Customer Reviews

New Ballet Workout [VHS]

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

 

 

I agree with the other viewer that you must have had ballet experience to do this video. The exercises here are more comlpicated then her other videos. The only thing I did not like about the video is that it does not have a ton of center exercises. Unlike the other viewer, I like the fact she does not spend hours demonstrating things and explaining exercises. If you have had a couple years of ballet experience the video is easy to follow, and you do not have to wade through hours of explanation on how to do a plie.

This ballet video is almost impossible to follow. The feet and legs of the dancers are shown fleetingly if at all, the combinations are hard to follow and narrated only one time through (extremely frustrating given that most of the time the viewer is watching the necks and faces of the dancers), if you do not have a background in ballet you will not understand the terminology used nor will you be able to do these exercises in such a way as to get a meaningful workout. I took adult ballet, at professional schools and with excellent teachers, and found this tape aggravating to say the least. The New York City Ballet Workout is a much better tape (even though it can become a little monotonous with repetition) for an "at home" workout. Don't waste your money on this one unless you want to spend 45 minutes looking at the hairdos of dancers.

Yes, I agree with all other reviewers in saying that you MUST have ballet experience to do this "workout" - at least 5 years or so of ballet training. It really annoys me when former ballet dancers and ballet teachers think they can sell a video to the general public by calling it a "workout" instead of a ballet class...make no mistake, this IS an advanced ballet class. I've been dancing and teaching for almost 20 years and I, personally, like the video, but it should NOT be sold to the public as a workout that anyone can do. If you do not have ballet experience you could risk serious injury trying to follow along with this fast paced class. On the other hand...dancers will love it.

I have never bothered to rate a video before so here goes..
Who are they kidding when they say previous ballet experience is helpful but not necessary? It is essential! Not having any ballet experience, I enjoy the New York City Ballet Workout because it is doable and makes me feel like I can obtain gracefulness. I assumed by all descriptions, this video would be comparable in skill level. It is NOT! The moves are very complex, and without knowing the ballet terms, you will be lost. In addition, the video rarely shows the footwork, leaving one to stare at a bunch of dancers faces and armwork. The moves are shown very quickly and narrated only once. You are then left to your memory while the dancers change sides and repeat the routine, with no narration, once again not showing the moves in their entirety. The dancers are not endearing, and personally don't appear too fit. The instructor makes no connection to the home viewer and is more concerned with her small group of dancers than the home user.
Speaking of equipment, I think it is also ridiculous of them to assume that someone with no ballet experience will happen to have a barre in their living room, or wherever one chooses to do the video. Don't be fooled, you can not use anything in it's place.
This video is a sham and should be labeled for experienced dancers only!

This video has been criticized for being too dance-y and not aerobic enough. I have found the product to be an absolute joy... and very helpful to keep in shape during the holidays. If you don't have a lot of dance experience, the best thing to do is to learn the exercises and combinations slowly. Don't try and power your way through the entire hour class on the first day. The first section of stretches are sumptuous and highly enjoyable. They are easy to pick up. The second section, barrework, needs to be viewed and studied, then tried and perfected. If you learn one exercise a week and practice it, you will eventually know the entire routine. Same thing with the center combinations, which are a lovely adagio.

This is not a classical ballet class, but Ms. Lowe does "speak ballet." Don't let her language deter you if you are unfamiliar. Just watch the demo and then try it, one step at a time. You don't need a huge space or a barre, you can use part of the living room or dining room and hold on to a straight-backed chair for barre support.

Ms. Lowe's combinations are contemporary and fluid. Once you learn the routine in its entirety, you will experience the joy of movement and keep in shape while doing it!

I found this video to be perfect for my situation. I am a 40+ female who stopped taking ballet class (at the intermediate/advanced level) about five years ago after two knee surgeries. I don't have the strength anymore to keep up with even a moderately-paced class because I have to be careful with my movements due to various injuries. So this video is perfect, b/c I can pace my exercise and make modifications (demi-plies instead of grande, for example)to work around whatever body part happens to hurt at the moment.

The original musical compositions (piano) that accompany the class are excellent.

Anyway, this video is just fun--and cheaper than a 10-class card, that's for sure!

This ballet video was terrible! I have worked out with Melissa Lowe's original ballet video for years and I was very disappointed with this new video. I have danced for over 20 years, ballet, jazz, modern, ballroom etc. and I could not follow this video. I am so glad I checked it out at the library first. The instruction is terrible in this video, the camera angle is constantly changing and many images are overlapped so you can't tell what you are supposed to be doing. The majority of the time the camera is on the upper half of the dancers so you have no idea wat your legs are supposed to be doing. The verbal instruction is minimal and not specific enough to follow. I feel that even experienced dancers would have difficulty with this video. The New York City Ballet workout and Ballet Boot Camp are much better choices.

Thank godness I checked this video from the library first. The combinations are long and you need to make sure you memorize them when doing them on the right leg because once you go to the left leg you are on your own. Not only that, I noticed, as the other reviewers, that they show the heads to much and not the legs. (Hello! legs is all ballet is about.)I suggets to either check it out from a library first or borrow it from someone before buying. This video is not for everyone.

I've tried Melissa Lowe's first ballet workout which I was pleasantly surprised in liking it. Her second ballet dvd I felt was too serious & there was no telling you ahead of time what movements would be done & no voice over cues really at all either.

The place is all white stage w/colored lighting. There are 3 women & 1 male student.
Intro - 4 min *that you don't have to have ballet experience, etc.
Warm-up - 13 min - very good, many stretches for the torso, legs, etc. incorporates some pilates & yoga poses as well, mostly done reclined or some on the stomach like a locust style for strengthening the lower back/gluts, etc.
Barre Work - 28 min - w/1 min intro of Melisa talking to the camera & tells you what you'll be doing in quick ballet names & feet positions. During the movements she voice overs w/mainly ballet terms so if you don't know them, they are of no help. She talk throughout guiding you on the first side, but on the second, you have only the music.
Center Work - 5 min - No cuing during the movements, mostly quick stepping, some balance, only little hopping.
Cool Down - 2 min - standing like center work, slow/easy head rolls & arm movements, no cuing.

I like this one one better then her Ballet Workout 2. The idea is there, she almost has it, if only:
1)The camera didn't turn so much or fade in/out & on the dancer's upper torsos it would be much better. It does it only 1/4 of the time, but that's too much.
2) She could give layman's terms on how to move the body on the voice over & reminders about proper posture, it would be great.
3) She showed the movements the first time in 1/2 speed on the quicker movements & then normal speed for both sides, it would be easy to follow. She could even have the menu structure it so that you can do w/ or w/o the slow teaching.
I never took a ballet class, I can follow along the slower movements, but w/o reminders about posture like her first dvd & the NYC ballet does... my form is very sloppy. I can do the balance work easily in that sloppy form, but that's not the point.
This is good for those who already know how to keep proper form & basic ballet terms.

Well first of all, I will agree with all other reviews by saying it is essential to have ballet experience to do this video...Or else be a person that REALLY catches onto things.

I was a ballet dancer for about 7 years and have been out of the game for 4 years (I miss it so much!). This video is a ballet class! It is really exactly like how a ballet class runs. (Other than the stretching in the beginning). So if you are currently taking ballet you might enjoy this video.

However, for myself it was a waste of time. The video was not overly physically demanding (I found New York Ballet Workout to be more challenging). But the cues were horrible! I had to spend my time staring at the screen rather than just dancing. I suppose if I watched it about 5 times I would gather it all but there are videos out there where you can just do the workout the first time. So might as well go with those.

So even though I was perfectly capable of performing all of the video it was pretty much just impossible because there was no explanation! Of course, I was glad she didn't go through and explain what a tendu was but I would like to know if she is doing one! Haha.

Overall: No ballet experience? Don't bother. Some ballet experience? Don't bother, there are better ones out there. Currently in ballet? Its possible you might like this, but I will think there are better ones out there.

This video is like the other two "The Ballet Workout" DVD's in that it follow the structure of a ballet class (floor work, barre work, center work). It's a little more "new age-y" (for lack of a better term) because Lowe spends a lot of time talking about destressing and often makes comments like "feel the energy coming out of the top of your head."

For this video, I believe that you need to have recent ballet training in order to be able to follow the movements. There are voice overs for each pattern telling you what to do, but if you can't understand what the terms mean the voice overs will be pretty useless.

I have all three of the DVD's. This one is my least favorite, for reasons:

- I took ballet for about 10 years when I was younger. I recognize all of the ballet terms, but many of them I have to see performed before I can say in my head "Ok, NOW I remeber what that word means!" Unfortunately, the camera spends so much time focusing on the dancers' upper bodies that I cannot see their feet in order to remember what some of the terms mean, so the voice overs don't help me in many cases.
- The patterns are long, much longers than in the other two DVD's. They're also faster and more complex. I'm a learn by doing person, so I usually pop in the DVD and just learn the patterns by doing them each day. With the other two DVD's I could at least follow the patterns and start to learn them right away. With this one I spent the majority of the workout staring at the screen because I had no idea what was happening. This problem was exacerbated by the fact that the camera is rarely looking at the dancers' feet. It's just too much too fast.
- Did I mention that the camera spends too much time focused on the dancers' upper bodies and not enough time on the feet?

I used this DVD exactly once and then put it back on the shelf, and I doubt I'll get it out again (unless I get REALLY, REALLY good at the other two). I prefer the 2nd DVD.