 love this workout |
| Review Date: August 7, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Marianne Letitia, Sydney Australia |
I have quite a few belly dance workouts and so far this is my favourite. I love luscious as well but much prefer Love Potion, probably as I am a gymnastics coach and have done many different dance styles, and Love Potion is a stronger workout, I actually feel it in my waist when I do it, the dance is more fun and the music in it is sensational.
I am going to purchase Hard Candy next as I really like the way these dvds are formulated. I am always happy to do this dance workout, it makes me sweat and feel good.
Marianne |
Great instructional and practice DVD for belly-dancing...
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| Review Date: August 4, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Obama-Mama, Orange County, CA |
| I have had experience in belly dancing, and wanted to see how a "workout" like this one would be in terms of authenticity to the art form. I did not try the "Luscious" precursor to this DVD, as I figured I could jump to this intermediate-level belly dance workout because of my previous experience. I can say that it is a professionally-done instructional video that integrates many of the basics of belly dance technique, then applies them to choreographed sequences set to music. I am glad that this is more of an authentic dance experience versus an actual "workout" per se; if I wanted a real cardiovascular workout, I'd do a kickboxing or dance conditioning video that is targeted primarily toward fitness. I consider this DVD something of a respite from the conventional and pragmatic goals of a workout, as this is more of an artistic, femininely aesthetic experience than anything else. I does work one's core muscles, especially those of the lower back and abdominals, and definitely tests one's coordination and rhythm. There is a tutorial that breaks down the movements slowly and microscopically, then a practice flow that gradually builds on the basic movements that are to be used in the "Love Potion" workout. The "Love Potion" 40-minute segment itself goes at a good clip, and so if one is not quite familiar with stringing together the movements in succession, one can always refer back to the practice flow. This is a workout with which one can grow and master over time, which makes it a great deal; it is almost like being in a real belly dance class, where one can easily go at one's own pace and repeat sections as needed to perfect one's form. The music is appropriate, and true enough to the ethnic sounds and rhythms of Middle Eastern music to be a nice accompaniment to the dancing. I have only tried this workout once so far, and have yet to be able to fluently follow the choreography to the expert cuing of the instructors. I'm sure with practice it will be possible to look as fluid, sensual, and lovely as the professionals teaching this art form. Highly recommended for those interested more in a genuine belly dance experience than a heart-pounding workout (although I did work up a respectable sweat in both the practice flow and the "Love Potion" workout). |
Wonderful
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| Review Date: February 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Erin K. Mcintyre, |
First of all i loved it! There was a lot said in previous reviews that I agree with. This is definitely the sequel to Luscious another wonderful bellydancing workout dvd by the same dancers Blanca, Neon, and Sarah Skinner.
Most of the moves are repeats from Luscious however this dvd has more choreography, and is a lot more fun. For a beginner like myself it was a nice transition from Luscious to a more sophisticated and slightly advanced dance. Neon, who does the tutorial is an amazing dancer and wears clothing that shows her leg movements well. There are five parts to this dvd
1. Love potion Music and voice cues
is the choreography of love potion with voice cues
2.Love potion music only
The choreography of love potion without voice cues, so you have the music if you want to perform the dance for someone
3. Step by step tutorial
This section is divided into five parts. The dvd will take you to a menu where you can choose which section you would like to go to. You can go through all of it at once of course or if you are wanting a quick review of the 3/4ths shimmy then you can go directly to it. Here is what each section consists of.
Section a. hip circle, pelvic circle, chest circle, horizontal hip figure 8, vertical hips figure 8, reversed verticla figure 8
Section b. Undulation and chest lift and pelvic tuck./release, reversed undulation,
section c. Hip, drop, hip twist, hip arc
Section d. Shimmy, 3/4 up shimmy, 3/4 down shimmy, Arabic hip walk in great detail!
section e. Finally snake arms
4. practice flow music and voice cues
This section includes the floor work for the dance so you have an idea of what you will be doing during the dance. Very helpful for someone like me who needs extra work memorizing the choreography.
5. practice flow music only
This is the same as the practice flow however there are not voice cues so you're on your own.
This is a fun and sensual workout. The music is beautiful and the dance looks great. You can view parts of the dvd on youtube, which may help you make up your mind. It might give you an idea of what to expect. Neon has another new dvd called Hard Candy, which is now also available on amazon. I hope this was helpful. :) |
If you enjoy "Luscious", get this one too!
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| Review Date: February 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: S. Harbour, Merrimack, NH United States |
This "sequel" to Luscious is great.
This is very much an intermediate work out, but with a bit of practice, and working your way through the tutorial and "practice" flow, an (advanced) beginner can master this workout.
One of the things I just love about this is that it's just the right length for popping it in to the DVD after work, going through all the sections, and feeling like I got a workout, AND got to practice my dancing to boot.
My favorite part is the shimmy section. It's fun, I love the music, and you really feel like you are dancing.
There is only one thing that I don't care for and it's the "Fire Goddess" song in the last segment. Just a bit too new-agey for me, but your mileage may vary. |
Professional, excellent for intermediate to advanced dancers
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| Review Date: January 25, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Dance Lover, Kansas City MO |
| This is one of the most beautiful and professional bellydancing workout and performance. The instructor is very professional, beautiful and authentic. Not good for beginners. Worth of money! Excellent for the people who are artistic. |
Great dance workout for Beginner - Intermediate
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| Review Date: December 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Natasya Katsikaris, Ojai, CA USA |
Love Potion provides great non-stop drills for intermediate dancers. There are also tutorials and "practice flow" for beginners. I don't think a pure beginner could learn to dance only from this DVD, but it would make a great practice for "between" classes.
The style is "classic" bellydance. Nothing specialized - just graceful universal moves suitable to all styles.
This DVD gets 5 stars for a menu that is easy to navigate. The camera angles and voice-overs are well-done and you even have the option to skip the voice-over once you learn the routine/s.
The costumes are lovely, but not "overdone" so you can see the dancers' movements. All 3 dancers are in synch and all have a pleasant style. The choreography is excellent for a beginner-intermediate DVD. Simple & elegant - not dumbed-down. This DVD is one of the few that actually delivers exactly what it says on the box.
Happy Dancing! |
Terrific for All Levels
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| Review Date: October 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Alejandra Vernon, Long Beach, California |
When you first see the 3 goddesses who star in this DVD, dancing with beauty, grace and skill, you know you've come to the right place, to learn as well as be inspired. The DVD starts with a "Welcome" from Neon, who talks about how absolute beginners can benefit from this instruction, but so can dancers at all levels, and how belly dance strengthens your muscles and helps you to become more flexible, something our bodies need desperately in our "sit in the car...the office...on the sofa" lifestyle. This really applies to those of us in our "golden years," and belly dance can be the most enjoyable and satisfying form of exercise we can do.
There are 2 tutorials on this DVD that are wonderful, and break down each movement and its technique. These sections are excellent for beginners, and also for more advanced students who want to refine their style and skill. The Love Potion Workout section is the one that makes this one of my most favorite instruction DVDs that I own. It is non-stop dancing, with each instructor taking turns with a segment that has a theme: "Eternal Feminine," with Neon, "Mystery," with Blanca, "Seductress," with Sarah Skinner, etc., for 40 marvelous minutes. It's a superb way to practice the movements and as exercise it is fun as well as efficient. There is also the option to play it with voice-over instruction, or just music.
Extremely well produced, planned, and executed, this DVD is a 5 star winner. The music also adds to what makes it so good, and includes selections by DJ Zen, Phil Thornton and Hossan Ramzy, Giacomo Biondi, and Raul Ferrando. Neon, Blanca and Sarah are an exquisite trio to watch and learn from, and appreciate the art of belly dance.
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fantastic!
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| Review Date: September 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. Baker, iowa usa |
| I love this DVD! Blanca, Neon, and Sarah Skinner absolutely rock! Their instructions are always easy to see and follow. Even if you are just watching and not practicing along, you will enjoy it. The costumes, music, and instruction are always right on for this trio. :) I can gush about it, but I won't. :) |
Best Ever
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| Review Date: August 20, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tara, Colorado |
This is my second DVD I have purchased from this group. It is excellent and I have enjoyed the workout.
Covers all aspects and is perfect for the beginner to advanced dancer.
Overall this is well worth the money and more. You will not go wrong with this DVD |
Happy, happy, joy, joy!
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| Review Date: July 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Hope, Kentucky |
| I was spoiled by the Luscious DVD and wans't sure that Love Potion could possibly be as good; but Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, Love Potion is just that joyful and uplifting! I love it. |
Very good instruction!
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| Review Date: July 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: N. Smith, |
| This instructional video gives good understandable direction. It can be used by beginners as well as intermediate dancers, the moves are illustrated very well, making it easy to understand and emulate. A good workout that's fun too! |
Bellydance Workout/practice session for experienced dancers
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| Review Date: June 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Shannon B Davis, Arlington, MA United States |
Love Potion from World Dance New York is the unofficial sequel to Luscious, a previous entry into the bellydance fitness market with the same instructors: Neon, Blanca and Sarah Skinner. Using American bellydance technique, they put together a drill session and workout. In addition to drilling the movements, the instructors make note of head angles, posture, and grace - the little details that make the dancer. As always, beautiful and flattering costumes are worn by the three instructors, varying by each section, and each of them trade off leading. The DVD is split into 7 different sections, each with a different inspiring name such as "Creative Flame" or "Goddess". There is a feel-good element to the DVD as well, little mantras uttered at the beginning of each section about loving yourself, talking about how shimmies give us joy. So, if you need a bit of a psychological boost, this DVD may just give you one. If not, these sentiments easily fade into the background.
It is more advanced than Luscious, as few movements are drilled consecutively and everything is mapped quickly into a combination. The viewer is expected to pick up on the combinations quickly and follow them, which is the reason why this is more of an intermediate/advanced DVD. There is, however, a beginner's practice flow, which goes through each of the sequences slower. I actually consider this to be a good thing, as the DVD will keep me entertained even if I repeat it over and over, which as a fitness DVD, I intend to do.
The movements themselves are not advanced - ranging from smooth moves like pelvic circles and infinity loops to hip accents and shimmies. You will get a core workout if you are utilizing proper posture, maintaining your core, and - as my teacher says - squeezing your princess. After the 40 minutes, I'm actually feeling it! For the cardio aspect, it's hard to gauge, since I'm 8 months pregnant and we don't seem to have the air conditioning on. I was sweating, but I don't know if the average person would. You might even see it as a "interval" workout, since the sections varied from undulating and circling movements to the more intense hip drops, accents, and shimmies, and back again.
The DVD is set to new-agey music. Most of it was OK. As a huge fan of Arabic music, the music on this DVD didn't really get going. It did make for nice backdrop music, but I wouldn't run out and buy the CD. The last section, where many of the combinations are joined into a dance, is set to a composition "Goddess". I found myself a little embarrassed - I just don't go in for this sort of thing, sung in English. It's very goddess-power type stuff. I don't object to the message, but it's not really my thing either. Luckily I was alone in the dance studio because otherwise I would feel pretty silly dancing around to "I'm a Goddess, Set me Free" if anyone could see me. That said, it's really nice to see the combinations and movements displayed in a dance, that was obviously connected to the music (as dance should be), and the dancers/instructors on this DVD display grace and, well, a goddess-quality when they demonstrate this section.
I should also mention that either of the two workouts on this DVD, Love Potion and Beginner Flow, can be done without voice cues, with the music only.
Overall, I got exactly what I ordered, a fitness dvd that works my core, drills my bellydance vocabulary, and keeps me entertained as I do it.
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A continuous movement workout!
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| Review Date: June 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Shara of Desert Dance, KS |
| I love this! The moves are broken down in an excellent, clear manner for beginners in the turorial section, done slowly for those somewhat familiar, and work-out pace for those that are familiar. This makes it great for everyone because you can choose your pace and advance your skill level. You can even choose to have voice cues or just music for your workout. If you are an absolute beginner, I would recommend Instant Belly Dancer 1 & 2 along with this DVD. If you want an all dance workout with continuous movement, I recommend this DVD. No yoga, no pilates, no jazzercise..... just belly dance! Not only that, these ladies are lovely to watch and their costumes are delicious! |
Awesome!
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| Review Date: June 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Smith, Everywhere, UR |
This is a wonderful DVD! I love the beautiful and creative combos and the quality of the DVD is very very good! These women are very skilled and talented dancers. The instructional section is very informative and clear. I like how she really explains and drills the movements and adding modififation options. This is my new fav DVD. I hope to take a class with these ladies someday!
ps
whatever you do...purchase this DVD. You don't have to think twice about it. You will be satisfied! |
entrancing!
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| Review Date: June 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Seir, USA |
World Dance New York returns with this enchanting "Love Potion" dance instructional/workout program. If you are a fan of "Luscious" you will absolutely love this program! Beautiful 100% belly dance moves layered on triple steps on releve, grapevines and beautiful turns, rocking steps, all a bit more challenging!
This program options has voice cues or music only and is about two hours and a twenty minutes total.
The selections are:
The Love Potion Workout-40 minutes, practice flow for beginners-50 minutes, and tutorial-50 minutes.
You will definetly feel the work out as you shift from grapevines to releves, and hip movement. Best of all you will increase in dance vocabulary and learn posture, isolation, arms frames, a huge variety of hip movement, and traveling steps. From beginner to intermediate student, the tutorial and practice section allows most to follow along very well.
Neon instructs the key elements in the dance structure section; the purpose of slower dance movement allowing the muscles to get a longer work out, the technqiue of isolation, body posture, stylized movement in contrast to everyday life movement. Dancing can help alleviate the symptoms of sedentary lifestyle by elongating muscles and fixing improper posture.
Each segment below focuses on upper and lower body basics focusing on circles, undulations, shimmies, hip movement and traveling steps, working every muscle group. Once past the welcome section, prepare to be taken in by beautiful music, choreography and dancers of course!
Neon, Sarah, and Blanca lead you into the following trajectories of
The Love Potion workout: (The combos are broken down quite simply with footwork, arms patterns, hipwork added gradually and repeated.
Eternal Feminine- a rotations workout, grapevine, hip accents.
Mystery-pelvic circles, hip pushes, chest lifts and circles,hip infinity loops.
Desire-horizontal infinity loops, undulations, triplet steps, and yet more hip accents.
Creative Flame- emphasis on hip work, lifts drops
Free Spirit-emphasis on shimmies, shoulder and vertical hips and 3/4 up and down shimmies.
Priestess- a beautiful dance flow empahsing grace, body alignment, coordination, and fluidity
Goddess-beautiful sways, turns, hip work, all combined in a "dancer's prayer" flow.
Each segment offers much variety using organic belly dance moves. When combined differently, these work different muscle groups as a fantastic workout. The tutorial section and practice flow are suberbly defined with extensive vocablulary for dancers of all levels making this one of the best dance instructional videos I have reviewed. Neon is a thorough and precise instructor as you will see in the tutorial and practice flow segment. I especially commend the footwork section so well broken down, beautifully narrated, carefully guding into proper posture and framing! Arms patterns added are beautiful decorations to the hip movement and traveling steps.
The music is spell-binding with several selections from DJZen, Hossam Ramzy and others.The stage backdrop is soft and soothing to the eye. If you are new to belly dance or have loved it for a spell, the "Love Potion" program will simply mesmerize you!
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