Dance Fitness for Beginners with MaDonna Grimes: African Beat - Latin Heat | 
| Actor: Madonna Grimes
Studio: Cerebellum Corporation
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.34
You Save: $5.64 (57%)
New (12) Used (6) from $4.34
Rating:  42 reviews
Sales Rank: 5501
Format: Color, Dvd, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 42 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DGH1887D
UPC: 743452188727
EAN: 0743452188727
ASIN: B0006H31SA
Theatrical Release Date: 2004
Release Date: January 11, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Award-winning choreographer, MaDonna Grimes, is renowned for her innovative dance moves. She founded the MaDonna Grimes Fitness and Dance Theatre Company, has released a CD, and is the author of Work It Out. She has a master’s degree in dance performance and choreography, and has appeared in many fitness and fashion magazines. Elevate your heart rate in this high-energy workout that moves and grooves. African Beat – Latin Heat is like having a dance party in your living room! MaDonna Grimes makes sure you never stop moving in this exciting Dance Fitness for Beginners program. Challenge your muscles and your spirit when you turn up the heat with this full-body, cardio workout. MaDonna keeps you burning calories as you dance, move your arms, and swing your hips to a mix of Latin and African rhythms. Designed for women and men, this program combines Latin dance steps with hip, urban moves. MaDonna breaks down the routines, than creates a dynamic workout that will leave you sweating for more! Program Features: - Dance moves you can take to the clubs
- Fun routines challenge every muscle
- Tones entire body
- Shed unwanted pounds and burn fat
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| Customer Reviews: Read 37 more reviews...
 fun, but not quite what I expected June 23, 2009
J. Weiss (So. California)
This dance-exercise video is entertaining and fun. However, I thought there would be different Brazilian/African music instead of the one rhythm they use throughout. I am a person who likes diversity. I will watch and participate in the video occasionally but find other workouts more rewarding.
Like being at a hot party! May 4, 2009
Pelo de bruja (Cleveland, OH USA)
I've had this DVD for awhile now and I never get tired of doing it or get bored with it. I find that after doing a workout DVD for a few months, I get very bored with it and store it away for a long time. Not with this one! This DVD is not like working out at all. It's like being at a high-energy party with the most fun group of friends you can assemble. The music is good and the moves are easy, which motivates you to put more emphasis on your dance moves (and thus burn more calories). MaDonna is fun, friendly and motivating and the backup dancers have a great rapport with each other. Although the workout is shorter than most, I always work up a sweat and get my heart pumping. This DVD is a must for any workout collection.
Awesome workout, SO fun, wish it were longer April 30, 2009
M. Mills (East Coast, USA)
This workout is an intermediate Latin-/African-inspired dance routine. It is SO fun and SO intense! This is the only workout DVD I own that gets me really sweating -- and that's a good thing!
You need to know some simple Latin dance steps (merengue, mambo, cha-cha) beforehand, or be able to pick them up quickly, because MaDonna jumps into them first thing. Granted, the merengue is an easy dance move -- just marching while twisting your hips/legs -- but there was zero instuction, so I could see how someone with no dance experience would feel overwhelmed right off the bat. The "jumping right in with no instruction" caught me a little off guard at first, but luckily I have had some Latin dance training and was able to follow along with no problems. If MaDonna provided instruction by going through the steps at 1/2 time, I would wholeheartedly recommend this workout to beginners. As is, it's probably most appropriate and fun for those who can easily pick up most coreography.
I'd love to take a dance class with MaDonna Grimes. Her cueing is great. She's fun and friendly with her backup dancers, frequently talking to them during the routine (like, "Next is the mambo -- yes, y'all?" and they shout back, "YES!"). A few times, though, MaDonna shouts "MERENGUE!" so loud that there's mic feedback, and sometimes she yells "AAAHH!" after finishing a particularly intense combo. If you're following along with the workout, you won't really notice/mind this (I don't -- it's like being in a live dance class). For those who don't like lots of "whooping and hollering" during their workouts, you do have the option to go through the entire routine with just the music (no talking or cueing).
Here's what you get on this DVD:
- Warm-up: 10 minutes of light-intensity Latin moves, some shimmying, stretching lunges, neck rolls, torso isolations, a few jumps towards the end. I'm glad this warm-up is as long as it is; you need it to prepare you for the next part!
- Workout routine: 15 minutes of INTENSE Latin & African dance steps. A wildly effective cardio routine that will really get you sweating!
- Cool-down: A 5-minute modified version of the warm-up, with light-intensity Latin moves and stretching.
- "Performance": A pre-recorded hip hop performance that plays immediately after the cool-down, featuring MaDonna and her backup dancers. Fun, but kind of random -- I did like watching it.
- Bonus Workout: A standard aerobic-style 10-minute routine with TONS of squats, some standing/lying ab work, and some stretching. Probably good for some people, but I don't use this section at all.
I do wish there were a second routine before the cool-down or that the main-feature dance workout were longer. The front of the DVD says "Leaves You Sweating for More!" which is true. You're having so much fun doing the routine that it's over before you know it. You're standing there after the cool-down, going, "Wait, that's all?" So, I'm taking half a star off my rating because I wish the routine were longer, and half a star off because it needs some 1/2 time step instruction to be truly accessible to beginners (although this wasn't a problem for me personally, it would improve the workout's overall quality). Compared to MaDonna's Urban Street Heat DVD, which I also own and enjoy, this Latin/African routine contains the same segments (warm-up, routine, cool-down) and is the same length of time (30 min.), but is more fun and more intense (makes me work harder, probably burns more calories).
In summary, I'm extremely happy that I bought this DVD because the routine is SO fun and really gets my heart pumping. The BEST dance workout DVD purchase I've made!
 A fun dance routine, but not a great workout April 15, 2009
Melissa in PDX (Portland, OR)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've never been one to enjoy working out, so when I gained a few pounds (15 or so), I started looking for a fun way to jump-start a daily exercise routine. While I really enjoy doing this routine, I don't really find it to be challenging as a workout. Learning the dance moves takes a little time, but that really is the most challenging aspect. If you're at or near your goal weight, perhaps this would be a good maintenance workout; but to lose weight and really get in shape, I have had to look elsewhere and now only do this routine on occasion for a fun change of pace. I should note, however, that I really like the 10-minute bonus workout and will often do it before the dance routine for some added benefit.
I think of myself as a good dancer but.... March 22, 2009
Tiffany (Shepherdsville, KY, USA)
I bought this because it had such good reviews. I have always been a good dancer and have always been told that. I know one or two simple Latin steps, but when I watched this video I was totally off key and pretty much got frustrated and turned it off after 15 minutes. #1, they go way too fast and don't review the steps well enough, for enough time. and #2 the camera person cuts off the dancers from the knees down in a lot of the scenes and therefore if you can not remember exactly where your feet are supposed to be going yet you can't watch the screen to get a clue. I suggest a few begging scenes in the DVD on each step so that during the video everyone may follow along easier AND the camera person should show Madonna's entire body throughout the DVD so everyone can follow along. I thought I would have no problem with this video, but feel like I just put $10 in the garbage disposal.
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