The Dance Volume I, a complete belly dance course for beginners

In this 80-minute video workshop, Carrie Konyha of American Gypsy Dance Productions presents everything she teaches in her 12-week beginners level course - and then some. Carrie's teaching technique is thorough and easy for the absolute beginner to comprehend, yet challenging enough for even the seasoned dancer. Techniques covered in this course include warm-ups, hip rolls, ribcage circles, classical postures, figure 8's, undulations, hip slides, hip lifts and drops, belly rolls, hip sway, foot paths, belly flutters, basic shimmy, pelvic tuck/drop, head slides, hip twist, ribcage slides, arm movement, twist shimmy, ribcage lifts, veil techniques, hip circles, ribcage drops, finger cymbals, and more.

One customer sent this review: "Fast Delivery and Well Packaged! This video is one hour and 20 minutes long and covers every aspect of Middle East dancing there is! I certainly think that I got my moneys worth from this video! Carrie is such a beautiful woman to watch move and shows how to and how not to dance. She has several other dancers with different body shapes doing the same moves and other alternate moves so you can see how the dance looks on different people. She also covers every imaginable possiblitiy of the dance. I can't say anything negative about this video. It is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their movements or for anyone wanting to perfect their dance. Especially beneficial to the beginning dancer. I would give it 10+ belly jewels out of 10 belly jewels!" -- Azeeza

TESTIMONIALS :
"The video is full of great information, probably more information for a beginners' video than I have seen in any other video. What a deal! " ~ Kate

"Thank-you for the wonderful DVD, I loved it and the instruction was perfect,
thank you for offering a wonderful item. More people need to try it, they will get so much out of bellydancing." ~ Rebecca P., CA

Though I am not a dancer, I can easily see that this video would enable any aspiring bellydance student to not only get a good start, but to become an effective performer, due to the comprehensive material presented here. It would also serve as an useful "review" for more experienced dancers. Her introductory warm-up and stretch is given the importance it deserves as an essential component of effective dancing, and I especially enjoyed her holistic integration of techniques, such as those central to yoga practice, for a centered approach to the dance.

Carrie features over 24 individual moves in this single video (the equivalent of a full 12-week course), each clearly demonstrated, as well as the finest zill (finger cymbal) lesson I've seen. As a musician, I was pleased to observe Carrie's timing and understanding of the role that zills play in bellydance performance. I might even try playing them, now that I know the proper techniques!

I highly recommend "The Dance" to any serious student of bellydance, and I am pleased to play a part in this excellent presentation." -- Adam Burke/Desert Knights

Meet Carrie Konyha - Performer, Instructor, Choreographer

Carrie founded "American Gypsy dance productions" in 1998 when she began teaching after 13 years of professional dance experience as a soloist performer. Her formal dance training includes many years of middle-eastern dance including the Egyptian, Turkish , Lebanese and Gypsy styles. Carrie is also trained in the Indian classical dance, Bharata Natyam and has some training in ballet and modern dance. Carrie Continues to study with Master Level Teachers regularly.

Carrie began her dance career as a chorus line/cabaret dancer in 1986 and maintained a full time career as a professional dancer performing in nightclubs while she pursued her spiritual studies until 1992 . For the past 9 years, Carrie has been extensively researching the Spiritual aspects of movement and dance as she continues to perform and teach middle eastern belly dance. She incorporates her knowledge of the holistic aspects of the dance into her teachings. Carrie is an advocate of working with dance as a supplemental system of self healing; using dance, rhythm, music, breath-work and visualization to heal the mind, body and soul. Carrie is also a certified MEDICAL YOGA instructor.

"My love for middle-eastern dance stems from the fact that it has been used by women of all shapes and sizes as a medium for prayer, meditation, holistic healing, personal empowerment and the celebration of life for many thousands of years. Did you know that belly dance is the worlds oldest surviving dance art? To me, this endurance validates the magical qualities of the dance and tells of our eternal desire to connect with our sacred selves". ~ Keep Dancing !

Sorry, Carrie's DVDs are no longer available online from The Pink Gypsy.