.
Hi, I'm Veena.
And I'm Nina.
Belly dancing has allowed us to perform in film, television, theater, music videos, and
even the Academy Awards.
But with our hectic schedule, keeping the energy up is challenging.
We have found that belly dancing is an excellent way to build endurance.
This workout uses a variety of rhythms and tempos to raise your heart rate to the optimal
level for burning fat.
You won't believe how quickly you can lose weight, and your whole body will benefit from
this great cardio conditioning.
And you will enjoy the effort.
Let's start with stretching our neck to the side and side.
Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Now we start with warming up our ankles, rotating our ankles, circling, getting ready
for a great cardio workout.
Now switch.
And the other side.
Circle outward.
Now circle inward.
In and in.
Genie stretch.
We put one foot in front of the other and stretch the back leg, bending the forward
leg.
Keeping both heels down and arms in front.
Feel the stretch in the back of the calves.
Switch to arms above the head.
Stretch.
Breathe into those heels on the ground.
Now change the arms and rock back and forward.
Feel the expansion in your chest.
Switch sides.
Arms in front and straightening the back leg.
The leg in front is bent.
Really feel the stretch in your calves.
Keep your posture straight and your chin up.
And switch to temple arms.
Cross your arms and rock back and forward.
Gently back and forward.
Stretching those abs.
And stretch for the back.
Let's warm our knees.
Arms to the side and circle.
Bending those knees and circle.
Bending the knees up and warming up those hips.
Now the other direction.
Brush your foot up, in, down.
Up, in, down.
Lower the foot softly.
Other side.
Brush, down.
Let's warm up our legs.
Let's begin our cardio.
Knee up and up and up and up.
Back leg down, down, down, down.
Finger to forehead going up and up and up and up.
This is a movement in Egyptian folk dance.
Keep the flexibility in your ankles and knees.
Now let's increase our movement too.
Keep the knees soft and flexible.
Let's add a hop, hop, up, hop, up, hop, up.
You may want to hold on to a chair for balance.
Lie on your toes.
Let's add a hop.
Step, hop, step, hop, step, hop, step, hop.
If the movements become too strenuous, go at your own speed.
Change to front, middle, back, middle, front, middle, back, middle.
It's like skipping forward and back, forward and back.
It's a little bit of practice, but we can get it.
Arms up, forward and back and forward and back.
Put them above your heart.
Switch to the other side.
Lift your knees and up and up and up and up.
Forward a forehead.
Lift your knees and up and up and up and up.
Let's increase our cardio to forward, back, forward, back, forward, back, forward, back.
Let's add a hop.
Step, hop, step, hop, step, hop, step, hop.
Change to front, middle, back, middle, front, middle, back, middle.
Arms up, forward and back and forward and back.
Arms up, hop, hop to the side and side.
Cross your legs.
Cross your legs, front, front, front, front.
Switch to just one arm.
Skip, skip, skip.
Other arm, up, up, skip, up, up.
Let's slow it down just for a minute.
Arms to the side.
Twist, forward, twist.
Down, forward, down.
Up, up, up, up.
Forward, side, forward, side, forward.
Let's increase our cardio to jump.
Really using those ankles.
Remember, if this movement is too difficult, then bend your knees only.
Switch to arms and back of your ears.
Jump, jump, jump, jump.
Bend your toes.
Slow it down with just tapping your toes.
Down, down, down, down.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
This movement is great for the calves.
And increase your speed.
Arms out, increase the speed.
Arms to the side and keep going.
Twist, forward, twist, forward, twist.
Slow it down, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
Let's bring down the heart rate.
Take this time to breathe.
Now let's slow it way down.
Cross your foot front, side, front, side, step, front, side, step.
Let's add our sweeping arms.
Keep going.
This next dance movement stretches out those calves.
Forward and back, forward and back, keeping the supporting leg straight.
Switch sides.
Stretch forward and back, forward and back, forward and back, keeping the supporting leg straight.
Bend your knees and stretch the sides of your hips as you go one side to the other.
Keep breathing side to side.
Arms up, above and down.
Breathe and down.
Keep going.