African Dance Workout with Debra Bono

This video is loads of fun. It's energetic, varied and provides a good workout about 50 minutes long. It includes a warmup followed by two dance routines that Debra teaches incrementally followed by a short cool down. If you want shorter workouts, you could easily just do one of the dances. If you need to be able to do it perfectly the first time, this video probably not for you. It's a little confusing at first. With each repetition, it gets a little easier to follow. The challenge of getting better at the dances as you go is what makes it fun for me. It's a little high impact with a lot of bouncing and hopping, but it is easily modifiable if you have foot or knee problems or are just not feeling right one day. There are three demonstrators and one or two of them are demonstrating modifications that Debra points out occasionally. There are a few times where the leader flubs the cues "left, I mean, right" or once where she calls something a "combo" and then says it's a "repeater" because it "three," but it actually is a combo. A little distracting, but not a big deal. Generally, the leaders cues and demonstrations are easy to follow. She teaches a step with lots of repetitions, and adds it to the routine so it's easy to learn. The DVD includes a short set of upper body exercises at the end that seem out of place, but easy to skip. It uses weights and a step. I do the upper body occasionally and it feels good. Her guidance on the weights seems good and safe.

This is my second Debra Bono DVD and so far my favorite! This DVD starts with 7 minute warm up that includes some of the movements that you will be doing during the aerobic section and then a light stretch for muscles.The 40 minute aerobic section consist of two different workouts. If you (like me) have a very extensive home DVD library and look for DVD's to create a little variety and also muscle confusion this is it! I love doing the moves that swing your leg in circle (while standing) or work your shoulder forward in a lunge, or even a kick back with attidude. The dance is well cued, the studio is beautiful and the music is perfect for the dancers. This is advertised as an intermediate DVD and I would say that's about right, although advanced beginners may want to give it a try only because the workout is so interesting, you would not mind practing with it a few times.There are plenty of hops for those of you who like high impact, but there is also a modifier in the back (sometimes hard to see) who does a low impact version.I also like this one more than the other that I purchased because there is no down time. No stopping for creative moves..just full aerobic dance...and the dance is fun and beautiful.If you want to try a workout that is differnt than what you have (march, march, side step, side step) this is it. I will use this DVD frequently and keep it in my library.

This is absolutely one of the best aerobic dance DVD's I own. I just purchased it and did it this morning and it was face paced, easy to follow, energetic, fun and went fast. This is one I will go back to over and over and am looking forward to getting the moves down more than first time try. What I like about Debra Bono is she does not dawdle; she explains the moves clearly and I can follow her but she moves through them quickly so the explanations blend into the overall workout. Some DVD dance workouts takes a long time for the explanations in the middle of the workout so once you learn them fairly well, it slows you down when you go back to it. This is not the case with Ms. Bono. She's awesome. It's awesome. I would go to her classes if I lived where she does but I don't because I live in remote Alaska. So, Ms. Bono, if you are reading this, thank you for such a fun and energy driven DVD. I love it. You're the best.

Wow! This thing goes by very fast and I am apparently too slow to keep up!! LOL...Well, today was my first time so hopefully I will eventually catch up!! I had a lot of fun doing this and Debra Bono is a joy!! The moves were fun (although I felt a bit stupid having a little trouble catching on..LOL) and different from what I usually do. I found this to be a great workout...I was so sweaty but felt energized and empowered when I was done!! I highly recommend this workout for anyone who likes to dance, wants to learn to dance, or just wants something different. I like the 5 minute arm workout at the end too!!! She is a great instructor, so enthusiastic, energetic and just plain wonderful! I can't wait to try this again!! :)

I thoroughly enjoy this video! After taking Zumba (because I love to dance) and feeling like I wasn't getting enough out of the workout (it didn't make me feel like I wanted to repeat the experience), I went investigating dance workouts. I remembered that I have found African dance very invigorating and soul-awakening in my past, so I decided to look for an African dance-based workout. I found Ms. Bono's videos, and to my delight, I wasn't disappointed...it was wonderful! So if you're tired of the "artificial and commercial buzz" from Zumba, you should try reawakening that spark you had for dance by getting this video! Thank you, Debra!

Somewhat interesting, since it does provide a different routine from any other exercise video I have, though I can be difficult to follow. It'd be nice if this had a separate instructional part to learn the moves before dancing, but I think it this was created for VHS originally and transferred to DVD.

Debra Bono rocks! I have wasted money on so many workout routines (VHS/DVD) in which the instructor goes too fast, is boring, or tells you to do something that can only be seen by the person operating the camera or there in the room! This DVD is absolutely great. Not only does Debra Bono explain every step ahead of time, constantly keeping you in the loop, but she makes the routines fun! Compare the faces of the people working out with her to other DVDs you've seen...many times the people in back of the instructor are miserable, but all the people dancing with Debra Bono are smiling because they are having fun as well! I'm so happy that I bought this and will be using it regularly.

I love this dvd and it's one of my favorite at-home workouts.

I found this quite a tough workout, but it is over before you feel exhausted and you feel you have worked every part of the body. It's good for people who like 'dancey' workouts rather than straight aerobics. I found a few of the steps hard to pick up at first but have only done the dvd DVD 3 times so far and feel I will have got there by next time. I find I generally go back to the workouts that keep the mind worked enough not to get bored.The instructor has a warm friendly way about her and is encouraging.I would definitely buy another African Dance workout.

I love the African dance movements, it's a good workout :)