Learn from the Source! Review of Nada El Masriya's “The Art of Egyptian Belly Dance” Volume’s I & II

Are you looking for high quality, authentic Egyptian Belly Dance Instructional DVD’s for levels I (Beginner to Continuing Beginner) and II (Continuing Beginner to Advanced)? You will find them in the two brand new 2012 DVD’s just produced by Nada El Masriya.

Egyptian Belly Dance Instructor and Performer, Nada El Masriya, is a former five year member of the Reda Troupe, who has been lauded by the legendary Fifi Abdou as “the Ambassador of Egyptian Dance in Canada.” Her classes and workshops at the Egyptian Dance Academy in Toronto are always highly sought after. The same accurate technical instruction, advanced skills, and intimate insight into musicality that she offers at her Academy are now available in her Instructional DVD series.

The first two DVD’s in the series are valuable home study and practice tools when used alongside regular classes with a qualified teacher. Each DVD covers warm up, posture, arms, 3 unique dance combos, and some Reda style traveling steps. Basic level I and II isolations and movements are carefully demonstrated and explained in each DVD.

These DVD’s not only stand out for their excellent quality of production and content as but also for the quality of the instructor. Videography, sound, lighting, and studio setting all make it easy to focus on Nada without distractions. Nada herself is not only a beautiful and charismatic teacher, she communicates her main points to the viewer with great clarity and directness. In addition to the main instruction which is mostly in English, she adds a few Arabic phrases in a context along with translation which helps the viewer understand what she means.

What comes across most poignantly is how sincere Nada’s passion is for her art and culture, and how much it means to her to share it with others who are respectful and open to learning about it. The viewer gets the sense that not only is Nada to be respected as a highly qualified teacher and an elegant performer, she is also a genuinely warm and like-able human being. She draws the viewer in, and makes you want to learn from her.

Nada’s professional Egyptian dance background influences what she feels it is most important for her students to learn. She points out that Egyptian Belly Dance is about 1) Emphasis, and 2) Action and Reaction. She verbally explains and physically demonstrates what she means quite clearly in her DVD’s to help the viewer understand these key kinesthetic elements to the multi-layered complexities of Egyptian Dance. Learning about Emphasis, Action, and Reaction can allow both students and professionals to execute the same moves but in much more varied ways that will suit and express the texture of the music.

She employs the same Egyptian teaching style that the Reda troupe uses of teaching by visual demonstration so that the student absorbs the techniques by watching first. Then she uses the North American method of breaking down the movements and explaining them verbally. Finally, she demonstrates the lesson yet again for the viewer by dancing the movements she has taught. In addition, there are also small inserts of Nada in professional costume actually performing those moves. This combination of teaching methods is highly effective. Words are not enough to explain the subtleties of what Nada means. Nada believes that only the eyes can fill in the gaps needed to eventually become a professional and she works hard to demonstrate this concept in her DVD’s.

Nada’s DVD’s are for those students who want to learn correct moves from a native Egyptian dance expert. Her methods are excellent for helping students truly understand the moves she teaches. Her style of teaching is sure to appeal to those who learn by watching, those who learn by listening, and those who learn by both verbal and visual instruction. Nada’s DVD’s bridge the divide between different learning and teaching methods and also between cultures.

To learn Egyptian Belly Dance directly from the source, purchase Nada’s DVD’s online www.discoverbellydance.com or call 416-4623498. Each DVD is $29 plus tax.