Shamira,

Wow! "Mama Mia", where were you when I first learned about belly dancing?

I give myself and you all bragging rights, must say "The Sensuous Workout 2" instructional DVD pure technique is so eloquently defined as well as Smoking Hot DVD & music... Folks if you are in a tight financial situation and want to learn belly dancing or who loves Belly dancing or interested in the arts, must purchase all of Shamira's Belly dance DVDs.

I have financial spent "muncho dinero" (lots of money) for workshops and instructional classes and travel 45 miles - 2 times a week ....when all I had to do was purchase Shamira's instructional DVDs.

You can tell Shamira loves the dance and her heart is definitely with the dance. She speaks with simplicity and eloquence. She has produced a series of high quality belly dance DVDs with excellent lighting and sound.

I must elaborate that I have 23 instructional DVDs from other master teachers & Shamira is profoundly the OUTSTANDING AND MASTER OF BELLY DANCING OF THE WORLD!

Tu Amiga,
Liza - Texas

P.S. I Love to met you in person........

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Dear Shamira,

With this addition of your "Smokin Hot" DVD I now have your entire collection. I just love all your DVD's and your selection of music on CD's.

I use them almost exclusively for my class. The way you break down each technique on the DVD's makes it fun and easy to learn. Yours are the best out there in my opinion. No fake and frills, just plain genuine teaching/learning.

I have performed to Wanna Dance and "You Wanna Move" and believe me they are crowd pleasers. I get lot's of compliments and inquiries about how to get the music. Keep up the great work! Love it, love it!

Mary Ellen,
Teacher and performer in L.A.!
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmpwr/

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Dear Shamira;

After having bought the "The Sensuous Workout DVD", I just had to buy the rest of the DVD series as I was impressed by your style and the way you teach. The DVD breakdown into sections makes it easy when you want to repeat a specific movement and I found the way the technique is explained, easy to follow. You use fluid movements and dance in such a feminine and graceful sensual style that it's seriously worth watching

Having purchased the current DVD/CD series, it's great to have the option to be able to select the style you want to practice. Love the costumes you wear in the choreographed performances. The Pure Technique and the Smokin' DVD's are not only fun to do but also a good workout with great combinations.

Must congratulate you on the DVD companion CD music selection which I repeatedly listen to. Many thanks for The Inner Light Variations CD that I play in quiet moments and listen to again again, you are one very talented lady.

Looking forward to future DVD and CD's. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful style and technique!

Dee
NSW, Australia

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Dear Shamira,

The dvds were received alright! I just wanted to thank you once again and let you know that I do now understand why you receive these reviews! You are so graceful (I love your hands!) and beautiful and personable and a delight to watch! Plus, I did enjoyed the "no frills" style of the dvds. Even though I've studied bellydancing for years with many different teachers and taken seminars and all, I did found many new, fresh movements and combinations in your dvds! It's just great! Needless to say I was happy you are using greek music too! It's great for bellydancing, I dance (and I teach) to it all the time!

Thanks again!

Warm regards,
Dora
from Greece

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Hi Shamira,

Let me start by telling you that when it comes to step-by-step teaching and breaking down the moves, you're one of the best teachers out there. At first glance some of the choreographies seemed to be more advanced than they really were. But when you go through the breakdown, they're really just basic moves put together in such a way to give the appearance of a more complicated choreography (which is perfect for me). As a result the choreographies aren't intimidating and I really believe I can learn every one of them!

Okay, first: The drum solos, beledi pattern and zils Dvd's look like a lot of fun. They're short, sweet and not too complicated. Whether or not I can master dancing with zils remains to be seen. But if not, the dance itself (without zils) is worth learning. I'm going to start with drum solo 2000, that's the easiest. By the way, I'm glad you transferred them all to DVD!

Smokin' Hot!: What can I say? That's exactly what it is! I love it! This one will take a while to learn but it's well worth it. I love the nine patterns, which can also be used separately to other pieces of music, that alone makes this dvd worth its weight in gold! But that's not all, then there's the variations! Can't get bored with this one. Wait, there's more, the different pieces of music that the patterns and dance are performed to broaden the scope of the choreography. Between "Opa" and "You Wanna Move" it's like getting two choreographies for the price of one. And finally, (yes, there's still more) the beautiful performance to Maqam. What a bonus!! Beautiful song and a beautiful dance!

Zeina: This one's my personal favorite. Sensual and beautiful. I can't wait to start learning the steps. One of the best features of this choreography is the versatility and I'm so glad you added the performances to different tempos. Same dance, different speeds. Slow and sensuous to fast and lively. Worth every penny!

Well, there you have it...I'm delighted with my purchases, they'll keep me busy for a good while.

"Live long and prosper..."
Angelique

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Shamira,

Thank you so much for putting out such a good product and being such a clear and concise teacher. I think you definitely have the best DVDs of anyone on the market.

I don't know if this is of interest to you as well, but with the exception of walking, bellydance is pretty much the only workout that I have been able to continue throughout my entire pregnancy. I'm at the beginning of my third trimester and I am still able to do everything on the Sensuous Workouts 1&2. I'm still working on your other DVDs I got a few days ago so I don't know if I'll be able to do everything on those, but I'll have fun trying and either way I'm learning a lot.

Thanks,
Deirdre

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Hi!

I purchased the two video's Smokin Hot Bellydance and the Sensuous Workout II and I really like them. I really LOVE Smokin Hot Bellydance and I do a few min. of the other workout just to practice the different movements a few times a week. I can do all three of the dances and I really like them also.

I really love your videos and find your instruction very easy to understand and follow along with. I do have a drum solo by someone else and I really love it also but I get frustrated because it is so fast and I want to do it but I can't move as quickly as she does and now I am at a part where there is not much instruction with her back towards me so I have not even used it!

I will because I would like to master it but I feel it is a waste of my time right now until I am more advanced or have more patience to watch and rewind and try to figure it out - anyway, I have been playing your videos every day for whatever time I have available and I either get a good workout or some practice on some basic moves or I learn something more about the routine each time and I love that!

Thank you for making the videos fun!!

Mary Van Auken

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Oh Shamira, you were beyond entertainment; you are a superb perfomer, delightful to watch with an exquiste body, beautiful moves and so wonderfully engaging with the audience. I have been playing your DVDs to follow along as you have your own style which I admire. It was nice to see your "girls" at the large table come out to support you and dance.

The food was a delicious surprise...and that thunderstorm just topped off the electricty flowing through Lodos that night with you in belly dancing form.

With Grace,
Sandrina

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Shamira

I think you are one the most beautiful sensual dancers that embodies the art of belly dance. My dance style is similar to yours and I enjoyed your videos. Thanks so much!

Isis

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Hello there Shamira!

I just wanted to tell you I tried out "The Sensous Workout" you put out several years ago, and I loved it! It was challenging, and very sensual! I also thought your video, "Harem Heat" was funny and entertaining. I am a dancer with Habeeba's bellydance troupe in Columbus, Ohio and I just wanted to congratulate you on your grace, skill and talent as a dancer. Thanks for the great video!

Ellianae

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Shamira

Thanks for sending the DVD's so quickly. I received them yesterday. I watched the Pure Technique video and was very pleased with the information you provided. I will be including this video in my daily practice routine. I thank you for the arms and hand movements with the hip moves. The arms and hands complement and look so natural when you teach the dance movements.

You demonstrate the movements with grace and elegance. I see most movements from your drum solo videos which I also have. I have to tell you, you remind me of my first teacher (I miss her). She taught technique as well as being emotive with the music. I learned that hands are very important, they complete the dance expression. I see that in your videos. I would love to see some of your performance videos in the future. Thanks again. Keep on shimmying!

Yours in dance,
Dee
Detroit, MI

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Hi Shamira

Thanks so much for the Inner Light Variations CD. I listened to it last night & found the music both peaceful & pretty. I loved all the variations - #3 was my favourite:). You are very talented.

I watched Drum Solo 2000 & it looks like a fun choreography. I'm looking forward to trying it. The new navigation menu works really well & it will be nice to start where I want.

I almost didn't buy Sensuous Workout #1 thinking that it might not be different enough from #2. I'm so glad I did buy it because I love it. In fact,I was absolutely blown away by it.

The setting really showcased what a beautiful dancer you are.

I love the costumes, especially the black one in the workout portion. There are a lot of levels there...from doing the very basic moves to adding arms & becoming fluid with the moves. I will be using it a lot.

I'm glad to hear you got a new digital camcorder - it sounds like there's more fun stuff coming!

Take care
Lorna

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Shamira,

Thank you ever so much for the DVD. I just love it. With a lot more work and practice, maybe someday I might be pretty good at Bellydancing. And it will all be because of you and your wonderful DVDs.

I am still working on the others that I have gotten from you and I must say this. By watching and listening to your DVDs and learning, I am starting to understand much better why things are done the way they are. I am starting to see the difference in the movements and understanding them much better. The isolation of the different body parts, to be able to act independently of each other, is much clearer now.

Viewing the different DVDs and practicing what I see on a regular basis has helped me to better understand what the dance is all about. Classes do help a lot, but they are only once a week. And trying to remember what was learned, one has a tendency to forget one or two things. Your DVDs have helped to reinforce a lot of what I learned and keeps me from forgetting.

With your DVDs, you show right then and there what it all looks like together. In class, I learn a few things, then learn a few more steps next class, etc. It is somewhat hard to see what it will all look like. This is not the case with you as a teacher. You teach the steps, then put it all together, from beginning to end.

I have not done too many smart things in my life. But I do know, one of the smartest and best things I have done was to take up belly dancing and getting to know you. As a result, I am much happier and doing what I always wanted to do. And just to be able to learn to belly dance has been to bring out some of the best in me. It has helped me to be my true self. The more I learn about Belly Dance, the more I love it. It is a very pure and feminine dance.

You are truly one special teacher and lady. Again, thank you ever so much for everything and thank you for being you, a very special and dear lady.

As ever and always
Elaine

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Hi Shamira!

I have watched all my DVD's now and I love them. I especially like the 2003 Drum Solo and the Las Vegas Showgirl walk. I tried it out right away. It was nice to see Mr. Sock Monkey and Captain Pickard. I'm into Betty Boop and trolls. The question and answer section on your website is very helpful. I'm sending my photo via E-mail. It was taken at a class recital at a local Middle Eastern restaurant. Looking foward to future DVD's and to learning the one's I just bought. Thanks for making them.

Sincerely,
Kathy Ann Rodegher

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Shamira,

Your videos have been a great teaching tool for me, especially the Beledi combinations. My students love them! I also love your CDs. I have worn out one of the loops (#16 - can't think of the name of the CD) from repeatedly playing it in class!

I never teach someone else's choreography to my students, but I do pick out certain steps and combinations from others (isn't that how we have all learned to belly dance?) and always give credit to that dancer. In fact, that's usually how I name the steps/combinations. When I tell my students to do "Shamira hips" they know what I'm talking about.

I'm so glad I discovered you and your videos. I bought your first video in VHS form, and I admit I was not familiar with you. Since then I have acquired all of them except for the Zeina DVD. I normally do not perform other dancers' choreography, but I do learn a lot from watching them and "dissecting" the choreography, incorporating bits and pieces into my performances and my style of dancing, which would probably be considered very "Egyptian." When I started teaching about 3 or 4 years ago, I soon learned that being a good dancer did not necessarily qualify one as a good teacher. That is how videos such as yours have been so helpful in breaking down and explaining steps and moves to beginners. I love the way you start a basic step, then add variations and accompanying arm/hand movements.

I guess I've been rambling on, haven't I? Just want you to know how helpful your videos have been and how much I have learned from them. Please keep up the good work!

Najia
Virginia, USA

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Hello Shamira:

I just finished working through all the steps in "Zeina." What took all summer to learn is doing the dance in a couple of minutes! LOL! Slowly, but surely, I get it done. I didn't rush because I wanted to be comfortable with each step. All the dances you teach are perfect for me. Every step is explained perfectly.

Before you came along, I had bought an instructional video by someone else. I was trying to do her hard accents but was hurting myself. Her instruction was easy, but the movement wasn't. I was forcing the step. In one of your videos, you showed the same step without any strain on the body. It was Amaaaaaazing! I finally enjoyed it. Now I want to learn the new video because there are some awesome body accents.

Thank you again for another great video. I feel so good when I am dancing. The world needs to dance!

Warm Hugs,
Suzzie