The Firm: Cardio Dance Slim Down

First of all, I have to admit, I am a "Firm Believer" as the videos say. No, I've never gone to the Firm website to sign up, but Firm workouts will whip you into shape! Plus I love nearly all the instructors. Ali DelRio Pointer being my favorite, I am a bit biased for this review. To add to that, I LOVE to dance. Not the formal ballet, or ballroom or anything structured. I just love to dance. In fact, I went to the bars every week during my college years not to meet people, but to dance! Over the years since, dancing has gone on the way side for me. Only recently when I got bored with my usual exercise routine did I begin to look at dance videos.Generally, I have problems finding a dance workout video I like. I don't follow dance instructions well - I'd rather just move to the music in my own way. So I tend to get frustrated either because the moves are hard to follow, they aren't my style, or they are too slow (the video is more instructional). Not the case at all with Firm Cardio Dance Slim Down. As I said, it helps that Ali DelRio Pointer is my favorite Firm instructor. But she does an excellent job in this workout. The workout begins with a warm up - more dance oriented, but nothing complicated. Then it is followed by 3 dance segments (loosely based on hip-hop, salsa and disco) and a cool down. Each segment is well distinguished without being disruptive - this allows you to complet the entire workout with it being choppy, but also to have a few places to stop if you need to cut down the workout. Ms. DelRio Pointer does a wonderful job with instruction. She is very clear with her instructions making the moves easy to catch onto with in a few tries. I like the variety too of the types of dance. Finally, I like that the video is on the shorter side for a Firm workout. I love their workouts as I've said, but I don't always have an hour to workout. It's great.I would definitely recommend this video - especially if you like the Dance It Off Carlorie Blasting Party video, or Ali DelRio Pointer. It is a great workout.

This is one of my favorite Firms. My favorite is with Master Instructor, Susan Harris. The Cardio Slim Down Dance is so much fun. This was out many years ago and I loved it then. My old one messed up, Therefore, I had to buy another one. I am so elated they still sell this particular one. Allie, the Instructor in this one, is so much fun and simply amazing. I have done this workout for years before my disc messed up as I stated previously. If you are trying to lose weight, like I was a long time ago, this is a truly fun way to do it. If you want to get toned, like I am doing now, this is perfect. Either way, you will have fun DANCING!

I'm an advanced exerciser who loves cardio and dance. I knew going in that this was definitely not a dance video, and after I finished, I knew it wasn't really a workout video, either.The warmup starts out with some head and arm rolls and eventually we're `dancing'. We did the mambo and we did some disco. We finished with a short cool-down, which consisted of some more dancing. Now when I say dancing, I don't mean actual dancing. Nobody I have ever known would go out in public and dance this way. Allie keeps saying everybody will want to dance with us at the club, but I seriously doubt that.I wouldn't classify this as a workout simply because there just isn't enough cardio in it to make it so. There are no weights used, no resistance, and no core exercises, although there's some hip shaking and hip thrusts thrown in as part of the dance. I didn't really work up a sweat, and my heart rate stayed pretty low the entire time. The workout is about 32 minutes long, and it was (kind of) fun but did not feel particularly beneficial. It won't be part of my usual rotation as I like longer and much more intense workouts than this one could offer.My recommendation is that if you are a beginner or intermediate and want a short, fun, but not intense workout, then this is for you. Even people with two left feet can get the hang of this one. If you are advanced, this video would be for easy days or if you just like to have fun and not really work out. You cannot go into this expecting an intense workout experience or to learn any cool dance moves, otherwise you'll be mighty disappointed. I'll admit I felt pretty silly at times, but I did not hate it. It just isn't something I'll do very often. My overall impression: ambivalent.

I bought this DVD with the same low expectations of it that I have had since 2002 when the Firm was sold by Anna Benson (the original designer of the workouts). The post 2002 DVDs/videos by the Firm do not have the same feel as the older ones do, and are not as hard. I do like Allie Del Rio Pointer and that is why I bought it, also I had never bought a dance excersize DVD before. The music is terrible and frequently does not fit the dance "moves" Allie instructs us to do. There are also some moves that do not work well on carpedted floors (the "butterfly" move in the warmup is what I am referring to). It does not get my heart up very much. However.... I like this workout! On days when I do not want to work out I reach for this DVD. It is over quickly and still gets my heart up a little, and I don't have to go outside in poor weather (when we have it here). I feel like an idiot for enjoying this workout but I do. It is a keeper for me, although I agree with the other reviewer who stated that you will not be doing ANY of the moves in this workout in a club.Allie is not going to win any dance contests with the moves in this DVD!

Now I know my title for this is a bit ott, but this truly is the best dance aerobics dvd I have found. For a long time I've searched for a dance-style workout that would be more fun than the normal aerobics workouts. I've tried everything from 'Strictly come Dancersize' to 'Dirty Dancing'..and they are all just too complicated. This is very fun and the dance aerobics isn't hard to pick upThe dancing/workout lasts for about 50 mins, and it's a really good cardio workout, but you also have fun at the same time.If you are looking for a dance exercise dvd then give this one a go. It's my new favourite workout dvd and I can't imagine finding a more fun workout, without all the complicated moves that put you off them.

I really love this DVD. It gives you a very good workout without being too challenging. The moves are easy to learn and the instructor is very good. The girls doing the routines with you look like they're having so much fun, you can't help but smile and enjoy it with them!This is a great DVD for a beginner and/or intermediate fitness level, and a very nice workout for the advanced guys on the days when you feel that you still want to get a good session but your energy level is not as high as it should be on an advanced level day.I have so much fun when doing these routines, the workout is usually over before I realise it!Love it!

I feel a bit mean criticising this as I love The Firm DVDs - their stuff is usually hardcore aerobics and strength training aimed at experienced exercisers. This DVD had some great dance moves (I love the 70's hitchiker and speedball!) but as fun as it was I hardly broke a sweat as - unusually for The Firm - there's no high-impact elements to the workout. Even the lovely Alison - who is a fellow Firm Master Instructor - and dancing behind Ali in this DVD seems a bit disinterested at times - she certainly didn't get that muscly shape from doing this DVD!However, as the moves are fun and there is enough repetition to help you pick it up people who like a 'grounded', fun dance workout will love this.

This DVD is so much fun, love the work out, easy to follow and does the job!

This is the first dance DVD I've bought and I've done it around five times in the last 3 weeks. Its broken into five parts - warm up, basic aerobics, Latin dance, Disco dance and cool down. I've enjoyed all elements other than the latin dance which I simply can't get the hang of, I've needed to improvise and add in my own steps so I still feel I'm getting a work out.The instructor is nice enough although the music is a bit dull. It would be nice if there was a dedicated abs section as I didn't feel the latin shimmies did anything for me - that said the locomotion and hitchhiking moves in the disco section took me back to my youth!