Marguerite in her Spins and Turns DVD teaches warm up stretches, basic turns, turning technique, arm techniques while turning, level changes while turning, specialized turns, and preparing for performances on various surfaces. At the end of the video are two costumed performances using spins and turns taught on the DVD. The video was filmed in a small studio without mirrors. However, as she is mostly always turning, mirrors are necessary to be able to tell what movements Marguerite is doing. The techniques taught for turning and whirling taught can be used in many styles of Middle Eastern Dance or even for personnel transformation.
Marguerite has a strong Gypsy-style. Dancers and spiritual practitioners have always used whirling to represent creation or change and the movement of heavenly bodies. You can add drama and depth to your dance performance be including well-executed spins. Dervishes use whirling to achieve oneness with the universe. You can use spinning as meditation or while performing an Oriental Dance. Remember to practice your spins in both directions as one way is usually easier than the other. With practice, your balance will improve and, hopefully, the dizziness or nauseas feelings while turning repeatedly or quickly.
Teaches warm up stretches, basic turns, turning technique, arm techniques while turning, level changes while turning, specialized turns, and preparing for performances on various surfaces.
- Spins and Turns DVD Instructional Focus Time Breakdown
- Spins and Turns DVD Outline
- Music Used in the Spins and Turns DVD
- Dancer Skill Level for Spins and Turns DVD
- Review Rating for Spins and Turns DVD
Top Skill Taught
The top skill taught by Marguerite on this belly dance DVD is the slightly bent body spin. This style of spinning is prevalent in gypsy-style belly dance, so it isn’t covered in most instructional videos.
Skill Focus Time Breakdown Infographic
Spins and Turns is about 80 minutes. The following infographic is an approximate breakdown of how many minutes are included in the DVD for various belly dance skills.
DVD Instructional Focus
The following is an outline of the dance skills taught in this DVD.
Warm Up
Marguerite starts with some simple and easy stretches to prepare you for practicing spins. She does so one legged stretches to help you gain balance and equilibrium. You could probably substitute a general dancer warm up or yoga for these stretches.
Technique
The spin technique chapter is the bulk of this video.
Turns
She starts with these basic turns:
- Step turn
- Pivot or paddle turn
- Releve
- Barrel Turn
Spotting during Spins
Next, she teaches the following spotting while turning exercises:
- 4-point spotting
- 2-point spotting
- 1-point spotting
- floor spotting
- ceiling spotting
Spotting helps prevent your from getting dizzy or sick to your stomach while turning rapidly or for many repetitions.
Arm Movements during Spins
To enhance the effect of spins, she then teaches arm movements to perform while spinning. She first teaches the arm movements while standing and then adds the arm gestures to various types of basic spins.
Level Changes for Spins
Marguerite gives instruction on a couple of spins that involve level changes, including the “mermaid spin.” The mermaid spin is done on the floor. The mermaid spin is commonly done while sword balancing or in tribal-fusion belly dances.
Using a Veil with Spins
The next techniques taught are using a veil during some of the basic turns. This is short section. You can learn in-depth veil technique using other videos.
Specialized Turns
Marguerite finishes the technique section with the following more advanced turns:
- Head flip turn
- Traveling: Spinning at the same time you are traveling in a big circle.
- Tassel variation: She shows you how to braid a tassel in your hair. The added weight of the tassel pulls you around in a turn; making spinning easier.
Shoes and Surfaces
Marguerite shoes you examples of various shoes you can wear on different surfaces for belly dance performances. Most dancers like to perform in bare feet. However, sometimes restaurants require you to wear shoes for health code reason. Or you want to protect yourself from getting cut or hot surfaces when dancing at outdoor venues.
Live Solo Performances
This DVD has two performances by Marguerite. Both performances use spins and turns taught in this DVD. The first performances is gypsy-style and the second folkloric-style. She plays zills in the first performance.
Music Used
The following is the music used in the Spins and Turns with Marguerite DVD.
- Temple Dancer from World Dance by Desert Wind
- To Learn About Love from Songs of Greece’s Gypsies
Dancer Skill Level – Beginner
We rate this DVD as suitable for a Beginner dancer. Learning the turns doesn’t require any other belly dance movements, except for some snake arms. For beginners, the tips on spotting are helpful if you get dizzy when spinning. If you have had any previous formal dance training, like jazz or ballet, you will already know most of the material on this DVD.
DVD Review Rating – 3 Stars
We give the Spins and Turns with Marguerite DVD a 3-star rating because there are other better instructional videos on how to learn how to do bely dance turns. You’d be better off with as it is a more recent video that teaches more turns. Also, the warm up is a very simple stretch sequence. You can find more focused stretches and yoga for dancers on other instructional videos. However, Marguerite is wonderful to watch perform live. She has fantastic stage presence, and her whirling and sword work are top notch.
Teaches warm up stretches, basic turns, turning technique, arm techniques while turning, level changes while turning, specialized turns, and preparing for performances on various surfaces.
DVD Preview on YouTube
The following is a short preview uploaded to YouTube by the publisher.