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Best Instruction Dvds?
I've heard mixed reviews on the Felix Cane dvds. I've heard Jenyne Butterfly has some out. I've heard others have some out. Sounds like there are plenty to choose from.
What choice should I make? Help?
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27 Replies
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Have you considered the lessons here, you can try them free for 3 days by entering the code GET3FREE in the promo code box on your account page. Dollar for dollar you'll get more instruction from Veena than you will from any DVD set.
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you should really try the studio veena lessons, they are complete like i ve never seen anywhere else before. Sure pole stars dvd are fun and entertaining but sometime they do not cover everything like the veena s lessons. They are quite expensive compare to SV too. Try it, you ll be addicted
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I'm going to pipe in too and say that I love using the Veena lessons. Besides what was already said, I find it's nice to have someone available if you need clarification on any moves. Definitely worth the money!
That being said, I do have The Art Of Pole (Jamilla Deville) DVDs and they are really good. I haven't seen Felix's DVDs and I believe that Alethea Austin's are more for specific areas (stretching, splits, floorwork, etc).
what is it that you want to learn and that might narrow down the options?
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I have the felix cane DVDs. IMHO, they're terrible. I feel like pole comes so naturally to her that she does not know how to break moves down and explain them clearly. It's more of a demonstration of her signature moves with a little bit of tips and tricks on how to perfect it. She's a beautiful dancer and I use the videos more as a "dictionary" than a tutorial. Her flexibility DVD is very helpful though. I was unaware that Jenyne has dvds. Jamilla's Art of Pole is pretty good. She is better at bringing you through moves step-by-step in a safe manner. Pole and Aerial online has some good videos and some bad ones depending on who is the instructor in the video (Jenyne does do some of those and she's EXCELLENT) Pole and aerial has some more advanced moves than Veena. That being said, Veena is still the best resource for most pole moves.
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I’ve never used any DVDs, but I second the recommendation for Veena’s lessons. I used to attend a studio and sadly had to give it up. This website is really the best of both worlds. You can pause, rewind, and replay lessons to your heart’s content, but you still have the opportunity to ask questions to the instructor. I have never had to wait longer than a day for Veena to respond to a lesson-related question. Try getting that kind of service from a pole celeb. I’m sure they are awesome teachers in person, but Veena is a great long distance teacher!
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Definitely have to suggest Veena's lessons. I don't catch on to pole moves very easily. Veena brakes each move down very well, goes slow so you can see what she is doing, and gives you the points of contact for each move(which parts should be on the pole to hold you). When I first bought my pole I got a DVD. I got frustrated and gave up. I am glad I did because I was not ready for the moves I was trying and could have really injured myself. I like Veena's progression from beginning to intermediate to advanced.
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Oh, and for Christmas I did get Alethea Austin DVD four pack. It was beautiful to watch, but for me, the instructions were not detailed enough. For the same price I got a year of Studio Veena lessons. Much better bargain.
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Jamilla Deville's DVDs in my opinion, are very well done. They are flow in a very stepwise and logical pattern. They are pretty much manufactured for beginner students. There are 5 DVDs and she teaches advanced moves like aerial inverts, Ayesha, and shoulder mount and that's about all. No crazy tricks. Which is good because it gives a solid base for your pole dancing practice. She breaks things down easily and gives you time to practice during the DVD.
I also have Alethea Austin's DVD sets. I can't say that I care for them. They are very well made and glitzy but she cannot break down moves into understandable pieces. So it becomes an hour of you watching her do awesome stuff and then feeling kind of lost.
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I also have Jamilla DVDs & AA DVDs. But I use them more as a visual reference than instructional DVDs though. Neither really break down the moves that well & IMO move too quickly.
I too think SV lessons are better than any instructional DVD I have brought or tried. Veena just has a great way of breaking down moves, showing you points of contact & shows you different ways to get in & out of moves, which I love. I highly recommend Veena’s lessons 🙂
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Thanks everyone for the valuable input!
I meant Jemilla, not Jenyne, sorry about that!
I'll definitely be getting Veena's lessons. I appreciate you all!
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I have Jamilla's set of 5 DVD's, and I think they're very good. (I've also had a private with her – she focuses on gradual progress and perfecting a move before you go on to something more difficult). I also have Alethea's 2 stretching DVDs. I have been told that some of the stretching techniques she uses are not recommended. (The "ballistic" ones I think – but I'm happy to be corrected!) I have a few other DVDs as well. I find DVDs to be a convenient resource. I live in Australia, so downloading lessons can be expensive and slow 🙁
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@Hazi411 – I've read the same thing, that the ballistic stretches are not good for you. However people have said that Alethea's DVDs have helped them get into the splits, so I just skip that part when I am following them.
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(Regarding Aletheas DVDs) – Are the ballistic stretches the ones where you kick your leg as high up in the air as you can? When I have done that move of hers, I have hurt my back so bad that I have to be off pole (and all other forms of excercise) for about 2 weeks. (I've done that 3 different times – I won't do those moves anymore!) If those are not the ballistic stretches, can you tell me which ones are? I don't want to do anything more that would be bad!
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Ballistic stretches are those in which you bounce in them–back in the day we used to have to do these in gym class 😉
They are now considered an unsafe way to stretch. Static stretching or controlled dynamic stretching seem to be the preferred way to become more flexible (and remember to hold a stretch at least 30-60 seconds for it to be effective).
Hope that helps
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Yes, that does help. Thank you so much!
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What is the "correct" way to kick your leg as high as you can? I try to ensure that my back is straight when I do this, and my supporting leg with my foot flat on the floor. I have seen others who stand on tiptoe with their supporting leg, and some who curve their back and kind of hunch their shoulders when doing this.
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To protect your back I'd strongly recommend not kicking with full force. Rather, do gentle kicks and keep increasing the height as your muscles warm up and loosen up. Also, I'd strongly recommend learning to pull in your abs (to engage the transverse abdominis) to protect your low back. Think along the lines of sucking in your stomach like you're trying to look thin in a bikini, *without* holding your breath. It takes a lot of practice, but it can become second nature the more you work on it. Bonus is that your abs will be a lot stronger as a result.
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Thanks Poledreamer 🙂 What you describe is pretty much what I do. I took up Pilates a few months ago, and as a result am more conscious of my posture and engaging my abs. It makes a difference to the way I walk up steps as well 😉 I think the "hunched over" look doesn't look pretty 😉
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I have Felix canes videos…don't bother.
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Pegasusaerialfitness – What don't you like about them?
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They are extremely over priced for the limited info on them. They r not broken down so someone could learn the moves very well. It a Felix cane showcase. I love her. I certified through the program she is affiliated with. If you have unlimited money, then go for it. They r not of professional quality…hmmm they allowed people to order them before they were finished. It took three months for me to get the videos. There are other reasons I choose not to list about not wanting to give that company anymore money also…
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I can admit it.. I have probably 12 DVDs.. and only watched maybe half of them. I have had V's lessons for almost 2 full years and still use them more than my dvds. Really the best option in my opinion.
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It really depends on what you are looking for. The instructions here are much better than a DVD and being added to constantly. To my knowledge there are no DVD's in existence that teaches pro level moves like the fonji, etc. So for basic to advanced your best bet for the money is SV lessons.
If you are looking for small nuances or style I would check out both Jamilla's AOP and Bobbi's DVD's – they both teach some signature tricks which I love!
AA's stretching DVD's are great – I use them off and on when I have time. You have to do at least part of the stretch in your pole room which isn't always convenient for me but the stretches are very good.
I have an old school Fawnia DVD – Pole Work and Fire – which has some really cool stuff in it by Kelly Kane which I enjoyed. The rest of it would be considered intermediate by todays standard though. It's still nice for variations.
If you just want to LEARN pole moves/dancing – this is the place to be 🙂 If you're interested in a certain performers style – check to see if they have DVD's or even better Skype – many of our favorite pole stars do skype lessons. DVD's can be good for getting inside of a performers signature moves, way of expressing themselves etc, but with SV you do get off the pole support.
When it comes to DVD's remember everyone has a different body, different methods work better and safer for some people more than others. You are purchasing one persons method – so sometimes you have to take what you love and leave the rest. 🙂
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@Charley, I think I have seen that Fawnia DVD. It was really interesting to me, esp. the fire part. I kept wondering what was up with the fire spinning on a pole dvd!!
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Does anyone have Cleo's dvd? Is it good? Are there any US vendors that sell it or do you have to get it shipped from Australia? My birthday's coming up and I was thinking about asking for it.
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