Learning the art of dance takes commitment and dedication. In order to help you start out the right way with form and movement, a dance instruction DVD is the next best thing to taking lessons. In fact, a DVD is a fantastic way to master basic dance skills without spending a lot on private studio lessons. Whether you are learning hip hop, swing, ballet or ballroom, a video perfectly suited to meet your needs is a great place to start.
Learn a New Dance Style
Whether you are a professional dancer or someone who wants to learn some dance moves just for fun, you can learn hundreds of new dances. Dancing is an art that's enjoyed all over the world, and all cultures celebrate movement in different ways. These dance instruction DVDs will show you how to learn whole new ways of dancing or practice new choreography for dances you already enjoy.
Darrin's Dance Grooves
Darrin's Dance Grooves allows you to go old school and learn some classic hip hop moves. Starring the infamous Darrin Dewitt Henson, it helps you learn basic moves to shine even if you've never been on the dance floor before. It includes a special feature where you can learn some street moves, too.
Darrin has choreographed for such artists as Britney Spears. You won't have to be a pro to keep up though. This DVD allows you to go at your own pace, and Darrin breaks down each complex move into simple steps that you can build on. A quality DVD will not try to cram in a huge amount of knowledge, instead focusing on several key moves that viewers can master with some practice. That's exactly what Darrin achieves here. Originally released in 2001, it has enjoyed ongoing popularity and acclaim, with even Buzzfeed celebrating the workout. Over 3 million copies have been sold.
Island Girl Dance Fitness Workout for Beginners: Cardio Hula
Kili is a graceful hula dancer, choreographer, and expert instructor. She leads you in basic hula steps to form more complex dances in Cardio Hula. The steps that Kili teaches include the hela, kaholo, double hela, lele Æuwehe, uwehe, and kaÆo. She has a calm voice and upbeat manner as she leads you through the dance steps. You can do the 40-minute workout again and again. If you find yourself wanting to learn more steps, Kili hosts other hula dance workouts under the Island Girl series. With a high rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon, dancers have spoken about what they feel is a terrific workout.
Dance Fitness for Beginners with MaDonna Grimes: African Beat - Latin Heat
MaDonna Grimes is an experienced, award-winning choreographer, and she leads you through an innovative dance workout on this 42-minute DVD that combines Latin dance steps with urban moves. Diets in Review sang the praises of Dance Fitness for Beginners, pointing out that it is a fun fitness option. This is a great dance DVD for beginners because MaDonna carefully walks you through the steps while helping to motivate you all along the way. While these moves aren't traditional dances that you would do in most dance classes, they are a lot of fun.
Try Celebrity Dance DVDs
Because of the big draw of celebrity, many stars have dance instruction DVDs that also provide a great workout. These are the ones that rise to the top, providing top notch instruction along with the star power.
Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance
Since the smash success of her debut album Forever Your Girl, Paula Abdul has been a household name around the world. She first worked as a choreographer though, and that comes through in her hit workout DVD, Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance! Paula's friendly personality shines through, and she breaks down the steps so that even novices can quickly pick them up. It combines low-impact aerobics with high-impact aerobics while it also gives viewers a greater understanding of dance. Fit-Bottomed Girls love this DVD and included it in their list of the 10 Best Dance Workout DVDs.
Julianne Hough's Dance With Julianne: Just Dance!
As a former dancer and current judge on Dancing With the Stars, Julianne Hough is known as a talented and popular dancer. You get what feels like a full body workout and a private dance lesson in Dance with Julianne: Just Dance!, with Julianne breaking down each dance move at a pace that anyone can follow. She also gives you a plethora of helpful tips on how to improve your technique and develop your own dance style. The He and She Eat Clean blog praises this DVD, pointing out that it gives a great cardio workout and helps tone as well.
Madonna's Addicted to Sweat: ATS Dance, Get Wet
As one of four DVDs in the Addicted to Sweat workout DVD series from Madonna, the Addicted to Sweat: ATS Dance, Get Wet workout DVD features three fun-filled, challenging routines. The 50-minute dance workout is taught by Nicole Winhoffer, who is Madonna's personal trainer. FitDay called this workout challenging and fun.
The dance routine is a bit fast-paced, so beginning dancers will likely need to do it a few times before fully catching on. The warm-up and cool downs are solid, and the choreography is a lot of fun. Among the dances covered are the electric slide and the cha cha. As a bonus at the end, Nicole performs the dances perfectly, so you can get an idea of how you should ideally be able to perform them with practice.
Explore the Art of Ballroom Dancing
With the growing number of fans of shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, ballroom dancing is experiencing a new surge in popularity. While the professional dancers on these shows can make the dances look easy, they can be complicated and require countless hours of practice. Starting with a ballroom dancing DVD can help you determine whether you want to pursue ballroom dance classes.
Ballroom Dancing Mastery System - Ballroom Dance Lessons Beginner's Guide
This seven-disc box set of instructional DVDs from DanceCrazy is for those who are serious about learning ballroom dance moves. It's created for beginners with simple, easy-to-follow instruction that slowly builds on what you learn as you progress. Two instructors, a man and a woman, are on each DVD to show you how to do the individual steps as well as the ones that need to be done together.
This DVD set teaches you the art of swing dancing, waltzing, and doing the foxtrot. While you will need a partner to perform these dances, you can learn the steps on your own in the privacy of your own home. You won't learn how to become a pro from this set, but it will teach you the basics and help you look great on the dance floor. Like the Glamamama's Goodies blog noted, it's great for beginners of all ages.
Dance Lessons 101: The Basics and Beyond
Dance Lessons 101 packs in a lot of instruction in its 124 minutes. This dance DVD pack teaches you the starting moves that you need for ballroom dancing as well as Latin dancing and swing dancing. Instructors Joanna and Shawn Trautman are likable and fun to follow. Each step is carefully explained to both the leader and the follower of the dance. While it doesn't go too much in depth on each style of dance, it gives you a nice introduction to the basics, and that is likely to help you see if the style may be a good fit for you. Many Amazon reviewers sing the praises of this title, which is appropriate for people of all ages and skill levels.
Find the Perfect Instructional DVD for You
When you are searching for the best dance instruction DVD to suit your needs, keep in mind that it's important to consider the teacher, choreographer and creator of the video. Ask yourself if the style of dance is one that you're likely to feel comfortable doing. Take a little time to do your research, and you will be sure to find an instructional program perfect for your goals.
