Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Arms & Abs on AllMovie

Originating in the Middle East and North Africa, the ancient art form of belly dancing has been practiced by women for thousands of years. Utilizing sensual and graceful movements of the hips, abdomen, and arms, the dance was once performed as entertainment for royalty and was also linked to femininity and fertility. In addition to the beauty of the dance, however, come the added benefits of flexibility and overall fitness. The Bellydance series offers a wonderful introduction to belly dancing as a form of exercise. Instructors Veena Bidasha and her sister Neena Bidasha have practiced belly dancing since childhood and have traveled throughout the Middle East and India to perform and develop their techniques. They lead the participant through simple routines that are designed to teach the fundamentals of belly dancing while being fun and invigorating. Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Arms and Abs builds on the techniques learned in the Basic Moves program to produce an effective workout for the upper body and the abdomen. The accompanying soundtrack of Middle Eastern rhythms provides an invigorating backdrop to the workout that strengthens the abdominal muscles and tones the upper body and arms with graceful, flowing movements.