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Pop, Lock & Shimmy: Drum Solo Technique & Choreography (Intermediate / Advanced Belly Dance) | 
 enlarge | Studio: Cheeky Girls Productions
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $17.99
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New (3) from $17.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 13974
Format: Ntsc
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 883629293318
Release Date: September 17, 2007
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Amazon.com
**Trailer available on YouTube**ABOUT THE DVD Pop, Lock and Shimmy is a complete guide to crisp isolations and layered shimmies. It is designed for intermediate and advanced belly dancers and emphasizes drum solo technique. Practice is the key to sharp and intricate hip movements. When you spend time drilling these movements they simply become second nature and are naturally integrated into your repertoire. This 80 minute DVD consists of 11 drills and combinations that are designed to increase your stamina and to get the movements into your muscle memory. After being carefully explained, each combination is first practiced to medium paced music. Once you have mastered the combination at a medium speed, we pick up the pace. Each segment of this DVD is divided into a separate chapter, allowing you to click directly to any combination at any pace instantaneously. At the end of the DVD you will learn how the drills and combinations can be strung together into a dynamic drum solo choreography. You will also see a sneak preview of Michelle's performance on By Dancers For Dancers Volume 2, where she performs the drum solo choreography in a live stage show. ALSO INCLUDED Excerpts of an interview with Michelle describing the Hindu extremists that rioted at her New Years show in India in 2004. ABOUT THE TEACHER Michelle Joyce is a professional belly dancer who has performed for audiences around the globe. She has won several awards including 2004 People's Choice Belly Dancer and 2006 East Coast Classic Belly Dance Competition Champion. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 28 more reviews...
 More than just a drum solo choreography -- MUCH MORE! November 7, 2007
69 out of 72 found this review helpful
Most people will call this a drum solo dvd, and that's what it is, but it's also MUCH more. Many of us have complained about a lack of "Drill" videos on the market. If you're looking to drill and sharpen your pops, locks, and shimmies, THIS is that video.
Think... SHARP!! This is a not a drill video for slow moves, or for any kind of specific technique. It's exactly what it says it is -- pops, locks, and shimmies. Sharp moves and how to make them sharper, and shimmies, plus sharp layer drills.
Yes, it teaches a drum solo choreography, a cute choreography! And you could perform the choreography if you wanted to. It's taught in combinations, which make nice drills themselves. Like I said, you COULD perform this choreography, but I think, after working with the dvd for a while, you'll be inspired to make your OWN choreography out of the drills and combos and things covered here.
It's sort of rare that a "choreography" dvd actually inspires you to abandon the choreography taught, for your own vision -- but that's what I felt like after watching this. I ran downstairs and grabbed Hossam Ramzy's Tabla Solo cds and started playing immediately. I can see I'm going to have LOTS of fun with this dvd. :)
This dvd is marketed to intermediate/advanced dancers. I put the dvd in the player and started it, went of to get a glass of water, and when I came back, it had already started, and she was doing a hip lift drill. I watched it for a bit thinking, "this is advanced? Hmmm...." but then the chapter changed and I see that this was the WARMUP! LOL. It gets progressively more advanced from the warmup. :)
I think what's going to get the most "airtime" for many dancers is the drill section. You can pick and choose from different drill sets, or do them all together, OR jump to a chapter where all the combinations are presented as drills, or jump to just the layer drills, or just the shimmy drills -- LOTS of options here.
And these drills aren't just "4 counts of this, 4 counts of that" for 30 seconds. These drills are DRILLS. Like Bootcamp drills. They go on for EVER! Okay, not forever, but long enough to actually be USEFUL as drills, and when you've done them, you KNOW you've done something! I believe the goal of the drills is to help you achieve SHARPER body movements. I know from working Suhaila's material that if you practice a lock long enough it gets smaller and tighter and more precise, and this dvd will certainly help with that.
Her layer drills aren't just layered shimmies either. They're similar to Suhaila's level 2 layer drills, where you're layering hip singles with side-to-side movements, or upper body movements. Tough stuff, and you really can't practice it enough.
I wasn't going to buy this dvd because I thought I wasn't interested in learning another drum solo choreography, but I'm glad I did because this dvd is WAY more than just another drum solo choreography. I would say this dvd could easily become a useful part of your daily practice. You can practice the combinations for the drum solo, even if you don't plan on performing the piece itself. They make nice sharpening drills in themselves.
Production quality is excellent, well-lit, good sound, and she teaches with a back mirror so you can see what she's doing from several angles. Additional performances and a short interview with Michelle about the great 2004 New Year's Riot in India round out the extras. The whole dvd is about 90 minutes, and most of that is instruction/drill time.
Overall opinion -- Definitely worth the money, and this dvd will be going in the "watch and work with on a regular basis" shelf. I would recommend it to all intermediate/advanced students looking to sharpen their technique, or as a nice series of drills to complement the yoga-based drills in many Tribal Fusion dvds.
An Excellent Buy and One of the Best! December 4, 2007
38 out of 39 found this review helpful
PLEASE NOTE: Aziyade has already written a great review about this *excellent* DVD, but I figured another one with a bit of a different viewpoint wouldn't hurt :)
Title:Pop, Lock, and Shimmy
Instructor:Michelle Joyce
Level: Intermediate and Advanced Belly dancers
Info:95 minutes
Mystified by the nuances of the drum solo? Or are you looking for a DVD that will sharpen your pops and locks? Maybe you'd like a new choreography or are you seeking a new drill set to add to your regular practice schedule? Believe it or not, this DVD covers all these bases and more. Michelle Joyce has created a DVD that will suit a variety of tastes and still manage to be one that many intermediate and advanced level dancers can return to use again and again.
Here's a breakdown of the DVD:
"Warm up:" From the very first part of the video, viewers can tell that Michelle Joyce is not only a talented belly dancer but also an incredibly informed fitness professional. The warm up portion of the DVD consists of gentle stretches and movements designed to get your blood pumping. During this section, Michelle gives excellent pointers that will benefit anyone implementing a workout plan. From explaining each stretch and emphasizing proper technique to describing the benefits of holding the moves for a minimum of 10 seconds, there are a lot of little informational gems in even this first section.
After first stretching the entire body, the warm up moves into a section designed to review and drill one the main movements that will be featured in the DVD: hip bumps. Michelle continues the warm up by offering a drill section that covers both traveling and stationary hip bumps, as well as interesting ways to embellish the move and a unique and challenging portion designed to improve balance. As with the basic warm up, these movements are clearly defined and explained. Michelle does an excellent job of describing the muscles that are driving the movement and continues to do so throughout the video. The overall pace of the warm up is very comfortable. It is one that certainly prepares the body for what's to come but is not so exhausting that it will prevent viewers from continuing on with the DVD.
"Warm Up Drill:" The final part of the warm up is the "warm up drill." Designed to prepare viewers for the movements and overall attitude of a drum solo, this is a great opportunity to practice a drum solo drill set. First, the entire drill set is demonstrated without music. During the breakdown, Michelle continues to share the secrets of snappy locks and pops, explaining just which muscles to use and even describing how *not* to do many of the movements. Then Michelle adds music and the fun begins! There is literally about 3 to 5 minutes of combination drilling. No mere 30 seconds of demonstration here! Instead viewers can really have the opportunity to *practice* the drills along with Michelle and reap the benefits of following drills that incorporate dancing along with repetitively challenging the body.
"Combinations:" After the warm up, the DVD moves into the combinations section. In total there are 7 combinations on this DVD (but there's much more, too, including various shimmy drills and other sections of the choreography that are broken down but do not necessary rate as a full combination). Michelle has cleverly created combos that, on their own, provide viewers with excellent stand-alone drill sets. Each combination can be reviewed and refined in order to improve one's technique. Overall, the combinations are both interesting and challenging enough to keep one intrigued even if they're being used in the standard drill format of repeating the movements over and over and over. The combinations work incredibly well together, too - in addition to working as stand alone drill sets or they can be strung together for a full drum solo choreography (and, yes, that *is* covered later on the DVD!). Combinations are executed with counts and feature movements that include many hallmarks of a drum solo. Certainly the pops and locks the title implies are included as are a variety of layers. Another nice touch is Michelle's construction of combos that utilize a variety of body views and speeds.
Each combination is divided into three parts. First, Michelle demonstrates the combo and then explains the movements used in it. The breakdowns are clear and concise. As this is an intermediate to advanced level DVD, it is assumed that dancers have a knowledge of basic movements so Michelle does not take the time to describe how to do a shoulder shimmy or execute a maya. Instead, time is spent offering excellent suggestions on making sure the movements are properly executed in a sharp and crisp "drum soloesque" manner.
After the explanation, viewers have the opportunity to practice each combination at both a slow and fast pace. The slower paced drill time offers a wonderful chance to really refine and improve each movement. And the pacing is perfect - right along with the music yet not too speedy to overwhelm the viewer. The faster pace is, of course, more challenging than the slower section but it is set at a speed that is still manageable.
For those dancers seeking to simply practice the combinations in succession, there is a "Quick Index of Combinations" that allows one to flip in between the combos and practice them in succession without any breaks for title screens. In the "Nonstop Practice" section, one can also review the varying speeds without stopping for any breakdowns.
"Shimmy Drills:" This section was quite possibly my favorite. Here Michelle presents three unique drill sets, similar to the warm up drill, designed to really get your body moving! This is where the "shimmy" comes in - while many of the combinations included shimmies these drills really utilize a variety of different shimmies along with different layers. Both the types of shimmies used and the included layers are fairly complicated and will definitely challenge more experienced dancers. There are three drills in this section: a shimmy drill, a layering drill, and a shimmy and lock drill. As with the combinations, these drills are first demonstrated and then clearly explained. And then, of course, there's time to put what you've learned into practice!
"Choreography:" Michelle's drum solo is a really cute, sassy piece that is comprised of the 7 combinations featured on the DVD as well as the shimmy drill and several other movement transitions. The choreography section allows the viewer to preview the entire piece in small sections and then in the entire succession. Since the combinations have already been broken down, there is not a particular step-by-step breakdown of the combination in succession.
A performance off the DVD "By Dancers for Dancers Volume 2" is also included on this DVD. The first performance is lovely and simply classic. The second includes the absolutely smoking drum solo and is great to see performed in a full, dazzlingly beautiful costume.
What worked for me:
* The DVD was VERY clear and easy to see with great sound levels - overall excellent production quality.
* Michelle not only breaks down the movements but also seems to be very well versed in the anatomy and physiology behind each one. However, she does not use overly technical terms or go into too much depth but instead gives viewers enough information to understand what is happening without becoming overwhelmed with confusing jargon.
* I'm a huge fan of drills, and it was wonderful to see an instructor create something that would work as drills that was beyond simply repeating the same movement over and over again. So far, most of the DVDs that feature "drills" simply repeat movements (ie 100 hip bumps on the right. repeat.). While repetition is certainly beneficial, it can quickly become boring. Michelle's take on drills in her warm up - the idea of drilling a combination of movements rather than just one single movement - is a fresh new approach and great to see on an instructional DVD.
* The descriptions of what a "sloppy" movement would look like contrasted with a crisp one that would be appropriate for a drum solo. It was great to hear just what delineated the two and how to execute one versus the other.
* As Aziyade said in her review, this is a DVD that has so many useful components (from the actual full choreography to the drills to the combos which can also be drilled) that it will get a LOT of play in my practice routine. This is an incredibly well-rounded DVD and one that will benefit any dancer looking to improve their locks and pops (and, yes, that would be BOTH cabaret and tribal style dancers!).
What may not work for you:
* This is absolutely, positively a DVD for more experienced dancers. While some "intermediate-level" DVDs are actually quite easy, this one is definitely a challenge. This makes it incredibly fun and useful to dancers who've been shimmying for a while, but for newer dancers this is definitely a video to use once you've become familiar with a basic belly dance vocabulary.
Michelle Joyce - A GREAT talent October 12, 2007
30 out of 33 found this review helpful
I recently ordered this DVD, Pop, Lock & Shimmy & I just LOVE it. The moves, the drills and the music are FANTASTIC and ENERGIZING. The DVD is broken down into segments of the dance and then combos of the dance. Michelle patiently explains the short combo of moves first a couple of times and then performs the same short combo of moves to the drum solo music and then performs the same combo of moves faster to the drum solo music (if you prefer). There are PLENTY of REPETITION DRILLS for each move in the segments so you have plenty of practice. There is also a bonus presentation of Michelle in custom performing this drum solo.
I am an intermediate belly dancer and perform a couple of times a month @ various restaurants and the pop and lock combos along with different shimmies and layering moves Michelle teaches in this DVD are GREAT and a GOOD WORKOUT. The DVD is set up so that intermediate and advanced belly dancers are challenged and it is also INEXPENSIVE.
This DVD is a MUST have for all belly dancers because many of the detailed pop & lock movements she teaches are needed in performances and are a big part of belly dance that are NOT often taught in class. They are also fun to perform as a dancer and MESMERIZING for audiences. I DEFINITELY would add this DVD to my belly dance collection as one that you will use regularly.
Does your drum solo need sharpening up? October 16, 2007
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
A small review of the video Pop, Lock & Shimmy from Michelle Joyce of Cheeky Girls Productions.
The video is 80 minutes long with very little fluff. There is an extensive warm-up section, focused around rib and hip stretches and moves, then a small shimmy combo to get you moving. Next Michelle teaches 7 combos and a couple of shimmy drills. After that she shows you how to put them together in a choreo. The choreo is broken down into sections without a lot of explanation but the material has already been broken down in the combo sections. Then you see the whole choreo, once in workout clothes and then the pro version in full costume.
A real strength of this video is the chaptering and menus. She has things very well broken down so you can access just the parts you want to work on without a lot of flipping around looking for things. So whether you have ten minutes or an hour, you can design yourself a workout. She also has the main drills with instruction and then just with music.
The combos were cute and did help with the "how do I go from movements to a sequence" feeling. I feel like I've seen improvement in just the couple of times I've used the video. I can see myself using this one for awhile.
This was definitely an intermediate video, as advertised. She assumed you knew most of the moves and didn't waste a lot of time on explaining a basic hip drop. The material was oriented towards the cabaret and fusion dancer.
The production values were good. Michelle was shown in a mirrored studio, so you could see her from front and back. The melo-type pants and halftop showed her movements, including knees and feet well.
I couldn't really find anything to gripe about on this video! And it's an excellent value at $19.95.
Fantastic October 22, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Finally, an instructional DVD that does drills for an extended period of time. Michelle does each drill slowly for 90 seconds then quickly for 90 seconds. I didn't have to rewind to figure out what was happening.
The chaptering was really good also so I didn't have to sit through anything to get to something else.
Michelle is a very talented dancer and is now emerging as a very talented DvD producer and instructor. I have all of her products, they are top notch.
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