RaqsTV Ongoing Review-Week 1

Hey there.  So recently I've been interested in taking bellydance classes.  I've been doing so much with hooping yet the thing I've always wanted to do (bellydance).  Unfortunately with my work schedule, it can be really hard for me to attend classes.  I figure once or twice a month, I will go to a class and study with DVDs in the meanwhile. I know it's not the best plan on Earth but unless someone wants to give me free classes and time on my hands, it's all I got.  I found out about this website calle RaqsTV which is where you can rent a video for a selected amount of time.  I like the idea because instead of buying, you can rent it and find out if you like it.  I also figure having only so much time will encourage me to use it.  I ordered: ATS Class from Skin Deep Dance.  My original plan was to follow each class once a day for a week.  Since it's a sister studio of FatChance Bellydance, These classes should be similar to the one my friend, Anna started taking this very week.

My first thoughts of all the content that I have seen on RaqsTV is the same comment I have on most youtube videos for hooping and Hooping University: the quality is subpar.  I cannot hear as well or see some of the movements super well.  This is the same thing for RaqsTV.  I can barely hear the instructor most of the time. But any comments from anyone else, forget about it (which from the first week there is a few from a co-instructor, I guess).

The first part of the class is a warm up, then an explanation of what ATS is (which I cannot hear), then an introduction to the taxeem.  Then, there is an introduction to the arm positions covering: positioning, undulations, and hand floreos.  Next, they combine the floreos/arm positions with the taxeem. I feel like this class covers taxeems forrreeeeever.  Then they start mixing in choreography.  At one point there is a circle turn but I'm not sure if she just turning around, doing a taxeem in a circle (is that possible?) or doing a real circle turn?  After that, she goes over shimmies.  Which I'm not sure if it's a good introduction for it either.  There is no "let me show you and this is how you do it."  You just start doing it.  Then adding faster moves.  Is it that easy or what?  Next, they go back to the mirror and now it's time to blast through the fast moves.  No literally, they blast through most the fast moves.  I am like wtf?  I don't feel safe just gunslinging into moves like that.  I can't even make it through the next section.  The last 10 minutes might be going over another move but I don't know.  I'm so frustrated and tired by then that I am ugh.  Especially the arabic being on the toes and my knees, I didn't want to do it without knowing how to do it.  I youtubed it.

I've asked my friend what her first ATS class was like and according to her, there was no barreling through movements.  I just don't feel safe moving through movements like that.  I'm already worried as is about assuming correct dance posture!  I've taken one tribal bellydance class this month, too.  We covered hip drops, floreos, some chest shimmy, single choo-choos, propeller turns, and another turn which I will call a backwards turn.

Today (due to puppy issues) I only got through a quarter of week 1.  On the good hand, I found my Art of Bellydance DVD which is a FCBD dvd.  I also ordered tribal basics 1 which, according to amazon, might be the same.  I want to get the entire BlackSheep bellydance dvds, too. I need to be rich! I'm planning on reviewing all these DVDs/videos for this blog.  I have quite a few DVDs and I would love to add to them!