Year: 2005

Distributor: Goodtimes Home Entertainment/GT Media

Instructor(s): Jennifer Galardi

Today is officially my birthday, and this is one of the new workout DVDs that I got on June 20, 2024. To sum it up, I have never been happier with a dance fitness workout in my collection, and I would love to share it with y’all as a special surprise. 

The video starts off with a short introduction by Rosemary Ellis, a former editorial director of Prevention Magazine. As of now, Prevention Magazine is still going strong after 70 years, and I would love for the writers and editors to keep putting their passion into newer articles. 

The first two Prevention Fitness Systems programs were distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment: Walk Your Way Slim and Flatten Your Belly with Pilates, both led by Michelle Dozois. Unfortunately, I could not find a DVD copy of Walk Your Way Slim on Amazon, but there is already an existing VHS rip of the same name on YouTube. There is also a rare VHS version of Dance It Off, and is the only VHS to be distributed by GoodTimes Entertainment.

Warm Up

Our featured instructor, Jennifer Galardi, starts off with introducing herself and her backup dancers: Michelle Boehle, Austen Brown (who appears in another Prevention Fitness Systems DVD that I own), Beth Campbell, and Amie Barsky. In the warm-up, she teaches some basic dance steps that are present in the four 10-minute segments: hip hop, Latin, jazz, and ballet. 

The dance terminology (triple step, V-step, shuffle, etc) is used throughout the workouts so you can understand these important moves. In each segment, she shows off a couple of isolated parts of a move that are first broken down, then performed at half time, and then up to speed before combining them with other steps. As for the choreographies, they are always performed a few times at the end of a workout.

Hip Hop

The hip hop segment, by far, was the easiest out of the four because I have been exposed to this style of dance when I was younger, and I find that rediscovering this dance style when I was building up my DVD collection reminds me of how passionate I am about it. These are some of the smoothest moves that I have seen in a hip hop workout, compared to other workouts like 10 Minute Solution: Hip Hop Dance Mix. It has a “bounce in the center” base instead of a walking/marching base, which is a refreshing change of pace. I did like how Jennifer interacted with the backup dancers while teaching the choreography, which makes it a bit playful and silly.

Latin

The only exposure I got to Latin dancing was in Yoga Booty Ballet Live: Latin Flavor, but I felt that Gillian and Teigh’s choreography was a bit lackluster because it contained minimal “authentic” Latin moves and combined it with their own signature moves, which made it a bit all over the place. Jennifer’s version is better in my opinion since she has a lot of fancy footwork, rhythm changes, and plenty of attitude. These moves all flow pretty smoothly and are precisely in sync with the music. 

Jazz

For some reason, the choreography is stuck in my head because it is the only segment in which I successfully completed on the first try. Inspired by 2000s music videos and contemporary/modern dance, Jennifer’s seductive rolls, twists and turns will keep you on your toes throughout the entire segment. As a result, the heart beats faster for a great cardio benefit, so you will look and feel like a pop star in no time!

Ballet

Last but not least, this segment reminds me a lot of the ballet segments from Yoga Booty Ballet, and is presented as a series of isolations that will challenge your balance and coordination. This dance style not only works the hips and thighs, but you feel the flowing energy throughout your whole body in general. I recommend that you take your shoes off before doing these moves because you will feel a natural lift in the arches of your feet, which will soften and enlighten them. The execution of traditional ballet steps in a fun and stylized way allows for creative expression and flexibility.

Cooldown/Smart Ways to Live Well

There’s not that much to say for the cooldown of this workout, but Jennifer suggests that you can leave your shoes on or take them off, since the stretches are nice and easy on the joints. It’s extremely important to use this segment as a way to stretch or to help prepare you for the warm up portion of the workout, according to an Amazon review.

The bonus “Smart Ways to Live Well” segments are hosted by personal trainer Chris Freytag (who is featured in many Prevention Fitness Systems titles) include a recipe for a health-boosting smoothie, five Pilates-inspired moves for a stronger core, and three ways to get a quick energy boost. I tried, modified, and tested the smoothie recipe when ripping the files to my Internet Archive upload; it tasted wonderful and delectably sweet, but not too sweet. The Pilates moves were mostly familiar to me, with the exception of the modified teaser, which is one of the most difficult moves in Pilates. Finally, the suggestions that Chris Freytag recommended in the last segment might help me be more energized during the day. 

Final Thoughts

Jennifer Galardi herself is a likeable instructor, and is also featured in other dance fitness workouts from both the 10 Minute Solution and Dance Off The Inches series, both of which are distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment. I do look forward to getting more titles in my collection that feature her as the lead instructor in the future. I would not recommend this for total beginners, but I will strongly accept the fact that it’s suitable for seasoned dancers or for those who want to be challenged by the fast pacing and various dance rhythms.

Rating 

Instructor(s): 9/10

Sets: 7/10

Outfits: 8/10

Music: 10/10

Production Value: 10/10

Overall Benefits: 9/10

Exertion: 7/10

Ease of Movement: 5/10

Audio/Visual Modifications: 6/10

Special Features: 9/10

Use of Equipment: N/A

Total Score: 80

Intensity Level: Light to Moderate Intensity

Impact: Mixed Impact