Product Details

• Actors: Astigmatism Productions, Eli Newsom
• Format: NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Astigmatism Productions
• DVD Release Date: October 15, 2006
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000IZK7X2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,910 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent fundamentals of Tap, December 3, 2006

By 

T. Li (mid-hudson valley, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tap Dance Made Easy - Level 1 - Basic (DVD)

I just received this DVD and having reviewed a number of the lessons, am very impressed. As an adult beginner, I have been taking tap lessons for over a year or two, and have purchased a number of other tap instructional materials. I wish I had this DVD at the beginning! Eli does a great job of breaking down the fundamental elements of tap, with an emphasis on correct technique, providing tips on correct weight transfer and timing, and at a pace that is easy to follow. Even though I thought I was already familiar with most of the steps presented in the lessons, in fact I learned something new about even the most basic of steps, such as a ball-change or hop. For example, he introduces the ("simple") step, hop, flaps and shuffles individually, then combinations of a shuffle-hop-step and flap-shuffle-hop, that (I believe) are elements of a time-step (which has been problematic for me). I feel confident that a review of these lessons will help me improve on the steps I am working on today, and, with these technical foundations, will more quickly learn newer ones. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to learn tap.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good place to start., November 27, 2006

By 

a_concerned_reader (Atlantic City, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tap Dance Made Easy - Level 1 - Basic (DVD)

This is an excellent DVD for adult beginners; it covers the basics steps very well and adds some nice combinations that actually look like tap dancing. Watching the lessons is a lot like being in a class; the instructor shows the step part by part, helps you practice it slowly a few times, and then gradually brings you up to speed. When the steps are put into combinations, the instructor doesn't assume you've totally mastered the basic step; he covers the combination nice and slow as well. One advantage over a live class is the use of a split-screen; you can see his feet from both the back and the side at the same time. And, of course, you can slow it down even more or pause it if you need to.

One of the things I really like about this DVD is the instructor's style of dance. It's not the fixed-smile-and-splayed-fingers kind of tap I associate with little girls in sequined outfits. It's the smooth, relaxed-looking style of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Ginger Rogers. Obviously, one beginning tap DVD isn't going to get you to Broadway, but this one is a good place to start.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great "How To" Tap Video, November 18, 2006

By 

deirdre ann quigley (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tap Dance Made Easy - Level 1 - Basic (DVD)

This is the most useful "how to" video I have ever tried. Within a couple of sessions, I was able to follow along and I had never tapped before. The menu is set up so you can play any technique separately, so you can tap even if you only have 10 minutes free! Often, videos like this show begining technique but at an advanced pace - which is discouraging. Not here. You can see yourself progress each time you move up in pace. Easy to follow, and fun. I cannot wait for the next level to be released!