[Gracenote]

I would like to highly recommend a tape/DVD called the "New York City Ballet Workout." It is the classiest workout I have ever bought and is well-worth the $15. It is a full-body workout, more toning than aerobic, but I find it very relaxing and strengthening at the same time. I feel graceful like the beautiful dancers as I use it after I jog for a very rewarding workout. The symphony orchestra music and the narrator's deep voice truly make this tape spectacular.

~Nancy

[Krispy82]

Hey, thats just what I was looking for! Ive been trying to find a tape on dance-related workouts because I love dancing.

Thanks a lot!

[Gracenote]

Krispy82, I also LOVE dancing. This tape actually has dance exercises, but not much dancing. So it's more toning than aerobic.

I do, however, have some other very cool dance workout tapes. My absolute FAVORITE is Kathy Smith's Latin Rhythm Workout. I also like Paula Abdul's Cardio Dance (there is some excellent Leg Toning in the end) and I kinda like Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance (It's early 90's...maybe '94 or something but there's a great Abdominal Section in the cool down). I have MTV's "The Grind Workout" which is kind of weird because Eric Nees is a dork (the first line in the workout is "Yo yo wassup"), but it has some cool Yoga and a really hot black guy with dreads.

There are also some Belly Dancing Tapes if you're into that, which I'm not. There's a lot of stuff out there. You just have to really look around. I was so excited to get the New York City Ballet Workout! I love it!! My legs are so sore from yesterday. I think I need a break!

Take care,
Nancy

[Krispy82]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[alashiya]

Hello Krispy 82,

If you are new to belly dance I recommend a class if possible. If not, I recommend a 3-tape set called "The Sensual Art of Belly Dance" by Neena and Veena Bidasha. That set of tapes will teach you basic belly dance as well as I could if I were standing right there with you. I also like them because they are well-lit. I have seen instructional videos on many topics, not just dance, where the sets appear to be lit by a 40-watt bulb. It is difficult to learn when you can't see what the instructor's doing! Avoid "The Goddess Workout" by Dolphina. I'm an experienced belly dancer and I had trouble figuring out what she was doing in some sequences because she gave the lessons in costume! Well, let's see now: are her knees deeply bent or just relaxed? Who knows? And are her heels stationary or going up and down? Beats me. Can't see 'em! Also, the camera would zero in on her chest when she was talking about hip movements and vice versa. Neena and Veena perform in sport tops and bike shorts; you can see every bit of their bodies and exactly what they are doing. Then at the end of the tape they give the student a basic routine and show what it looks done in a 2-piece cabaret costume. (I have not seen them in beledi dresses, but then I may not have seen all their tapes, either.) If you join a book club called One Spirit at the right time you can get all these tapes super-cheap (that's how I ended up with them). Have fun!

[Starlite]

Gee, what a coincidence. I just finished looking at catalog offering the NYC Ballet tape and wondered if there was a way I could find out if the tape might be good. Then I logged on and the first message I looked at was yours. Thanks for the info from you and others