to add it to your collection:
Goddess Workout: Warrior Goddess: Belly dance Beyond Basics
2002 (50 Minutes)
