Customer Reviews

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This tape is outstanding. If you are looking for a tape that will start you at the most basic level of swing and teach you the moves, Learn to Swing will do just that. There are twenty-one different steps shown for triple swing and eleven for single swing. Chris and Ginger begin with a demonstration of what the step should look like, then they take you slowly through the step showing the guy's part and the girl's part four times each. After that, they review the step with music. This means you won't spend all of your time rewinding. We are also pleased with the overall quality of production. Many of the tapes we have purchased had poor sound or lighting or weird camera angles which made them difficult to follow; Learn to Swing raises the standard for instructional tapes by avoiding those pitfalls. We knew only a couple of swing steps when we started using this tape and now we know many more and have learned to do them with smoother technique. Another feature of this tape that sets it apart from others is its length. At three hours, this tape packs in more instruction than you can find in three or four other tapes. Definitely the best value for your money.

Yes, you do need more swing dance instruction in your library, especially if it's this two set, jam-packed with 32 moves, including everything from basic turns to swivels, kicks, and syncopated steps. There are steps for both single and triple-step swing, with very little overlap. Instructors Chris Reilly and Ginger de Paris demonstrate each step to music, followed by the "guy's and gal's gig," in which clear shots of footwork and body movement show the leader's and follower's patterns. Follow-up demos of each move are done to both slow and fast music, and a review sequence is shown after every five moves. Reilly does constant voice-over narration that describes the counts and leads. No rewinding is necessary, since each move gets repeated at least a dozen times. Both beginners and more advanced dancers will find something they can use here, whether it's the underarm turn, wrap-in, heel rocks, or the boogie woogie. Recommended!

I love to watch people do East Coast Swing. This video made it so easy for me to learn the steps that now I can go out dancing to clubs and actually do the dancing instead of watching others. The set is a wonderful swing environment and the costumes on the video are spectacular. I recommend this for any person who wants to learn swing dancing. It has footwork steps for the woman and man separately and together. It is definitely the best swing video I have seen out on the market. It has so many fun steps to learn and the advanced choreography is well presented. I highly recommend it for all ages.

On a nicely decorated set with classic black-and-white tile, two experienced dancers demonstrate intricate swing dance steps in this step-by-step primer. Lower-body closeups as well as full-length, stop motion, and reverse-angle camera shots capture dance demonstrations set to voice-over instructions. Not at all cheesy, this recommended title features good production values and sophisticated editing. Because of its length and detail, this is suggested for serious dancers, not dabblers, interested in mastering a quick two-step.

This video claims to be an introductions, but would be better suited for intermediate dancers. It lacks the basic instructions on leading/following, footwork, and many basic moves (I would recommend trying Beginning/Intermediate 6-Count Swing for this). However this video set has at least 20 moves that I have not seen on any other instructional video, which makes it a keeper. Most of the moves are advanced 6-count patterns, but it also touches on some Lindy hop moves. This video will make you better.

Excellent quality east coast swing dancing videos- had so much fun learning all the steps- anyone can learn how to swing dance with these videos-easy but simple to follow along instructions-the filming is superb and the repetition of each step 4 times - for gals and guys and then together is like a real class. Chris Reilly's voice is soothing and encouraging. it took some time to learn all this material but worth while. if you love to swing dance this video is for YOU!....

Yes, this video is cheesy, but like all the other reviewers have said, it's easy to follow and is great for learning swing dancing.
I especially like the way it teaches lots of fairly simple individual moves, rather than longer combinations like some videos and real-life classes do. This approach makes it easy to mix and match steps instead of repeating the same combinations over and over again. And it's easier to transfer to the dance floor, where you'll probably be dancing with people you haven't been practicing with.

My husband and I loved Learn to Swing Dance. It was very easy to learn the steps. They really took their time and gave very specific details that other videos do not. Most videos (and teachers) do not know that there are minute details that can truly help students. It was intelligently made. Plus they repeat the steps many times - you do not have to rewind the tape over and over again. This tape is also fun because the dancers are very charming. The set is colorful. All of these things make it much easier to learn the steps. We highly recommend this tape.

Well, these tapes and a lot of practice with an instructor.
No, these tapes don't start with the most basic of the basic essentials, but that is what almost every other tape starts with. Why do you need it again? Or, better yet, take a dance class to cover that anyway. Neither this set nor any other tape can make you into a good dancer all by itself.
This tape is all East Coast Swing. It isn't Lindy Hop or West Coast Swing. East Coast is great for the beginning swing dancer because there is a basic step that can fill the gaps until the lead makes his next decision about how to interpret the music.
What this tape does exceptionally well is to teach the basic and intermediate moves in a clear and easy-to-follow manner.
In terms of value for the money, this is the best tape I own. And I have bought a dozen swing dance tapes in the last year.
There are some really cool steps on these tapes that even my dance instructor hadn't seen before. She appreciated learning them along with me.
This tape set is a must if you are intersted in East Coast swing dancing. By the time you can dance all of these steps, your brain and your feet will be communicating so well that moving on to other more challenging dances will come much easier. But make no mistake about it, once you can dance all of these steps, you will be able to go out and WOW the crowds at most night clubs, and have a ton of fun at the same time. And it will work with almost any 4/4 beat music, whether Rock, Country, or Jazz.

Library Journal:

" This program is jam-packed with 32 moves, including everything from basic turns to swivels, kicks and syncopated steps. There are steps for both single and triple swing. The instructors demostrate each step to music, followed by the Guy's and Gal's gig in which clear shots of footwork and body movement show the leader's and follower's patterns. A review sequence is shown after every 5 moves.Bothe beginners and more advanced dancers will find sonething they can use here. Highly recommended."

Booklist Magazing review:
"This escellent title features good production & sophisticated editing. Because of its length (3 hours) and detail this is suggested for serious dancers, interested in mastering a quick two-step. Lower body close ups as well as full length, stop motion and reverse angle camera shot capture dance demonstrations set to voice over instructions"