Customer Reviews

YOGA DANCE: WATER

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really liked her Yoga Dance: Fire, so I decided to give this one a try. It's slightly different from fire, in that there is more of an emphasis on flowing, graceful movements. Much like fire, the DVD includes three 20 minute workouts. The 20 minutes includes warm up and cool down, so your heart rate will not be up for a sustained period. Unfortunately, the three water workouts are too similar to each other to be done together without getting bored (for me). One 20-minute segment makes a nice quickie workout for the time pressed, or can be combined with other workouts for something more thorough.

I enjoy the instructor, even though she is a bit new-age. However, I like that her motivating comments are about loving your body and being healthy instead of constantly focusing on how you're going to be so thin when you finish doing this workout (which is of course, NEVER true, anyway).

This is a fusion dance workout, not yoga. There is a bit of yoga-like stretching in the cool down, though. The rest of the workout is a mixture between different kinds of dance: Tai-chi, ballet, Polynesian, Latin, and Eastern dance moves are mixed together. The music is similarly eclectic (and beautiful). Even though I am not very coordinated, I felt it easy to catch the gist of Serina's movements. She doesn't put pressure on you to move a specific way, isolating specific body parts, unlike most dance DVDs. Instead, you're encouraged to be free with your movements and do what you can.

I've done yoga for almost 30 years. I've done tai chi for almost 10. Aerobic dance for just about 20 years, and belly dance for probably 5 years. I have exercise tapes of all kinds, even country line dancing. To keep a variety going, I cycle through them, but have always yearned for one tape that combines my main loves -- yoga, tai chi, aerobics, belly dancing, and exotic dance. These DVDs are it! And, when they talk about global dances, they mean it. On Sarina's DVDs, you learn and practice African, Latino, Brazilian, Indian, Spanish, and even a bit of Irish dance techniques. Sarina blends them beautifully with the yoga, tai chi, aerobics and belly dance while really inspiring you by sharing her childlike joy in the music & body movement. Nicely chosen music that neither drowns out her instructions nor is so quiet in the background that you can barely hear it. It is just right, as is her voice and sweet way of instructing you. There are warm-ups, workouts, and cool downs (3 of each) on the DVD. Really, this is something for those at most levels of fitness and dance ability. Start slow, make your movements not so big....then as you get used to the movements and get practiced, get as enthusiastic as she is.

"Fire" is my favorite of her 3 exercise videos. When I haven't done cardio work for a while, I ease back into it with these DVDs. Then, as my endurance builds, I get as enthusiastic with it as Sarina is. Then, I move on to one of my exercise videos where the workout is longer. I do agree with one Amazon reviewer that it is bothersome that each of the three segments contains a short warm-up, some work-out, and a brief cool down. I usually hit the "Play All" and just go through the whole DVD. But, each segment can stand alone as a quick work-out or you can dance enthusiastically while setting the DVD to the next work-out on the menu. Or, when I'm not feeling the greatest, this makes for a low-impact, invigorating energy-booster to send me toward a better day than I would have had.

This workout is so much fun! I love that it is approachable for all fitness levels. Several years ago, when I reviewed the fire workout, I felt a little disappointed that the first workout, the easiest one, didn't challenge me. Now, recovering from a year of illness and sedentary living, I really love that I have one dance workout that meets me where I am. It's fun, it's encouraging, and it stops just when I feel like I can't do any more. and when I get stronger, I will be able to do the second workout, which is more challenging. I love both Fire and Water, and soon I will buy Earth as well. Excellent DVDs.

I love Yoga Dance Water! Serena is very encouraging, not at all intimidating as she leads you through easy flowing dance steps to help develop flexibility in, and awareness of, your body. The music is very soothing, as are her comments about loving your body, loving yourself. The three 20-minute workouts are very similar in nature, so it's not often that I do all three at once -- but I sometimes do one from Yoga Dance Earth before doing Yoga Dance Water!

Wow, I just did this workout DVD for the first time (all three workouts on the DVD) and I love it. Since I never had dance instruction as a child, but realized in adulthood how much dance would be just up my alley, I've looked for ways to learn to dance with fun and grace.

For me as a beginner, ballet has its value more as a workout, but not as free-flowing joyful movement (at least when starting out and learning the movements from scratch); belly dance is fun, but tires me mentally after a while, as though I'm longing for something a little more innocent and carefree.

However, this, which had components of ballet and belly dance in addition to many other kinds of dance, is pure fun! When I finished I found myself improvising my own dances around the house wherever I went. I felt more flexible and free. This style of dance captures what I have been looking for. A beginner can do it and by the end of the workout, immediately feel more graceful than she was when she started the DVD. I would love there to be more dance videos like this one.

For anyone who's a believer in Christ of the New Testament, as I am, well, when Condello gives thanks on the DVD to the "element of water," you can just direct that thanks to God who created the wonderful free-flowing movements of water, instead. At least, that's how I look at it. I truly love the visual imagery Condello evokes throughout the workout and the beautiful wave movements she uses.

My four year old also loved this video. She was running back and forth and joyfully dancing. "This is so fun, Mommy!," she said. She liked this much better than the Denise Austin "Fit Kids" and "Tae Bo Kicks" videos for children that I've tried.

This was a very light but enjoyable workout.
There are three workouts with three sections each (warm up, dance, cool down). The three dance sections were too much the same for me, or I may have given it 5 stars.
The music is jazzy with international hints with no vocals.
She mixes Hula, belly dance (if you can call it that), jazz, ballet, salsa, Tai Chi and some African theroy.
I did not find much yoga.
All in all I did like it and will try her other videos.

It is a very good DVD. I really love it. It is easy to follow with her. You won't disappointed if you buy it.

I love all three 'Yoga Dance' DVDs, but I probably play 'Water' the most. (I use these DVDs at least twice a week, either as a great warm up before a more intense workout or on days when I can't be bothered working too hard. However, once I start moving with Sarina, I find myself wanting to dance and stretch all night long.)

Sarina is one of my favourite instructors and her motivating words and soothing voice, together with the fabulous soundtrack and gorgeous free-flowing movements, make it a pleasure to exercise. And it's such fun!

The 'Water' DVD contains three 21 minute workouts. Each workout is then divided into three segments - warm up (the longest segment and my favourite, with lots of arm and hip movements), the 'workout' section and cool down. I love combining all three warm up segments, doing workout 3 (the most aerobic) and then doing all the stretches at the end.