Customer Reviews

Ballet Boot Camp

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been doing Taebo on and off since 1999, so I am what you would consider "fit". However, I didn't like what Taebo was doing to my body - i.e. making me look like Billy Blanks....so I switched to ballet, hoping it would sculpt me to look like a woman. Well! Oddly enough, I had just bought about 4 belts when I started the ballet. Within 3 weeks, all of the belts were WAY too big, and I was suddenly able to get into pants that I haven't gotten into in years. Furthermore, my extremely stubborn little belly has virtually melted away, and my arms are getting very firm. Ballet rocks! And, of the 4 videos I bought (including both NYC Ballet videos), this one is my favorite. I like the music, which changes a lot depending on the exercise (some of it is cheery, up-tempo, and some is slower, quieter). The instruction is good, but I did ballet as a child, so a lot of it comes back to me. My mom, who has never done ballet, had a hard time following the instruction the first time. If you dance with someone else, have the person who knows what they're doing stand in front of the other person. It's easier to watch a live person do the exercises than try to follow the video, if you're an absolute beginner. All in all, a wonderful workout. Highly recommended.

I did ballet for the last 4 years before coming to college. I missed ballet and was looking for something that would help me keep up with it- and give me a workout as ballet does, from the comfort of my own room. I feel like this was made for those without any or much ballet experience. But at the same time, the way it is shot/edited at times makes it hard to follow. When a step is being demonstrated suddenly it goes to a black and white zoom on the instructor's upper body, when what you need to see is her feet! Furthermore I'm disappointed with the non-ballet muscle toning parts. It's nothing special, crunches and push up, which when I'm buying an excersive video I don't want the abdominal excersizes to be all crunches- I could come up with that on my own.
It's not awful, ther are things I like, but overall it's not as good as I was expecting.

This is the best ballet video class I've had,and I've owned just about all of them in a quest for a stay-at-home alternative to a $40 studio class.
It goes through routines the way you would in a classroom and Jessica goes through the technique like a real-live instructor does.
My beef with other videos is that they're structured more like a strength training work-out and fail to stress injury prevention which is boring, dangerous and doing ballet a disservice because it's such a fun and effective way of staying in shape.
I danced until I was 20, stopped for several years. This summer I got to a size 16 when I decided I wouldn't betray the sisterhood if I assessed a need to get in shape again. Since I dislike traditional exercise and I missed it I chose ballet for the job. I'm 4 sizes smaller after only 2.5 months. That means I went from an XL to a L-M before the season was over. I credit ballet boot camp with that. The awesome thing is that even when I skipped for a very busy week, the muscles kept getting leaner, a total incentive to get back on the wagon, plus it is really very fun.
I love this video so much I want to take it behind the bleachers and get it pregnant.

This is my favorite exercise video, for when I have the time. She focuses on fitness and strength for the floor exercises and the final dancing sequence, and spends most of her time working on exercises to train the muscles used in ballet. I have never been much of a dancer, but the music and structure of ballet classes always appeals to me and this video is perfect. Jessica leads a fairly large class of variously-shaped and -skilled students, so it is not intimidating but is very inspiring. I find it to be quite a challenge, with the high number of repetitions involved and then the dance routine at the end, but it is certainly do-able and extremely well taught. And if you ask me, I'd rather do a muscle-strengthening and cardio routine to Tchaikovsky music than to anything else!

I bought myself a few DVD's including the N.Y city ballet workout but this one was the only one that was challenging & yet very gentle. A real delight!!!
I have only 1 year of ballet experience & I'm over 35.
I like the instructor: She's very clear, simple, down to earth with a pleasant voice.Not the type of person that will get on your nerves while you're sweating & suffering.
The whole experience is very invigorating & relaxing.
No jerking or jumping around; Just what I needed & 3 weeks later (4 times a week), my inner thighs & bottom look much better!!
One flaw: The video editing + quality are not that great but I love what this workout did to my body so I'll give it 5 stars anyways!

This is a very well-produced, professional exercise video based on ballet moves, but it just didn't do much for me. I think that after all the aerobics and step aerobics I've done, I just couldn't retrain myself to learn dance steps, despite the excellent instruction. I felt that the toning moves were challenging and effective, but couldn't get a good cardio workout from the ballet.

This is the nearest I have come to finding anything that resembles a Ballet class. The exception is that the barre exercises are done on the floor, but following that is center work. Terrific video. Note do not expect to all ways get a cardio workout from Ballet unless you are in Swan Lake or a serious professional dancer.

It was like stepping into one of my old dance classes. I haven't had this much fun working out in years.

I really like the detailed instructions. The instructor has a warm but non-nonsense style that does not get annoying with repeated viewing. The glute work (turn in, turn out, lift and lower - you know what I am talking about!) and the center barre work offer variety and challenging workout. It is all in the technique - anyone who says they do not feel it or it is too easy is not doing it right. I used to do high impact aerobics thinking that was the ultimate in staying in shape, but the ballet/pilates/yoga combination workouts offer a better, more graceful way to do that. Also, I like how the production is not too slick and the people in the video appear to be everyday people and diverse - young, old, in great shape, in so-so shape. Onto Ballet Boot Camp 2.

I have never danced ballet and for the portions that are ballet, it is definitely difficult to follow the first time. I actually bought the Ballet Bootcamp 2 DVD, too, and I would recommend starting there if you've never danced ballet. While I could still probably set up a camera and sell the hilarious entertainment that is me trying to dance ballet, it overall is a good and fun workout. Much of it focuses on creating the strength and flexibility required for the ballet moves.

You can find many of those moves other places, but the soundrack is relaxing or invigorating and the fast pace never gets you bored. The two DVDs (1&2) are among my go-to workouts and never before have I worked out for an hour or more without realizing the time was passing!

The biggest con is the lack of demonstration/instruction, especially for absolute newbies. I suspect if you've ever had any ballet you can follow along much easier. But, even if you haven't there are far worse ways to work out. AND in the first week, I dropped 1 inch from my waist and 1 inch from my thighs! (And that's no small feat!)