First, I consider myself an intermediate exerciser, and a moderately capable dancer. My background includes ballet, tap, modern, flamenco and middle eastern. What I expected from these videos was a workout that used bellydance in a cardio workout. I didn't expect to learn a routine, to learn dance moves or how to bellydance. having said that, I was still disappointed in the tapes, especially fat burning. i wanted to like them, the production quality is high, with a nice set, and although the music is repetitive, it had a good beat and didn't bother me. Plus, the twins are really stunning, with attractive bodies that, though toned, and fairly thin, are not unattainable. However, i found the fairly disengaged voice over uninspiring and the routines boring and monotonous. In fat Burning, the workout is essentially all jumping from foot to foot. While these steps are used in bellydance and in middle eastern folk dances, they are also fairly generic cardio steps. The arm motions consist of holding arms out to the side or sticking your finger on your head. Its not creative, its not interesting. Its weird because the intensity, with its non-stop jumping is quite high, but the basic choreography is more suited for beginners. Its hard to imagine a beginner having the capacity for this tape and an advanced wanting to do the same step for almost half an hour. Slim Down is somewhat better. It has lower impact, more steps, some bellydance moves and more arm movements (though those movements are repeated over and over...) Though there are more moves in Slim Down, it is still repetitive since those moves are repeated and you go back to the genie bounce (a side to side step)after each. It is more accessible to beginners, but advanced exercisers will still probably find it too repetitive to hold their attention after a few run throughs.
In both of these videos, there are some questionable camera angles. Another reviewer said porno-ish, and while I think that is probably to strong, I would agree that they are inappropriate. In isn't that chest, torso or tight hip shots wouldn't be helpful in learning bellydance- they would be- if we were learning bellydance. But as other reviewers have pointed out (and I would agree), we aren't learning bellydance in these tapes, so the focus on these body parts when the workout focus is on footwork seems a bit questionable. Neither of the workouts are porno-ish, to use the reviewer's word, or even sexual. these are workouts you could feel comfortable doing in front of kids. Bellydance parties are usually family events, or great get togethers for women. So while the workouts are not at all sexy, sleazy, the camera angles are somewhat T&A oriented at times, and in this type of workout, those angles don't make sense.
As I said, i didn't expect to learn bellydance, but I did think these workouts would use bellydance to create a cardio workout. fat Burning is a cardio workout but the folkdance steps are generic and repetitive. It hardly feels like bellydance (or even folkdance for that matter). Slim Down uses a few bellydance steps, and it is cardio. It too is repetitive, and the bulk of the steps are pretty generic too, despite the few bellydance moves that are used.
Most bothersome is the total lack of instruction in either. There is no attention to form or safety, and with the jumping, bouncing and twisting moves, there should be some instruction on form and safety. these moves could be dangerous if done incorrectly.
While bellydance is a great dance and workout for women, uplifting, empowering, inspiring, there is none of those qualities in these workouts. they have repetitive, dull choreography, and a fairly detached voice over narration that seems fairly disengaged with the workout and the audience. Slim Down is somewhat more enjoyable, but for the money, most exercisers would be better off looking up their states on www.shira.net and checking out an instructor for a live bellydance class in their areas. Classes almost always provide some exercise value and you can really up the ante in your home practice to get a decent workout as you prepare your moves for class.

Instructor Comments:
It's hard, I think, to comment on voice over instruction. I really don't care for voice over at all. having said that, I think the tone and demeanor of the voice is fine, and the cueing is okay- not stellar, but not bad either. The larger problem is that there is no attention to form or instruction whatsoever in either of these workouts. The twins smile their way through these workouts, and seem pleasant enough.

linda