Customer Reviews

The Quick & Dirty Guide to Salsa - Complete Collection

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

 

 

This 3 DVD set of basic, intermediate, and advanced salsa dance lessons is by far light years ahead of any other similar lessons out there! The multi-angle progammable feature personalizes the lessons to meet individual needs. It feels like having a dance instructor right next to you. Like no other DVD out there: this feature shows you the steps from different positions. Having learned traditional dances from the Balkans, Central and Western Europe many years ago, I know there is nothing better than getting behind (or next to) someone who is an expert dancer. *This* is exactly what multi-angle programming feels like! In my case, the second angle was the most effective means to best learn the dance patterns. With a delightful delicate Latino accent, Gigi, the primary instructor, explains and demonstrates each set of moves using catchy phrases and an easy to follow count. Her enthusiasm is contagious as she shows you the dance routine and provides several practice sessions allowing you to master each new set of moves. It is obvious Gigi and her partner and coinstructor Pedro love to dance, their energy and enthusiasm for salsa makes the lessons come alive. Each session builds your confidence as you master new sensuous patterns of movements that match the heated rhythms and music of the Caribbean (Cuba and Puerto Rico).

DVD ONE is the BASICS. Without difficulty I mastered all the *essential* dance patterns in one session. This means I could do the patterns called: "Forward and Back", "Side to Side", "Back Rock Steps". "Back Rock Turn", "Abajo", "Exhibela", "Dile Que No", "Guapenado", and "Enchufla" on my own following Gigi and most of them without much effort to salsa music. The other patterns called, "Adios Con Le Hermana", "Candado [Enchufla Doble]", "Parriba", and "Kentucky {Ronde}" are more elaborate and require a partner in most cases. They include learning hand holds and turns with unique arm movements which can not be done properly without a second person. Anyone with a good sense of rhythm and desire to learn salsa would love DVD 1. DVD TWO, INTERMEDIATE builds on the basics, adding more complicated combinations of steps and arm movements with patterns designed for couples who are ready to razzle and dazzle out on the dance floor. While I could follow Gigi and Pedro's fine instructions, these patterns require a strong committment and more time to master the impressive combinations of exotic patterns. DVD THREE is for ADVANCED learners, who can not get enough salsa dancing (which will be most people who learn the basics [!!!] that is why this 3 DVD set is so great - all levels are taught at a very reasonable cost compared to taking "live" dance lessons). It contains outstanding instructions which display the most energetic and exciting sessions, along with some eye-catching moves ... showcasing why salsa has become so widely popular in the past couple of years.

This 3 DVD set of salsa dance lessons receives my most heartfelt and sincere endorsement for those who love to dance. My recommendation is, buy this 3 DVD set of lessons, learn the basics and with the money you save, go on the Enchantment of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) ship to the Bolero Lounge and dance to the salsa music of "Sol Y Arena" [Jan. 2006] or "Conjuncto Bravo" [Sept. 2006}. Disclaimer: reviewer receives no fees or benefits from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines... Go dazzle and captivate! Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Look, I am NOT a dancer. And I am a classical, not a salsa musician. However, I found the disk quite entertaining and helpful. Gigi and Pedro do not come across as so elegant and skilled that it seems impossible for the average person to copy. Yes, both know what they are doing and are quite fluent in what they communicate.

The instruction on the disk allows you to watch their whole demonstration from beginning to end or go through each set of steps and turns lesson by lesson. You also have THREE choices of camera angle. The default is from in front. You can also choose looking down from above, or from the back. This multi-view method allows you to see things in the dance that a simple 2D presentation from the front actually hides.

The names of the steps are given in Spanish, but even if you don't speak the language you will pick up on the names quickly; it is not hard.

I did miss the discussion of how to communicate dance steps through hand motions that I have seen in another salsa series. One isn't going to call out the names of the steps as Gigi and Pedro do throughout these disks. It is the subtle way one moves the hands and touches the partner that communicate what is to be done next and that is as much a part of learning the dance as the footwork.

Still, a pretty darn good set of instructional disks.

It's a great program, and a wonderful step by step visual guide. But it is intended for those who intend to learn Cuban Salsa. I didn't realize that when i purchased it, and it was quite a suprise to learn how different L.A. style is from Cuban. So my only word of advice is to know what style(s) you are learning before you buy this product, and be aware that the salsa in this DVD set might not be the salsa you already know. But if you are interested in learning Cuban or just get some new ideas to wrk into your routine, then this DVD is worth the price tag.

* Teaches a lot of miami style turnpatterns, se below
* The patterns are shown in a straight forward way and are easy to watch and understand
* There are not a lot of details about leading and following or other technique
* The counting of steps is 123 456 with no mentioning of the structure of the music. This could be confusing if you are used to counting 1234 5678 with steps on 123 567. No great disadvantage though - you soon get a hang of this way of counting
* You can't read which turns are on the DVD on the box. This is a disadvantage. Of course you can write out the list from the homepage
* The menu system when using a DVDplayer-remote is a bit complicated. You have to press a lot on the arrows on your remote if you want to select among the different turns. On your computer it is a lot easier

* LESSONS PART 1
Forward and Back
Side to Side
Back Rock Steps
Basic Steps Practice
Back Rock Turn
Abajo
Exhibela
Exhibela Doble
Exhibela Dos con Una
Dile Que No
Guapeando/Guapea
Practice
Enchufla
Enchufla Doble
Adiós con la Hermana
Candado
Pa'arriba (Candado)
Kentucky
Ronde (Kentucky)
El Uno
Se Fue (El Uno)
El Uno Practice
El Dos
Complete Review
Review With Music

LESSONS PART 2
Vacila
Medio Sombrero
Sombrero
Vacilense los Dos
Setenta
Engancha
Montaña
Dedo
Beso
Abrazala
Setenta Complicado
Siete
Enchufla con Coca Cola
Siete con Coca Cola
Siete Moderno
El Atrevido
Sombrero Doble
Juana la Cubana
Pasea
Pasea Abajo y Arriba
Balsero
Pasea Complicate
Dedo con Alarde
El Uno Complicado
Guarapo Largo
Sambuca
Siete Loco
Siete Setenta
Abanico
Ponle Sabor
Huracán
Moves With Music

LESSONS PART 3
Enrrosca
Bebe
3 Way Stop
Sombrero Complicado
Dedo Saboreado
El Sueter
La Cuadra
Siete Loco Complicado
La Victoria
El Zorro
La Jenny
Abanico Complicado
Remolino
Setenta Complicado...
Beso Por Debajo
Dedo Por Debajo
La Tuya
Adios Largo
Setenta Por Debajo
Jackie Chan
El Medico
Kiwi
Candado Complicado
Melon
Mona Lisa
La Rumbera
Kentucky Complicado
Pon Le Sabor Complicado
Dance With Music

The DVDs make a great job showing the steps, you can learn lots of patterns but they don't bother to show how to lead/follow or the correct positioning of the hands. They don't talk about frame or anything similar so if you don't have a basic idea on how to lead or follow I suggest you try to find some advise outside these DVDs on that particular subject.
Otherwise, great, easy to follow and learn, lots of movements that are built on previous taught movements, so it is easier to learn.

For those energy-driven, music infected Salsa fans (and now they are legion!) here at last in one convenient packet is the full course of Salsa instruction that is so fine it is dizzying. Having absorbed the technical wonders of the multi-angle technique utilized by the expert DEBDOOT DAS producers and the digiFILM crew (views of each part of the moves and turns and twists of a dance position can be seen from multiple angles which makes understanding the physical motivation for each step completely comprehensible), the viewers who have been following the exciting Gigi and her support person Pedro Curbello lilt us through the intoxicating body mechanics required to enjoy the Salsa can now polish off all the preliminaries with some very sophisticated advanced techniques.

Not only do Gigi and Pedro make it all seem easy they also make the music of Fruko y Sus Tesos, Joe Arroyo, and Aris Martinez really sing. The result is infectious entertainment, a set of 3 CDs that alone are refreshing to watch but that also provide the most solid teaching method available - whether in a dance classroom or in your own TV room. This is a wholly successful project and one wonders where Debdoot will take us next - the Tango, perhaps? Highly recommended no matter your prior experience as a dancer! Grady Harp, February 06

This 3-level course is worth every penny. Very well put together. The instructors' style is elegant, yet passionate. The 1st level alone will make you dance salsa way above average. The only aspect where I found the course to be a little bit below expectation is that -unlike in the 1st level- the 2nd and 3rd levels don't have 1) the full review of all steps back-to-back without music, and 2) the steps called out during the review with music (however, if you are an experienced dancer who is just looking for new moves, this won't bother you at all). The 3-angle camera comes in handy and you'll be using it a lot.

These DVDs were easy to follow with clear instructions. The multi-angle feature allowed my boyfriend and me to better learn each step. This complete set has a lot of lessons, it will keep you entertained and you will have lots of fun with your dancing partner.

I recommend it

We would just like to agree with the other reviews & say this is an excellent series. This is without doubt the finest collection of Miami Salsa dance moves available.

This 3 dvd set is well worth adding to your collection or if you are an absolute beginner then this is the series for you.

Highly recommended by all our reviewers (30+ Salsa teachers)

This DVD may be better for the woman's steps; however, the instruction for the man's steps are rare and often confusing. At one point, the female instructor indicates that the man's left hand is to be placed on the woman's back. It seemed awkward and, after several replays, it was evident that the man's right hand was to be placed on the woman's back. It seems that the instructor or the editor of a dance instruction DVD should be able to tell right from left. The ablility to review the steps in three different angles helps.