Review Jazzercise: Ballet Body

alisoncooks · 01-23-12, 05:17 PM

About the dvd:
40 min. "Total Body Workout"
20 min. "Accelerated workout" (shortened version of the 40 min. workout)
10 min. pilates-inspired "Ab Burn"
10 min "Leg Burn" (which was a burner indeed and a crazy balance challenge for me!)

(Can see break-down graphs at Collage.)

Initial impressions:

The ladies do look a little Stepford-esque.
The music is remniscent of...well, what I'd expect to hear in a Jazzercise aerobics class or something. Jazzy and a steady, driving beat.

Pros:

I like floor barre and it's included in this workout.
I liked the ab chapter - starting with standing oblique work & then mostly done in a leaning back position and working the obliques (a la Russion twist w/ no weight). While, for me, it was better than crunches, it did get a little repetitive (pretty much the same movement for the entire segment).
Well-chaptered.
Modifications shown up or down.
I think this would be a great workout for someone wanting to work on BALANCE. Whew! all the one-legged movements really tested my balance (lifting a leg and moving it forward/back/around without falling over).
For good or bad, it used many ballet terminologies. I don't have a clue about the different positions or terms, but if that's important --or not-- to you...now you know.
The arm work was a shoulder burner! Wowza. Wish there'd been a few other moves sprinkled in.
Don't need a barre, only the beginner modification used a chair for balance.

Cons:

Repetitive.
Two of the instructors had amazing form and stance, but one of them....not so much. She was very wobbly on many moves (but I was too).
Pretty distinct closures to the different segments (fades to black)--while great for chaptering it did break up the flow of the workout a bit. Not much....but a bit.

The one segment I did NOT love: the "foot articulation" chapter. Lots of pointing the toe, dragging the foot back. It wouldn't have been so bad except that they also did it quickly/add pulses. I think I got rug burn on the bottom of my big toes...

Plus I have pretty stiff ankles (lots of sports injuries from high school) and the quick point/brush/heels together/repeat was difficult for me.

Overall, not sure this will get a lot of use from me. If I was doing more barre, it might be nice for a change of pace. I kind of felt like it was to ballet what Turbo Barre is to barre (make sense?). A more athletic (fitness club) version of ballet.

cristinalatina · 01-24-12, 02:09 AM

Ugh oh! This looks wonderful, you enabler, you! However, I seriously dislike the music. Any chance there's a music off option?

imhere2dance · 01-24-12, 05:08 AM

I got rid of my copy. There was something about each instructor I didn't like.

cristinalatina · 01-24-12, 05:56 AM

Ladies! Please don't get rid of your ballet-based dvds unless I get online first

imhere2dance · 01-24-12, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cristinalatina

Ladies! Please don't get rid of your ballet-based dvds unless I get online first

Huh?

cristinalatina · 01-24-12, 07:07 AM

I was just joking...meaning don't get rid of your ballet dvds without letting me know first because I might be interested to trade for them!

metalbarbie · 01-24-12, 08:56 AM

I previewed this video last night on collage and I definitely want to get it. I'm all about cheezy music and I love ballet. This is on my "next to buy" list.

moonbeam31 · 05-18-12, 03:39 PM

anyone else do this one lately or have any more thoughts on this one. I want to try this one-I didn't when it first came out, but now I do? IDK I'm a vidiot-that's all I can say about this logic. Thanks
Tracy

moonbeam31 · 05-21-12, 12:25 AM

anyone using this one at all? Is it any good? It looks good to me from the 2 clips I saw from collagevideo and the jazzercise website.

alisoncooks · 05-21-12, 07:53 AM

I parted with mine pretty quickly (no surprise there...).
It is more ballet than barre (duh, look at the title

) but I am more barre than ballet.

It's pretty repetitive and there are a lot of those precision-type movements (point your toe and tap here, there, there) which I hate.

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01-23-12, 05:17 PM
alisoncooks Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: TarHeel country	Jazzercise: Ballet Body About the dvd: 40 min. "Total Body Workout" 20 min. "Accelerated workout" (shortened version of the 40 min. workout) 10 min. pilates-inspired "Ab Burn" 10 min "Leg Burn" (which was a burner indeed and a crazy balance challenge for me!) (Can see break-down graphs at Collage.) Initial impressions: The ladies do look a little Stepford-esque. The music is remniscent of...well, what I'd expect to hear in a Jazzercise aerobics class or something. Jazzy and a steady, driving beat. Pros: I like floor barre and it's included in this workout. I liked the ab chapter - starting with standing oblique work & then mostly done in a leaning back position and working the obliques (a la Russion twist w/ no weight). While, for me, it was better than crunches, it did get a little repetitive (pretty much the same movement for the entire segment). Well-chaptered. Modifications shown up or down. I think this would be a great workout for someone wanting to work on BALANCE. Whew! all the one-legged movements really tested my balance (lifting a leg and moving it forward/back/around without falling over). For good or bad, it used many ballet terminologies. I don't have a clue about the different positions or terms, but if that's important --or not-- to you...now you know. The arm work was a shoulder burner! Wowza. Wish there'd been a few other moves sprinkled in. Don't need a barre, only the beginner modification used a chair for balance. Cons: Repetitive. Two of the instructors had amazing form and stance, but one of them....not so much. She was very wobbly on many moves (but I was too). Pretty distinct closures to the different segments (fades to black)--while great for chaptering it did break up the flow of the workout a bit. Not much....but a bit. The one segment I did NOT love: the "foot articulation" chapter. Lots of pointing the toe, dragging the foot back. It wouldn't have been so bad except that they also did it quickly/add pulses. I think I got rug burn on the bottom of my big toes... Plus I have pretty stiff ankles (lots of sports injuries from high school) and the quick point/brush/heels together/repeat was difficult for me. Overall, not sure this will get a lot of use from me. If I was doing more barre, it might be nice for a change of pace. I kind of felt like it was to ballet what Turbo Barre is to barre (make sense?). A more athletic (fitness club) version of ballet.

01-24-12, 02:09 AM
cristinalatina Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belfast, UK!	Ugh oh! This looks wonderful, you enabler, you! However, I seriously dislike the music. Any chance there's a music off option? __________________ "It's not what happens to you in life that matters, but how you deal with it" ~Tracy Hogg, the Baby Whisperer

01-24-12, 05:08 AM
imhere2dance Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Virginia	I got rid of my copy. There was something about each instructor I didn't like.

01-24-12, 05:56 AM
cristinalatina Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belfast, UK!	Ladies! Please don't get rid of your ballet-based dvds unless I get online first __________________ "It's not what happens to you in life that matters, but how you deal with it" ~Tracy Hogg, the Baby Whisperer

01-24-12, 07:07 AM
cristinalatina Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belfast, UK!	I was just joking...meaning don't get rid of your ballet dvds without letting me know first because I might be interested to trade for them! __________________ "It's not what happens to you in life that matters, but how you deal with it" ~Tracy Hogg, the Baby Whisperer

01-24-12, 08:56 AM
metalbarbie Join Date: Aug 2002	I previewed this video last night on collage and I definitely want to get it. I'm all about cheezy music and I love ballet. This is on my "next to buy" list.

05-18-12, 03:39 PM
moonbeam31 Join Date: Jan 2005	anyone else.....? anyone else do this one lately or have any more thoughts on this one. I want to try this one-I didn't when it first came out, but now I do? IDK I'm a vidiot-that's all I can say about this logic. Thanks Tracy

05-21-12, 12:25 AM
moonbeam31 Join Date: Jan 2005	anyone using this one at all? Is it any good? It looks good to me from the 2 clips I saw from collagevideo and the jazzercise website.

05-21-12, 07:53 AM
alisoncooks Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: TarHeel country	I parted with mine pretty quickly (no surprise there...). It is more ballet than barre (duh, look at the title ) but I am more barre than ballet. It's pretty repetitive and there are a lot of those precision-type movements (point your toe and tap here, there, there) which I hate.