Customer Rating:  
Summary: Satisfied
Comment: Growing up I was a ballerina and quit when I got married. When I saw this video I was excited because I have just had my first child and need a good workout video to tighten up. The lessons get your heart going but are not very aerobic. I love this video for the floor workout, especially the ab routine. I have not learned the combination at the end of the video yet, but it does look like it would really get you to sweat!(lots of jumping)
Customer Rating:
Summary: Ballet workout perfect for anyone
Comment: I'm a 27 yr. old male, and not a professional dancer. I have taken no classes. I enjoy ballet and figured this DVD would be a good way to get some exercise while learning more about an art that I love. NYC Ballet Workout 2 is the volume I prefer. I have both 1 and 2 and 2 gives much better instruction and pushes you along more effectively. You can sweat as little or as much as you like, I've found. Sometimes it's hard to get over the dancers' ability while you struggle to keep up, but once you get over that you're in for a demanding but rewarding workout. The very first time you do this workout you will be frustrated. I promise that you will improve steadily each time you perform the workout.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Relaxing Ballet Workout
Comment: With frequent pacing changes, you are working out slow one minute and fast the next. The rapid movements get your heart beating faster, but the graceful flowing movements make you feel more relaxed.
The narration made me feel very relaxed, so the entire first two-thirds of the second workout seemed more relaxing and centering than invigorating. The exercises begin with a warm-up and progress to dance steps, floor exercises for the abs, legs and arms. During the exercises you do have to count for yourself and there are bonus exercises later in the program that you can add in to your own routine.
While I found it much easier to follow the first DVD, the second DVD has much more complex moves and you need a much higher degree of intense concentration and precise balance to enjoy the exercises. Having some split-sole sneakers might help with the jumping, but you can do most of the workout in bare feet or with ballet slippers.
The booklet in the second DVD shows more of the exercises and has a glossary for Turnout, Demi Plié, Grand Plié, Releve, Tendu, Dégagé, Passé, Fondu, Grand Battement, Changement de pieds, Pas de Basque and Piqué Arabesque. On the DVD, all of these are shown in detail in a section in the special features.
After trying the workout a few times, you may also want to personalize it and there is a way to select specific exercises and then play them all at once for your own personalized routine. The sections you can choose from include:
Upper Body
Lower Body
Comgined Movement
Stretches
Abdominal Strengthening
Floor Barre Supine
Floor Barre Side Lying
Floor Barre Prone
Plié & Tendu
Dégagé
Passé & Fondu
Grand Battement & Little Jumps
Reverence
An inspirational "Born to Dance" segment features all the dancers in their daily life and there is also a behind-the-scenes bonus feature as well as a number of promos for fitness studios in New York. What do dancers do after exercising? The first DVD gives a more detailed look into the dancers' lives, but this DVD has a combined section that briefly explores the dancers' interests when not dancing. Overall, the second workout is more complex and progresses into real dance steps so you can feel like a real dancer.
~The Rebecca Review
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good for dancers and non-dancers alike
Comment: This workout DVD is laid out in very good segments that you can mix on your own. The degree of difficulty in the movements is not overwhelming for people like me who have always wanted to be ballet dancers but never could. This is a challenging, but not impossibly complex, workout that will stretch you, strengthen you, and make you feel more graceful and balanced. Some of the combination movements are more suited to experienced dancers, but fun to try nonetheless. I would definitely recommend this DVD.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for former dancers
Comment: This is a great product for former dancers who don't or can't do regular classes anymore. Might not be the best for beginners as proper ballet terms are used but the exercises are great for easing back into dance and keeping in shape.
|
