Dance Off The Inches: Hip Hop Party

The first time I tried this DVD, I didn't like it. I thought the moves were much too complicated and I would never get them down right. (It should be noted that I have absolutely no dance experience and don't generally do aerobics type DVDs either.) I didn't touch the DVD again until I was getting bored with my yoga DVD. I've since done it twice, and it's grown on me. Most of the moves can be learned after a few viewings. The Sexy Smooth Hip Hop portion is my least favorite. The steps aren't particularly hard to understand, but that section has a lot of hip rolls and body rolls. As someone who's not so good at pulling off hip rolls, it makes that section of the DVD frustrating for me. I can always skip that section, though. The Basic Hip Hop section was the easiest in my opinion, especially after going through the step guide. I also liked the World Hip Hop section, which I thought had the most interesting moves.CHAPTERS (Note: The chapter listing in the booklet is incorrect and leaves out the World Hip Hop chapter. This is the chapter listing from the DVD itself with my notes on the contents and length of each section.)1. Introduction - This is basically what you see in the video preview on this page - Jennifer's introduction of the DVD. (1.5 minutes)2. Warm Up - Marching in place, shoulder rolls, isolation stomach moves, hip rolls (4 minutes)3. Basic Hip Hop - Slides, punches, butterfly, throw down, pelvic thrusts (10.5 minutes)4. Sexy Smooth Hip Hop - catwalk, hip rolls, kickball changes, body rolls, drags (11.5 minutes)5. World Hip Hop - lunges, salsa twists, box step, chest pumps and pops, heel digs, shimmy shakes (11 minutes)6. Cool Down - breathing exercises, pliés, stretches (4.5 minutes)7. End Credits (1 minute)Also included: Step Guide (15.5 minutes, despite the fact that the box says it's only 10 minutes)PROS- The instructor seems to be genuinely enjoying herself.- The moves are pretty fun and interesting, so it's not boring.- It's actually a good workout.- You don't have to lie on the ground or own any weights, bands, or other supplies.- Most of the routines consist of one movement to which she then gradually adds more movements, so you have a little bit of time to get used to doing the movements and transitioning from one to another.- The movements match up well with the music, so if you get off it's easy to pick back up again.CONS- Some of the instructors comments are annoying: "Show me what you got!" "Smooth like honey!" "You guys are getting hot!" "Oxygen is free, guys!" "Like you're taking off your shirt!"- A couple of movements may be difficult for people with bad knees, particularly the butterfly. Overall, though, I think this workout should be doable for most people.- Like some of the other reviewers said, there are a couple of moves that are difficult on carpet, including the slides. For these, I just accept the fact that I will not be able to slide as smoothly as she does since I'm on carpet.- The step guide would have been better if it had gone a little slower and included more practice of the steps. The box boasts that the step guide is it's only ten minutes (which is wrong, it's 15.5 minutes long), but I think it would actually be better if it were longer because that would mean that she was taking the time to teach you the moves thoroughly. Think about it - she has to teach you 10 different moves. Even at 20 minutes, that would mean she was only spending 2 minutes on each move. She does a good job with the time she has, starting with the legs and then adding the arms, but for some of the moves she only puts it all together and does it at tempo once or twice, so I found myself skipping back a few times before I got them right. I would have preferred if she repeated the moves a few more times so that I would have time to mimic her and then make any adjustments necessary to get the moves down completely.

I read many of the reviews for this DVD prior to purchasing it, and against my better judgment assumed most people were just exaggerating or not used to exercising. I was already familiar with Jennifer Galardi having done one of her ab workouts on exercise tv on demand. In spite of wondering where the bloody hip hop was in the clip I watched on Amazon prior to purchasing, I pulled the trigger on making the purchase because Jennifer is a good instructor.My first impression upon doing this DVD was that it was easy, slow and not in any way shape or form Hip Hop. Seriously... using the words "hip hop" in the title is like false advertising! Those words have no business being associated with this DVD or its content at all. But I let it slide because after completing the DVD (and the step guide) I was sweating, my abs felt tighter and I did feel as though I had worked out.Jennifer is a very good instructor. The step guide is a huge asset to the DVD. I did the step guide before taking the plunge (per other reviews' advice) and it helped tremendously. She is easy to follow, the steps are relatively easy to do and to manipulate, and on the off chance you get lost or miss a step it is easy to catch up.That is kind of where I run out of positive things to say about this DVD. I've said it before but I will reiterate... if you are looking for a true hip hop DVD, this is NOT the one for you! The music is so lame and is in no way hip hop at all. It sounds like some dude in his basement decided to try playing with a lame drum machine while using Tetris as his inspiration. It doesn't go w/ the name of the DVD, nor does it go with Jennifer's style or the moves she's teaching.There are like two random old-school "hip hop" moves she throws into her routines, but that is it. I'm sorry, but the box step and kick-ball-change do not constitute hip hop dancing. And just because she says things like "bring tha noise" and "I wanna see you partaaaayyy" doesn't mean the routines are hip hop related.I read a review prior to purchasing this DVD that said something like just because she's wearing cargo pants doesn't mean it is a hip hop DVD. I now know fully what that person meant. I tried to like this DVD and still do throw it into rotation. But I find that every time I do it now, all I can do is focus on the absurdity of the difference between what is in the title of the DVD versus what content is actually on it.

With over 250 reviews here for this disk already, my one may not make any difference, but I did want to mention that parts of the routines may be stressful to spinal disks. I have been using Jennifer Galardi's Cardio Hip Hop disk regularly without any problems, but I do have to modify the moves that involve too much twisting or fast impact. The first time I worked out to that disk, the twisting moves stressed my bulging lower back disk. This Hip Hop Party disk did so even more, with its many more twisting moves and hops. I was in a lot of discomfort for a week after the first time. I tried it a second time today, modifying moves to minimize or eliminate twists and impacts, so we'll see if that helps. I am avoiding just the last two moves completely for now, as they are the fastest and are higher-impact.This disk has sexier moves and moves that feel more like dance than those on the CHH disk. I noticed a couple reviewers wrote that the moves are too hard, and it seemed like they gave up trying. Just like any new video I've tried, you have to practice them several times to feel comfortable with the moves and get them down pat, so don't give up so easily! The moves really are not that hard. It just requires repetition. The more you do them, the sooner they will feel more natural.Jennifer is a good dancer, good at giving instructions and good at calling out the moves. I like that her crew looks like a group of average, healthy women (ie: not models or pros), and it takes place in what looks like a small dance studio, which lends it a feeling of intimacy. Whether or not the moves are authentically hip hop does not diminish the fun. And it's a cheap disk, so why not try it?

This is one of my favourite workout DVDs, which will work up a sweat, but keep you smiling throughout the routine.The workout is easy to follow and the moves and the music keep you motivated.This was one of the first fitness DVDs I bought and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to working out at home.

The dancing part is really fun to do! It also breaks down the moves at the beginning, so that one can learn to do them right, gradually. Taking into consideration that currently I am only moderately fit, the dancing part is not demanding to a level that I can't follow. I am very satisfied with it, because it makes fitness fun and I feel like I am definitely losing inches, even though it's too soon to see a big difference.

Funky, fun and quite easy to do if you have a little dance experience or are willing to see it about twice to practice the steps. Great music and the instructor communicates very well. Totally worth your money.

I bought this item to connect exercises with kind of fun. But in this case I ended up stressed and a bit disappointed. The moves are great but hard to follow if you don't have any experience in HipHop Dancing.I'm still hoping that if I practise this more and more I will once in a time dance like her. Hopefully! ;)

I bought this video because I like Jennifer Galardi and I was not disappointed. This workout has lots of fun moves and no nonsense. It moves fairly quickly and some of the steps aren't easy but that makes it a fun challenge. The first time through I could do most of it. The different styles of hip hop are fun and break the workout into smaller segments. I'm looking forward to mastering this one.