Customer Reviews

Dancefit Cardio - Latin and Retro Mix

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

 

 

I really enjoyed this workout. The set was very nice and the production quality was first rate. The Swing and the Disco were the most fun, I felt like was back in the 70's! I got a good workout but I think I'm pretty co-ordinated. Tracey is so much fun and as always motivating, I've worked out with her for years and it was nice to see her do dance. She cue's well and for the most part preety easy to follow. You may need some practice but once you get the routine it's good as she keeps taking it from the beginning.
The salsa was a good warm-up and the swing/disco got my heart rate up. If you like to dance you will love this video but if you're not too co-ordinated then you may get fustrated as it is not a beginners dance routine.
Perfect for all you dancers out there!!! Great job!!!

I started this DVD once and stopped it because the warm up seemed SOOOO slow. This weekend, I had some extra time, so gave it another try. While I may not burn as many calories as with, say, a Turbo Jam video, but it's a lot of fun and one I can see keeping in my rotation.

Menu: basic play/chapter choices & bonus partner dance
Presentation: Professional w/large stage in industrial w/moving graphic back screen w/four women in 20s in great shape as backup dancers.
Workout
Latin & Retro Mix Warm-up (7 min) - Cal Pozo w/the four women at first VERY slowly, then normal tempo of basic "break step" that is the basis of mambo, salsa, etc. Latin dance moves. He also does the salsa front/back, then side step, cha-cha, samba & triple step (used in swing.) Cal does move a bit too slow at first, but he instructs well.
Salsa Sizzle (10 min) - Tracey Mallet instructs w/four women immediately w/the salsa, etc. steps in tempo you just learned, she adds other cross steps, a couple hops, dancing in a circle w/moves you learned in the warm-up, figure 8s, clubby chest thrusts, a flamanco move, quick step knee shifts, a foot in front of foot side step that really tones the middle, a couple of others. She doesn't tell you the names of the moves, but she starts slow on new moves & is great at cuing & telling you how to move your body.
Swing & Hustle Mix (10 min) - Tracey w/the four women a wide triple step (east coast), fwd/back jumps, fwd fast tiny step fwd w/emphasis on hips, several modified Charleston moves, mostly done at a slower tempo.
Retro & Disco Mix (10 min) - Mostly disco/early 80s. Tracey w/the ladies again, cross arms, cross back or hell fwd feet, quick triple steps w/rolling hands, turn/clap, pointing down/up w/body lean, hip bumps w/arms up, Funky Chicken (kick fwd, knees out, kick fwd, slide, repeat), "Pocket Hips" a hip only Macarena w/shoulder roll, Saturday Night Fever pointing & hips, 3 small hops w/wide straight legs & single shoulder roll. These moves can be very silly, but Tracey has so much fun even though moves are old, daring you to not worry about how cool you look & just have fun like a kid & relax.
Rumba/Cool Down (5 min) - Tracey alone, figure 8s, single hip rolls, standing arm stretches, standing spinal stretches, calf & hamstring stretches.

Bonus Swing Dance w/Partner 101 (5 min) - Cal Pozo & partner teaching the basic steps, underarm turn, how hands are held.

This was a lot of fun I think because of Tracey, she really had fun, is a good instructor & she helped the backup women to let go as well & just have fun. I wish they would have said what the names of each step was or explained what part of it or that is was modified in tempo or style. This is great for those who don't work out regurally, or new to dance workouts, or others who are for light days. This is a much faster & more movement then DanceFit Cardio Salsa Sizzle after the warm-up, but still easy for many to do.

Loved this fun workout. Don't be fooled by the slow warm-up there are three 10 minute workouts that will get you in shape while you have fun at the same time. I loved the disco which got a sweat going. Tracey Mallett is such a breath of fresh air, she is a great instructor with a lot of personality but not over the top. I found this workout energizing and most of all FUN. Worth a purchase!!

Skip the (extremely slow, boring, and misleading) warm-up and start with the salsa segment. Seriously, the salsa's relatively slow so that makes a good warm-up on its own. Once you get to the dance combinations, this DVD's really entertaining and easy to follow. Definitely not for exercise beginners but for those of you who enjoy cardio-dance, you'll get a lot out of this one.

Completely forget the warm-up way tooooo ssslllooowww! And the girl is so annoying! Music is boring doesn't make you wanna get up an boogie at all!! Her voice is so distracting and annoying!! Steps are lame...I wish I had not spent my money on this so called work-out video. Will stick to my turbo jam!! Beware...DO NOT BUY!!!!

Worth the adding to your Dance Library if you are truly a student. But if you are simply lookin for a good workout, this is not for most. Reason being, it takes so long to learn the moves, that much time is based on that (in slow motion).

The Dancefit series was created by Cal Pozo as a series of workout DVDs. Cal is responsible for choreographing the "Dancing with the Stars" workouts, "The Biggest Loser Workout I, II, and III", and some Denise Austin workouts. In this DVD he co-choreographed with the help of Tracey Mallet, the main instructor in this workout. This workout video was divided into 6 parts:

Warm-Up-7 minutes-Cal Pozo leads this very slow warm-up. In it, he teaches rock steps, break steps, triple steps, and a few samba steps. It really works out your hips, but it doesn't get your heart rate up that high.

Salsa Sizzle-10 minutes-Tracey takes over as instructor and basically speeds up the moves Cal taught you in the warm-up. She also adds some other moves and makes this a great cardio workout with a lot of twisting and a jump step or two. Tracey isn't that great at cuing, so be ready to just go when she starts. In the background, you see a drummer who plays the entire time. This routine consists mostly of Salsa, Mambo, Merengue, and Samba steps. It is really fun, as well.

Swing and Hustle Mix-10 minutes-Tracey starts off this segment with the triple step that Cal taught you earlier; she then continues on teaching you new steps. Get ready to get your heart rate up as this routine has quite a bit of kicking in it. There are a lot of moves that Tracey doesn't break down in this segment, though, and at one point she just adds a step that she hadn't even warned you was coming up! Otherwise, this is a great cardio routine!

Retro and Disco Mix-10 minutes-This is my personal favorite of all the routines. Tracey leads in some fun moves that are relatively simple to do. She doesn't explain well in this routine either, but the moves really are simple enough! In the background of this routine there is a motorcycle. I'm not sure why, but it was a nice touch. A little random, though.

Rumba Cool Down-3 minutes-I didn't detect any rumba moves in this cool down. It was mostly salsa steps at a slow tempo and stretching for the back and legs. A nice cool down, but it shouldn't have been called rumba.

Bonus Swing Lesson-5 minutes-Cal Pozo and a woman show you 3-4 basic swing steps that they break down and teach rather well. At the end, they put it to music. It's not enough moves to take to the clubs, but it is a nice addition to the DVD.

Overall, this DVD is a great addition to an Intermediate or Advanced exerciser's library of workout DVDs provided that he/she likes to dance. The back of the DVD case says that this DVD lasts 55 minutes, but if you add every thing together, it only adds up to 45 minutes. You don't need a partner except for the bonus lesson. Other than the bad explanations, the bad cuing, and the misleading case, this is a great, fun dance workout DVD!

If you're an average person who likes to 'dance' instead of do aerobics, this is a good workout. It's not complicated, but it's a good pace and you'll sweat but not sweat over the steps. It's pretty cute and works you hard, but it's not cool - if you know what I mean. I'm glad I bought it. When I want to throw something in and just work out hard and not worry about my feet, this is the one. Upbeat and positive. Good job. Warning the start is a slow warm up with an older male choreographer that clearly is a great latin dancer, but the three main workouts are done by an Aussie (I think?) blonde who also led the Official Dirty Dancing Workout. She's a cute instructor.

This DVD is too commercial; it lacks real fun and enthusiasm and the "music" does not make you feel like getting up to dance.
Too 1,2,3 1,2,3 not lively enough. Sorry....