Customer Reviews

Cal Pozo's Learn to Dance in Minutes - Salsa & Merengue

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I loved it! I learned to dance salsa and merengue with confidence. The lessons are each very short. If you are a fast learner, know a little already, and don't let the lady's shapely legs distract you you can whip through the DVD and be dancing in the clubs in an hour! The section for Merengue seems very short, but they packed a lot of steps in those lessons. Maybe they thought it was easier to pack it all up instead of breaking them into more sections. Here are the lessons covered in this DVD: * Intro: Salsa & Merengue * Latin Dance Basic Elements * Cuban Hip Motion * Dance Position * Salsa Steps - Basic Salsa Step Lesson: Male, Female - Salsa Quarter-Turn Lesson: Male, Female - Hip to Hip Lesson: Male, Female - Hip to Hip Combo * Salsa's Mambo - Basic Mambo Step Lesson: Male, Female - Underarm-Turn Step Lesson: Male, Female - Crossover Lesson: Male, Female - Crossover Combo * Macarena * Merengue - Basic Merengue Step Lesson: Male, Female - Merengue Turns Lesson * Credits * Promotional

This video is the most basic of the 56 Salsa/Mambo video's that I know of. It is a gentle introduction to Salsa,Mambo, Merengue. Best suited for people with no dance experience or two left feet. It is a good introduction to learning to dance from a video but if you are already going to classes you would learn these steps in your first class. I enjoyed this video.

this was the 2nd salsa "how to" dvd I purchased. The first one "the quick & dirty guide to salsa" was such a gem, I assumed I would have excellent luck once again with this dvd. The old "follow the footprints" is soooo dated. if you are serious about learning to salsa - this is NOT the one for you. this is the basic of all basics. If there was a rating option of zero,this video would win hands down. I threw it away - since I would feel guilty re-selling it to some poor salsa hyped sucker on amazon. really, it is that bad. i rolled the dice a 3rd time & got lucky with edie the "salsa freak" & al"liquid silver" espinoza. i know i am being a bit harsh - but I really do look at reviews when i'm not quite sure of what i'm buying. i appreciate the inside scoop, so i figure i will do the same.

Never buy any DVD by Cal Pozo. I've accidentally bought two, since Cal isn't on the cover and I hadn't noticed that he would be the one doing the instruction. By the way, the cover of the DVD looks like it's a lot more lively than it actually is.
This is extremely stiff, and you will not be impressing anyone with your moves. Honestly, this looked horrible and my entire family was laughing hysterically for the first ten minutes because we could not believe that anything could be so boring, stilted, and lame. After that we fell asleep. Please, save your money.

Even if free, this is not worth the time to enter the order, Unless you want to learn the Macarena (does anyone do that anymore?)

It shows just the basic steps, and that is it.

People who want to learn latin dance need to know the difference between social dancing at a club and ballroom dancing. These guys look geriatric if you compare them to the dancing you see at salsa clubs. The least they can do is find better or more sophisticated music instead of that elevator music drivel. The tape is useful, however, and very easy to follow. I think it is a great tape for beginners but if you want to dance they way they do at the salsa club you better find real latin music and a way to spice up those moves.

An instructional DVD that does not live up to it's hype. The amount of teaching done is very limited -- and basic -- if you wanted to learn to dance like them latino's do this is defineatly not the DVD for you.
I bought this DVD just out of curosity to find how they teach salsa in the states (i am an international style latin competitor from Asia).
So may be it is for you if you just want to say that you know salsa -- but if you wanna look good on the floor -- go for something from Josie or Angelo + Malaika.

To say that I was disappointed with this DVD would be an understatement. I purchased it because of "neallatino's" review...there are very few actual techniques covered on this DVD, and there is virtually NO advice about HOW the man should lead the woman. The basic steps are SO basic that the instruction is almost useless to all but folks who cannot dance at all. The animated footprints are not done in a way that makes sense...they are confusing and weird. I could have learned everything shown in the DVD in the first 20 minutes of a dance lesson in our local latin dance club. The cover also shows a young couple, including a hot Latina girl...giving the impression that they are the instructors...instead the instructors are two VERY ballroom people...the male instructor is so stiff...I had to stop looking at him and just focus on his partner, who is a much better dancer. I also bought the "Quick and Dirty Guide to Salsa, part 1" and was VERY pleased with it, and wish I hadn't wasted my money on Cal Pozo's DVD!

Cal presents an excellent teaching program for beginning salsa/merengue. Slow and easy to follow. He teaches Cuban motion, essential for these dances.

However, it is a "ballroom" style. To those of you who have seen "Dance with me" it is the Vanessa Williams style.
The style hispanic people dance in clubs is more like the Chayenne style. Moreover there are differing styles of Salsa.
Puerto Rican, Cuban, Colombian, New York, L.A., and so on.
After this beginning program you may want to take a lesson of the style poplular in your area. It will probably be the style people will dance in clubs.

A nicely done, easy to understand video which gives a beginner an excellent foundation and introduction to these dances. May not show all "World Class Moves" but certainly provides the foundation for those that wish to pursue the extremely enjoyable activity of Latin dancing further.