Customer Reviews

Introduction to Ballroom Dancing [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't know what a previous reviewer was complaing about when he said that the students in the video and the material covered were not very advanced. Attention: This is a BEGINNERS level video!! My wife and I were unfamiliar with all the types of ballroom dancing covered in this video, until now! Margot Schultz teaches all the basics of the different dances (Waltz, Rumba, Cha-Cha, etc.) with great enthusiasm. She leads you step by step through the basic moves, lets you practice and then moves on to slightly more advanced steps. And she's careful to point out the mans and woman's steps. Although we are quite far from competing in any type of competition, this video will give you confidence to perform these dances at your next party without fear of embarrassment.

The tape is 68 minutes long. It teaches the most rudimentary steps of each of the 5 noted dances in about 12 to 15 minutes per dance. The production values are excellent. The steps are clear and you have several couples to watch for clarification. It has limitations, which do not detract from its value. (1) It is only an intro. You and your partner are probably going to want additional routines. (2) You will want to purchase some music to practice (and dance) to after listening to, e.g., Fiddler on the Roof ten times. I found Columbia Ballroom CDs helpful here. Moreover, one of the challenges to new dancers--I am one--is to figure out what kind of dance fits what music. Speed and beats do differ.

In sum, this is a very good video for learning enough steps to get you out onto the dance floor and start learning.

Margo Scholz taught my gal and me the basic steps of Cha Cha, Rumba, Bolero and many other exciting dances. She displays the steps with a kindly explanation of every move she is teaching. She comes across as such a charming lady too and one senses her earnest desire to teach you everthing she knows at a level that the beginner (we are 70 plus)can grasp and execute. We checked many tapes out of the library before discovering Ms. Scholz's tape and realizing that she gives the best instruction of the many we tried. For this reason we have ordered her tape and were delighted to discover that she has some more advanced tapes for us to look forward to when we have mastered her beginning tape. We are confident that will be very soon, given the excellence of her instruction. This review would not be complete without a reference to Ms. Scholz's warm and sincere manner as she instructs us. We enjoy watching her teach even when we are not practicing with her.

If you're looking for the best introductory video on ballroom dancing, this is it!!! Without going into complicated terminology, this video provides the student with clear and concise instruction. One can tell that at lot of time and effort was directed at providing the most important fundamentals of partner dancing for the student. What is wonderful about this video is one can play the video "over and over" and still derive benefit from the clear instruction given. I teach ballroom and I recommend this video to my students and have used it myself for improving my teaching ability. Listen carefully for her wonderful choice of words for describing each movement or action!! Ms Scholz is internationally known for not only her dance ability but also her dance instruction ability. It would be difficult to find a better teacher of ballroom at any level of dance instruction. We keep wondering when she will do a follow-on video!! END

I have found this video helpful and very clear and concise.. The instructor uses clear instructions as compared to other instructoin tapes that I have previewed... For the beginner I believe that this tape is well put together and enjoyable.

I have one previous class experience with waltz, but I didn't want to show my face at the local ballroom dancing club without being sure i knew the basics. Since I already have taken a lot of dance I only had to watch it once to get it. However a male friend (we won't mention any names) found it much more useful and helped him overcome his wallflower-itis. It goes very slowly in the beginning and then piece by piece puts the six dances together. Also, Frau Scholz, demonstrated clearly the parts of both the leader and the follower . Though the music is a dull lounge, the 80s hairstyles and dresses (think a b-version of pretty in pink prom) are great and sorta fun to dance along to; There's no way you can look as silly as they do. :)

At 40 something, my partner and I had NEVER danced. We bought this vidio and learned in a week. Margot is well organized and fun. I have not seen other dance instruction vidios for comparison, but as a beginner, this one worked very well for me.

After reading the other 5-star reviews, my expectations were quite high for this instructional video. While I had taken ballroom dancing years ago, I would have expected a video format to be more condensed, with material to study carefully upon future viewings. What I found was a classroom style video with few challenges and even worse, other beginning level students to emulate. For an instructional video, I'd expect to see interpretations of basic dances by professional dancers. While the instruction is clear and step-wise, I found it all rather boring.

The video is OK for beginners. But there is a problems. They have a lady teaching men's step, and because she is wearing high heel you cann't see the rise and fall of the feet. In certain steps the toe is supposed to land first, and certain steps the heel is supposed to land first. By wearing a high heel you can tell which one is which. Besides her heels are too high for standard ballroom dance. Get Dance vision videos each video is focused on just one dance. They will actually tell you about the heels and toes.

The video is great for newcomers to ballroom dancing. It's well done, well planned, and the steps are clearly visible.