The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Ballroom Dancing, DVD Edition
August 19th, 2008
- ISBN13: 9781592575770
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Ballroom dancing is back! And now anyone can move like a pro. DVD included!
In addition to the step-by-step photos, footwork illustrations, and instruction covering all the common ballroom dances, this new edition of the bestselling Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Ballroom Dancing includes a 90-minute instructional DVD featuring award-winning dancer and dance instructor Jeff Allen. It corresponds with the text seamlessly, giving readers the n… More >>
If you are able learn by reading through pages of step by step instructions then this is great. However if you are a visual learner, like myself, this book will be painful. The DVD is not helpful.
It does have a lof of helpful information, but this “complete idiot” just couldn’t get into this book. Gonna take it back.
Rating: 1 / 5
I really ordered the book to get some ideas to help some friends learn to dance. I took dancing in college but, am afraid we cheated on some of the movements. I think this book will help me “crips up” some of my movements, positions, and give me a refresher on some of the dances I love to do, Latin, but my husband doesn’t. With this book I believe we may become the next Fred and Ginger.
Rating: 4 / 5
If you want to merely shuffle your feet and do the bunny-hop, this is not the book for you…get something else. If you want to learn how to really “dance”, this is the best book there is.
Allen is true to his craft and does not compromise on his instruction. To learn, you have to read the appropriate chapter of his book, watch the appropriate section of the DVD and practice again and again.
Nobody can take something that is inherently complex and difficult and spoon feed it to you in five minutes. But everything you need is right there. Jeff Allen takes his craft seriously.
Rating: 5 / 5
People can’t learn to dance from watching a DVD or reading a book. Dancing is more than just learning steps. Learning as a couple is even tougher. The lady needs to be led, and unless the male understands what his partner needs, he can’t possibly lead her. This book may be OK for simple box steps. Here’s a test. Learn a few steps then go dancing at at wedding or a club. I bet you don’t last more than 30 seconds on the floor.
You need to learn to maneuver around other couples, adapt to changes in tempo, learn to recognize the music, and still look good. It takes the average couple about 80 lessons in a good studio to learn to dance. Save your money, unless you really ARE an idiot.
Rating: 3 / 5
The text is way, way too wordy. It could have been edited to a tenth of its length without any loss of content. The actual instruction is far too detailed to follow in any meaningful way, and the accompanying DVD is poorly organized, the video clips are far too brief, and the blurry fade-ins are very distracting. As you can tell, I was not happy with this purchase.
Rating: 1 / 5