Product Details

• Actors: Ana Marie Forsythe, Marjorie B. Perces
• Producers: Dennis Hedlund
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Kultur Video
• DVD Release Date: March 29, 2005
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0007NMK3K
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,165 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up is a unique program designed to prepare dancers for rehearsal and performance. The technique’s creator, Lester Horton, was determined to develop a warm-up that did not limit how the body could move, and that was anatomically corrective. As a result, his method has enormous variety, range and complexity. Such noted dancers and choreographers as Alvin Ailey, Bella Lewitzky and Joyce Trisler began their dance training with Horton and used the techniques with their own students. Horton protégée Marjorie B. Perces and Ana Marie Forsythe lead a group of young professional dancers and the viewer through leg swings, metatarsal presses and fortifications in this exclusive Kultur presentation, which preserves this important achievement in dance training for generation to come. For the professional dancer who needs to build strength, agility and flexibility, this DVD provides important injury-preventing techniques. It’s also an excellent way for the non-dancer or athlete to do a non-aerobic workout that helps develop grace and relieves muscle stress.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great! And easy to follow., October 7, 2005

By 

A Reader from Chicago (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up (DVD)

I got this DVD to get better in my modern dance class. If your school does Horton exercises and you want to see how they are done on your own time, this is great. It is a professional DVD presentation which first shows you a given exercise using several dancers at different angles to the camera, and then breaks the exercise down into the important things to note and keep in mind. It has good flow, so you can do the exercises as you watch them, which I do.

I am glad I got it.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful moves, but not enough instruction, April 13, 2006

By 

Touch Remedy "TouchRemedy" (Nassau, NY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up (DVD)

I am not a dancer, but I thought who better to take tips from about warming up & stretching then people who put their body through hours of intense work daily?
Watching the dancers graceful movements was beautiful to see how the body moves when posture is correct.
The DVD runs like a copy of an old VHS from the 80s with everyone including the guys in bright neon, tight spandex. Exactly what you see on the picture of the DVD. The chapter menu is good.
There are diff exercises such as flat back stretching, primitive squat descent, lateral torso stretches & release torso swings, leg swings, deep lunges, fortifications (hamstring & calf stretches, balancing on toes, plies, hip propulsion), elementary balance (ballet style), 5/4 swings (lateral torso swing & turn w/leg in split in the air), dimensional tonus (using other moves in slower more toning way), & the first 5 exercises. (exactly what you see on the picture.) I did feel more stretched out, some exercise work as good or better then yoga or look similar to it.
The cons is first they show the dancers doing it with general stiff female voice over, not instructions how they do it so you have to the look at the screen. After is the same woman voice over with pictures of what they did reminding you some posture cues, etc., though not enough to be of that much help.
At the end they show the first 5 exercises only one after the other without stopping.
I would only recommend this to anyone who doesn't have any joint limitations or muscle/bone issues, can do squats several times easily, can swing their leg fwd to their chest & backwards & up & exercises regularly.
I took off two stars for the lack of instruction & stiff presentation & I personally love the movement itself, I don't like how each move is executed with a slow, quick, slow, quick speed. It's great for increasing precision & control, but not good for increasing fluidity & being in the moment in your body other then a logical way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to Horton Technique, January 1, 2011

By 

MTguy "R" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up (DVD)

I'm a dance instructor and bought this video because I was interested in incorporating Horton concepts and exercises into my jazz warm-up.
This is an excellent introduction to the Horton Technique, the video goes through the exercises of the Horton warm-up from a variety of angles then gives specific technical information on how the exercises are to be performed. The pacing is great. The video begins with a brief introduction to the history and philosophy of the technique and its founder and ends with a Horton Family Tree that lists all of the influential dancers and choreographers (Bella Lewitsky, Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey) who were trained in Horton technique and were able to use it in their varied styles.
I recommend this video to anyone interested in a highly adaptable technique that emphasizes anatomically corrective movement and the expansion of the expressive capabilities of the body.
I also recommend the Dance Technique of Lester Horton