Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: November 30, 2010
• Run Time: 50 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0042FDCK4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,040 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

On ABC’s "Dancing with the Stars," contestants shed pounds and trim inches, and now you can too! Follow along with the gorgeously fit pro dancers Chelsie, Edyta and Kym, and you will Tango, Paso, and Rock your way to sexy dancer’s curves. Learn how to dance like a star while tightening the belly, sculpting the waistline, and lifting those buns. Each workout includes easy-to-follow steps that gradually develop into complete, body-sculpting routines.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was surprised out how good this was!, December 6, 2010

By 

JJ - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dancing With the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs (DVD)

Having done every DVD in the "Dancing with the Stars" (DWTS) workout series of DVDs and not being too impressed with the last toning-focused DVD, I was very surprised when I popped this one into the DVD player and found out that I got a great cardio workout, felt my legs tone up, AND had fun all at the same time in this DVD.

"Ballroom Buns and Abs" is divided into four sections: Rock, Paso Doble, Argentine Tango, and the Cooldown. Here is what I thought of all the routines seperately:

Rock'n Abs - Led by Edyta Sliwinska this routine is largely composed of Jive moves with a few other styles of moves mixed in. Edyta, who is upbeat and encouraging the whole time, teaches very well by slowing down the moves to half tempo and doing them with the viewer several times slowly before moving onto tempo and then the next step. The first 5 minute section is spent teaching you combo 1, and the second 5 minute section teaches you the first part of combo 2. Then the third 5 minutes finishes combo 2 and puts both combos together for a high cardio routine that you do a few times through. Although the moves are taught slowly, you will still get a cardio workout because the moves are really fast and high-impact with kicking, triple-stepping, and twisting included in them (very reminiscent of the moves in Jive sections of the previous DWTS DVDs). These moves are designed to work the abs, but I mostly felt this workout in my calves even though the twisting worked my abs a bit, too.

Paso Doble - Next up is the Paso Doble with Chelsea Hightower. The majority of the moves are traditional Paso Doble and Flamenco moves taught with leg-toning in mind. Chelsea is just as chirpy (without being over the top) as Edyta is, but she has a different teaching style. Instead of slowing down one move to teach at a time, she will slow down the whole combo to teach. At the end of learning all of the combos, they are all put together for a full routine that you do three times through. This actually doesn't bring down the cardio too much, for most of the moves (like the moves in the previous section) are high impact to keep the heart pumping. There are lunging moves, kicks, and cape moves (no cape required), and some of the moves are quite difficult to pull off, especially since no modifications are offered. Ultimately, I felt this routine mostly in my thighs and on my quads.

Argentine Tango - In this Argentine Tango routine, there are no real cardio moves in it, but it still manages to work the legs very well. When Kym Johnson, the instructor of this routine, announced that the chair you use as a prop during the routine was the "man" of the routine, I was afraid this was going to be a very feminine section, but it really wasn't. I used the chair as my "woman" and really enjoyed all of the moves that Kym taught; the chair actually made the routine more fun, making it seem like I was dancing a real routine, instead of exercising. Kym teaches one move at a time, and at the end she puts them all together to do one time. Kym is probably the cheesiest of all three of the instructors, but you will really overlook that as you work your body doing the flicks and lunges of this routine; I mostly felt these moves on my abs and buns.

Cooldown - Finally, all three of the girls get together (with the four background dancers that had been present in all the routines) in order to do some stretching and cooling down of your body. There are some stretches for the abs, calves, quads, chest and hips; and I really felt like they did a sufficient job of stretching my body out.

Overall, this is an amazing workout with 2 cardio/toning sections and 1 section dedicated to just toning. I really felt my legs and abs work in this workout, and I also had a great time, making this DVD 5 stars in my book.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Tango, Paso & Rock your way to sexy dancer's curves?, February 22, 2011

By 

Chichi Kix - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dancing With the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs (DVD)

The DVD: Dancing With the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs

The PROMISE: Tango, Paso & Rock your way to sexy dancer's curves.

If you watch Dancing With The Stars (or So You Think You Can Dance), there's no denying that the lady dancers have, well, insano-bods. I mean seriously. LOOK at them! No wonder their outfits are so, barely there. Hell, if I were them, I'd be naked all the time!

Aside from wanting to live in their abs, I also wanted to learn how to move the way they do. I've been on a bit of a dance kick lately, so I was really excited to try this workout. Like most new dance workouts, I did this one twice before writing this review. And while my dreams of being ballroom dancing superstar are perhaps a little unrealistic at this point (lol, who am I kidding!), I might still be able to get a ballroom bum bum. Bring on the Tango!

The RUNDOWN:

* Running Time: 60 minutes total, broken up into 3 sections.
* # of Workouts: 1-3
* Equipment Needed: A chair for the Argentine Tango & a mirror will help.
* Trainers: Chelsie Hightower, Edyta Silwinska, Kim Johnson
* Bonus Features: Ability to customize your workout & a music only option (YAY!)
* Approx. Cost? $10 - $15 on Amazon.com

Music: Instrumental ballroom, matched to the style of dance. Very much in the background.

Style: Choreographed cardio & dance, with a focus on sculpting & repetition.

Difficulty: Intermediate. Moves are fast at times and not always well explained. Unless you're a dancer, expect a few run-throughs before you feel confident.

Best Suited For: Dancey peeps or those not afraid of a challenge.

The Morning After: Really felt some soreness in my tush & thighs. It wasn't terrible, but noticeable. Soreness will depend on your intensity & length of the workout.

The Workout

Dancing With the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs is a dance workout with a focus on toning your middle & lower body through classic ballroom moves (Tango, Paso Doble & Rock). There are 3 distinct sections that start by teaching you the basics of each dance routine, no partner required (the Argentine Tango substitutes a chair for a partner). You will build intensity & speed as you learn the routine, and there's no shame in doing the same section 2-3 times before you get it (you'll still get an intense workout).

The workout is challenging, will get your heart-rate up & tone you all over (in some surprising ways!). I liked the swivel steps in the Rock portion a lot, and some moves were a lot of fun to do, even when I felt like I couldn't keep up with the tempo or instructions.


HOW TO USE IT: In rotation with other workouts. It's a lot of lower body, a lot of cardio & a lot of coordination. Use it as cardio until you get used to the moves (the better you do them, the more toning benefits you'll get). Bonus? Add wrist weights for intensity and to get more out of the core elements.


HIGH FIVE FOR: Three completely different & challenging routines with a unique ballroom twist. They really focus on real dancing!


CAUTIONS & CONCERNS if... you've got lower body or joint issues. There's a lot of twisting & jumping about. If you're prone to lower back issues, feel free to take it easier in some sections. Push yourself but don't kill yourself. Protect your body. Also, because of the difficulty of some moves & the pace, those who are easily frustrated may have a tough time, especially if you're not naturally dance-y. Take it on as a challenge, it gets easier the 2nd & 3rd time around.


WINS

The dances were fun and the moves were challenging. I really felt like I got an intense lower body workout and learned a few new moves I could take to the dance floor (whether or not I should is a different story). I LOVED using the chair for the tango. I felt like a sexy, latin dancer with a bit of a stripper feel. Some moves I picked up right away and others took a little work. I like workouts with a learning curve (helps with boredom and it feels AMAZING when you "get" it later). The production value was good and I adore the option to have music only! (should be mandatory for all DVD's! Once I learn the moves, I wanna just have fun with it!)


FAILS

For one thing, there was no warm up or pre-workout stretch. Considering the kind of moves you start with, I was kinda surprised. The second time around, I did my own warm-up before starting and I found it easier to jump right in to the choreography.

I would have liked a slower tutorial for some of the moves, especially for the Rock section. I was LOST on some of the moves, or couldn't do them at tempo right away. The instructions and cueing are lacking & inadequate for beginners or those who really need the instruction. I found myself having to adjust often & rewind to observe the moves. Edyta was the hardest to follow, likely because of language barriers (sorry! It's true!). The second time around was much easier, the third was even easier and so forth.


MY VERDICT

I liked this workout, but it took me a few tries to felt confident. Despite problems with the instruction & cueing, I still picked up most of the moves by the second time around. My roommate (who is NOT dance-y) liked the workout, but found it frustrating to keep up with the fast pace of the workout. Not sure that she'd do it again (at least not without some nudging from me). I would have liked more modifications but overall, it was still fun & energizing.

If you're like me, you like a challenge. While it's not as intense as a bootcamp, per se, it's still a good workout that got me going.

Overall Grade: B-
Find me on Twitter @fitvillains

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just for the stars?, January 3, 2011

By 

Hippie Chick - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dancing With the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs (DVD)

When I first bought this dvd, I tried the Paso Doble combination, and after stumbling through the first 5 minutes, stubbing my toe on everything in my path (and on the ground itself) and catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I laughed and gave it up for lost. But later on when I was more motivated and energized I picked it back up and kept trying. And it turned out to be a lot of fun! Challenging, but very rewarding. This is definitely not a workout video that's very easy to do the first time around, but if you have some rhythm and some will power, you can shape up, and get your heart pumping. (And maybe learn a few very sexy dance steps to go with those abs in the process *wink*)