Bellydance with Finger Cymbals
Dance of the Serpent
Mesmera's Garden
Zambra Mesmera: GypsyBellyDance
How to Play Finger Cymbals
Afrika I & II

BELLYDANCE with FINGER CYMBALS

Zaghareet! July/August 2009

reviewed by Sharina

OK, you’ve put on your finger cymbals, managed a few triplets … but you’re rooted to the ground!!!  Now what do you do?  Let Mésmera help you get to that next level!

In her new DVD, Belly Dance with Finger Cymbals, Mésmera not only breaks down finger cymbal technique in an easy to follow manner, she gradually adds arm and hip movements, then combinations … and before we know it, we’re dancing with finger cymbals!  And once we’ve got the movements, she teaches us a choreography to use for practice or performance, all in one great DVD!!!

The DVD starts with a lovely performance by Mésmera in a restaurant.  This is a great beginning (so many DVDs only have a performance at the end) because after watching her effortless cymbal-playing, we want to do that too!  We then move into the basic instruction:

Tonality, Counting & Patterns:   Here’s where we get our basic finger cymbal instruction!  Mésmera demonstrates the different tones we can make with our cymbals (ring, flat or edge) and counts out different patterns for us (while the counts also appear on the screen).  As we work through the different patterns, we change the tones as well.

The videography here is very clear so we don’t miss a thing, and Mésmera even crosses her hands as she faces the camera, so that her right hand is on our right side.  By the time we’ve finished this first section, we’ve already gone through several count patterns done in flat, ring or edge, sometimes with all 3 different tones combined into 1 rhythm exercise.

Arms & Upperbody:  Here we go past just playing finger cymbals!  Mésmera gives us some arm movements to practice, breaking down the count along with the movements.   We move on to shoulder shimmies, shoulder circles, rib lifts & drops, slides, rib cage circles, upper body camels, body waves, with clear instruction on where in each movement we should play our cymbals (and use of the different tones as well).

By this point, just by following along (and with Mésmera calling out the rhythm counts), we’re already gaining confidence on how to coordinate the movements of the cymbals with our upper body movements.  And the DVD chapters are very easy to navigate, so we can also repeat this section over and over until we feel comfortable with arm movements before we go onto the hipwork.

Steps & Hipwork:  We’re walking!  Mésmera demonstrates “when” to take a step while we’re playing our cymbals.  We then move on to hip drops, side-to-side hips, camel walk, hip twist, shimmies, pelvic circle, figure 8s, hip rotation,  pelvic rock, plus combinations of these steps.  By the time we’ve finished this section, we’ve really had a lot of practice playing our cymbals with the movements.  And there’s an extra benefit here for more beginning dancers to see how Mésmera combines steps into interesting combinations!

Travels & Turns:  This section includes live drummers, which is a really nice touch to the DVD!  Here we learn different traveling combinations and turns, and then how to add in the finger cymbals.

Choreography:  Learning a choreography is a nice reward for our hard work, and offers a fun opportunity for more practice!  Mésmera demonstrates the choreography (calling out the cymbal patterns for us) and then performs it with the live drummers.  As in the rest of this DVD, she doesn’t break down the dance movements, only the finger cymbal patterns, so a dancer using this DVD would have to at least have basic knowledge of movement.

And for those who are more advanced and ready to move on, the next two sections (Chiftitelli Combinations and Advanced Combinations) are for you!  That’s why this DVD would appeal to a wide range of dancers, depending on your particular skill level.

The DVD ends with another inspiring performance. 

Mésmera is completely comfortable in front of a camera, gives very clear instruction, and the logical progressions of her instruction make us feel very confident as we move from step to step. 

The DVD was filmed at Dar Maghreb Restaurant in Hollywood, CA so we’re treated to a lavish setting for the instruction.  Mésmera changes costumes in different segments of the DVD but her movements are always clear and easy to see.

This DVD would be a great addition to any dancer’s library since we’re not just learning how to play the cymbals (although Mésmera does a great job of breaking down that technique), we’re learning to MOVE with the cymbals.  A beginning dancer with a basic movement vocabulary could easily follow along and a more intermediate/advanced dancer would gain insight on how to use more intricate cymbal patterns in different combinations.

I just received your bellydance DVD, Mesmera's Garden.
I have watched many bellydance DVDs and yours is now my favorite. I have been
looking for something like this for a long time. I was so happy with what you had
to show the world. Keep up the good work, and if this is not Mesmera, please
pass on the message that I love her DVD.

Hi Mesmera!!

Just this morning I recieved the instructional Gypsy video I ordered. I was simply struct by it's content. I have just recently decided to learn gypsy style bellydance. I have seen some performances and became interested mostly because I love to spin and there was a lot of spinning. But never had I seen so much passion and emotion. I also love the technique you use for teaching. Most teachers teach very mechanical, step by step, but you teach the ENTIRE movements, the attitude, the emotion. You show the student/dancer how powerful their movements can be and how to express it. I think that is the hardest part for students is being told to smile, make it your own, and struggling to know what that means. You show them that. Trust me when I say this is not a video that will sit and collect dust. I just recieved it this morning and have gone through it 3 times already today. Loads of thanks!!!! -D.

Hi, Kristen !

It's all been worth it to have a DVD of Mez in Africa, instead of
the tape. Now I can instantly go to her dancing with the stampeding
herd of wildebeests in the background, and her silhouette against the
setting sun and clouds, and feel one with Nature.

Mesmera is consciousness-expanding. ! :-)

I bet you feel lucky to work for her.
-J.

Hello, Mesmera.

It was just terrific working with you on Saturday at the Hughes-Fasheh Wedding. You were both an excellent entertainer as well as a true professional. I have already referred you to my favorite talent agent but I will certainly keep your contact information if I know of someone who needs a belly dancer.

It is rare that I can recommend someone with absolute confidence in both their skills at entertaining an audience and being a business professional.

All the very best and I hope to work with you again soon.

Tony Barthel - Sounds Like Fun Multimedia DJ Service

As always, I feel the true gift is finding your wonderful dance class and all of the lovely ladies that attend with me. It has opened a level of creativity and self-expression for me that I would not have missed for anything. I have always had an interesting life, yet after attending your class for almost three years now I realize that I most certainly arrived at your doorstep "more dead than alive". To have that missing life force return to me, especially as I am about to enter my 50s, is such an unexpected blessing and I am TRULY grateful. So you see it is easy for me to be gracious with ALL you have done for me - and for your many other students.

See you in class!
-S.