Salsa...Solo! - with Yesenia Adame: Beginner salsa dancing instruction, Salsa how-to, Salsa dance combinations, Footwork

Hello, I am Herman Munster. I am awkward. I have big feet, and I could never dance. Working through the first instruction I almost gave up after 5 minutes. Luckily I didn't have anything else to do so I kept at it. After much hard work and practice, I started getting it. First I got the steps down. Then I got the steps down along with the ritmo. Then I started using the Cuban hips. Now I am actually dancing. The first lesson starts out with very, very, very basic dance steps. The following lessons build on those. These lessons don't just teach a bunch of moves. The student learns how to dance by learning the basic steps and then learning to embellish them. One thing that I especially appreciate is the practice time included in the Dvd. There is probably more time devoted to practice than actual instruction. The practice involves the dancers dancing while the instructor calls out the steps. The only negative is that these lessons are intended for chicks, not dudes, so I ended up dancing like a chick. Oh well.

This DVD is probably not for absolute beginners unless you're really quick at picking things up. It incorporates quite a few things that you would get step-by-step instruction on in other areas -- such as body undulations, rib isolations, hip circles, and figure 8s (which are done in belly dance) -- as if it assumes you already are familiar with them. So I wouldn't say that all beginners will catch on immediately. I think, however, it is a fun DVD, and if someone sticks with it, the moves will not be too difficult to learn. The stage was uncluttered and worked well for the face-to-face instruction. I thought, however, that when the instructor taught the moves showing them from behind that it would have been better for a mirror to be in front of her. This might not bother some people. I guess it's a matter of preference. For the most part, the editing is acceptable on this DVD. But at one point, the DVD suddenly switches to a slide transition that really doesn't work at all and detracts from what's going on. It's the kind of transition only an amateur would use. Why on earth this was put in is a mystery to me, but thankfully the rest of the DVD has simple fades that don't disrupt the instruction. In the DVD, Yesenia teaches basic salsa moves and incorporates them into three combinations. The DVD includes a warm-up and cool-down. So the workout value is high. If you're looking for a fun workout that's different, this might be just what you need. However, if you're expecting performances on the DVD, you'll be disappointed. All that is included are three short demonstrations by the performers. None of them could be considered an actual performance. I do wish that at least one full performance in costume would have been included. The real bonus of this workout is it teaches dance steps, so you get more for your money than you would with the typical workout.

I am absolutely in love with this DVD! It is most definitely NOT a beginner's instructional, unless you danced as a child and/or have done maybe some ballet or belly dance lessons. You have to be very coordinated and know how to make very fast turns and body rolls. The music, while I love it, is a very bad choice for a beginner as well - it is too fast and the beat is not very clear. I've taken private salsa lessons in the past, and I can't make turns so fast as presented in this DVD - it will take me weeks and weeks of practice. Thus the name DVD "Beginner salsa dancing instruction" is very misleading... Saying all that, I still insist that this is an excellent quality DVD, with fantastic moves and beautiful music. Yesenia is an absolutely delight to watch. I would have given more starts if I could. I really hope Yesenia will create more DVDs, at this point they are on "auto buy" for me.

I have done this through twice. But it didn't catch me. She taught one of the turns really fast and I couldn't get it, but I probably would if I stuck to it. It didn't have a solid half hour or more dancing. It just goes through the steps for the routine then the routine, so it didn't flow enough for me. So I lost interest.

It's okay, nothing to write home about. It's not a very good beginner tape, unless you've had previous dance lessons, you wont be doing the Salsa without WEEKS of watching/practicing

This is super. I,m enjoying it a lot. I am not a beginner. If you think this is for a beginner, then it would be a very experienced coordinated beginner with fast reflexes. Why do they say beginners? She teaches clearly and shows from front and back but she teaches a whole basic from the first minute and the whole video goes fast. she doesn't really break anything down or take it apart or explain. What are cuban hips? i have no idea. anyway. If you aren't an absolute beginner you will love this because it moves fast it isn't boring and you're dancing salsa in 123!

I am a High School dance teacher and wanted to teach my students the basics of Salsa. I have years of classical training but never really learned Salsa. I loved how straight forward this was; easy to follow, clear and well demonstrated. It started with the basics and developed nicely to more advanced moves. But the best part was being able to show my students they can Salsa SOLO without a partner! It was easy for me to pick up, but even those with limited dance experience should try this...just watch the DVD in small sections several times first. Enjoy!

Ich habe die DVDs seit ein paar Jahren und liebe sie (auch die 2. Salsa DVD von ihnen für fortgeschrittenere Tänzerinnen), aber sie sind teilweise wirklich kompliziert erklärt und recht schnell für Anfänger ohne große Erklärungen, wenn man es z. B. mit den ersten Zumba-DVDs vergleicht, die auch komplizierte Schritte einfach und leicht nachvollziehbar auf der Schritte-Lern-DVD in Teilschritten erklären. Daher konnte ich halt auch schon viele Schritte beim Salsa. Ich denke, richtige Anfänger sind wirklich ziemlich aufgeschmissen, aber auch ihnen empfehle ich, durchzuhalten, weil es so viel Spaß macht und die Musik einen mitreißt. Dafür bekommt man richtig professionelles Tanzen geboten. Einen Trick, den ich für mich angewendet habe, um zu verstehen, welches Bein wo bei den komplizierten Drehungen landet (da sie ja vorher alles extra spiegelverkehrt zeigen, GERADE um uns zuhelfen, aber dadurch kommt man auch leider leichter durcheinander, wenn man die Tänzerinnen danach von hinten sieht), dass man versucht, herauszufinden, in welcher Reihenfolge welches Bein zuerst nach links/rechts oder hinten/vorne dreht, welches in welcher Reihenfolge nachzieht, ah jetzt das linke, dann das rechte, sozusagen mit dem Finger über der Pause-Taste, sonst wird einem beim Zusehen schon schwindelig. Seit ich das tat, wurde es viel leichter. Vielleicht hilft der Tipp. Bis man die Kombinationen dann gut kann, muss man evtl. schon bei manchen Drehungen mehrfach zurückspulen und schauen, wie es sich erklärt. Ich hätte auch fast aufgegeben schon bei der ersten Kombi, bis ich auf diese Idee kam und habe zum Glück durchgehalten, aber seit diesem Trick vervollständigten die Beine fast von alleine die Kombination, dennoch musste ich bis dahin oft zurückspulen. Die Tänzerinnen sind super sympathisch, aber so professionell, dass sie glaube ich vergessen haben, dass für Anfänger meist alles neu ist, sie sind bestens geformte Muskelpakete, eben Profitänzerinnenkörper. Man muss leider ein wenig üben, bevor es wirklich losgehen kann, aber dann wird man finde ich sehr belohnt. Und es ist so fordernd, dass man wieder einmal merkt, was für ein Workout Tanzen ist und ich es gerne in mehreren Teilen mache und dazwischen Pause, das kann ja jeder machen wie er will.

このYESENIAの美しさに魅かれて購入したようなものです。どおりで女優さんのようです。サルサの大会で賞をとったりもしているようです。サルサを基本からやさしく教えています。タイトルどおりソロ、ペアではありません。日本のプレーヤーで再生できました。

La monitora da muy buenas explicaciones, repite bastantes veces y la clase es super chula! Atención, que para las que nunca habéis hecho salsa, va tal vez demasiado rapido, aún que repasa todos los pasos basicos. Cuando se juntan las varias partes de las coreografias va muy rapido... Se suda un montón, y la clase es muy divertida. Ojo!, que el DVD solo está en inglés...

I am really enjoying this DVD. Took me a while to get going with learning solo salsa but now doing 30 - 60 mins per week. It all felt impossible to start with but I find it feels easier each time I do a session. I have only just completed the first section - I found writing notes helpful, the order of the steps for the final fast practice session. I would never go to a dance class, but this is great fun at home.

Salsa Solo is an instructional DVD and about 60 mins long. It includes the welcomes, a warm up, cool down and three combination sections. Each combination section has an instruction section, a review and then a practice with music. The instruction and review is done with no music to Yesenia's count of the beat. I actually would have preferred music for all sections but I guess for complete beginners it is better to know the steps by count without the confusion of trying to be in time with the music. After all, once you become more familiar with the moves you will be mostly using the practice section. The warm up has you getting ready for salsa and Yesenia introduced Cuban hip movement to get you moving the right way. There is also a break down of a body roll that you will do in a later section. he rest of the warm up is pretty standard. The first section introduces the basic steps of salsa and turns. The second section puts playful twists on the basics and the third section introduces fun combinations that are a little different from the basics. For example, they add a body roll and a box step. There is also a section that puts all the moves together for a short practice. I think this DVD provides good practice for beginners who want to become familiar with Salsa. Keep in mind that this is a solo practice DVD, it does not teach you how to partner dance. This DVD has you learning steps and combinations to dancing salsa on your own and it strives to give you the confidence and tools to be able to get creative and find your own style! The only thing I feel is lacking is a rhythm lesson. Beginners might have a hard time figuring out when to start on 1. If you are an intermediate or advanced salsa dancer you obviously do not need this DVD. It claims it can provide a workout in the practice sections but I wouldn't go as far as too say it doubles as a workout DVD. However, the moves you learn will definitely help you salsa your booty off!