******
- Verified Buyer
Many reviewers comment on K. Smith's lack of total expertise in belly dance. Against this admittedly true and valid point, why not consider the following:- Smith cues very well, is very personable, and her enthusiasm is charming- Ansuya is never far from view, and she is the belly dancer to beat all, in my opinion; the other ladies also contribute well to an understanding of how the moves are done- the various belly dance moves are fun and interesting- the pace is good, with just the right amount of instruction- the set is well designed and very tasteful- the program is well organized and appealingly shot, with good production values- all the ladies look lovely. It is perhaps slightly unfortunate that Smith's midsection is on the masculine side, with rather little curve in it, but that has almost no effect on how she demonstrates the moves. And if, for example, she is not quite doing front-back-back on the hip drop, the other dancers are, and it's clear what should be done even if Smith has some difficulty with it (shoulder shimmies seem to give her a lot of trouble, but I happen to find them easy)- the music is excellent, enhancing the atmosphere in a general way but also providing perfect accompaniment for the dancing- there is an upmarket feel about the program: just the right degree of exoticism but no louche overtones- Smith gives much air time and credit to Ansuya, who also provides demonstration dances and a tutorialIn sum, well worth the money. I go back to it often, and I'm glad that Kathy Smith made this adventurous foray into a rewarding endeavor.
