Solid production values really come to fruition in the performances themselves: by supporting rather than distracting from the talented dancers. Beautiful costumes and engaging, complementary music, ranging from Middle Eastern to Industrial/EBM, accompanies performances that, unlike some of the performances in Gothic Bellydance, aren’t marred by unfortunate detours into loosey-goosey “interpretive” dance. In fact, Bellydance Underworld lives up to its subtitle of “Tribal Fusion, Experimental and Gothic Performances,” with even the most experimental of pieces maintaining roots in the traditional foundations of bellydance. Although the Nekyia’s blend of fire-breathing and dancing – inexplicably set to elevator music, the DVD’s single musical low point – is a bit light on dancing, and Tempest’s dance doesn’t quite fit snugly into Jill Tracy’s music, there are no real misses. From beginning to end, the only thing that could surpass watching these beautiful performances would be to experience them live.
Watch and Learn
Unquestionably, the DVD’s most notable success lies in presenting various unconventional styles of bellydance in a way that makes it possible to understand their differences and appreciate the dancers’ individual artistry. Ariellah’s gothic bellydance, for example, is a down-tempo, serpentine seduction that favors fluidity over sharpness. In contrast, Sashi’s performance relies on harder, more mechanistic edges fitting to her choice of industrial music, while Tempest incorporates more up-tempo elements of gothic dance. In other styles, we have Monica Fernandez with a tribal fusion performance, essentially American Tribal Style using popular dance techniques such as popping, and Elisheva, from New York-based Bellyqueen, with a lively, dynamic dance heavily influenced by hip-hop. There are also smashingly good group performances from dance companies Ultra Gypsy and UnMata. Where bellydance often seems to be a solo kind of art, these innovative companies show how mistaken that impression is.
DVDs like Bellydance Underworld really open up new avenues of exploration, both for people who may only be familiar with traditional styles of bellydance and for people who have never previously paid much attention to dance in general. Bellydance Underworld is surprisingly educational, going beyond an appeal to gothic or experimental sensibilities to something accessible to everyone. It’s very easy to return to individual routines in the DVD or watch the whole thing more than once, just to be sure that nothing is missed. But of course the educational aspect is just a happy byproduct. With a disciplined presentation of endlessly captivating performances, Bellydance Underworld is a winning production.
Bellydance Underworld. Featuring Ariellah, Monica Fernandez, Mira Betz, Ultra Gypsy, Sashi, Kami Liddle, the Nekyia, Katie Kay, Frédérique, UnMata, Tempest and Elisheva. DVD produced and distributed by the Hollywood Music Center. www.hollywoodmusiccenter.com
