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Salsa & Mambo Video Reviews

Vanda

Ladies Styling

Level: Advanced

Style: On1

Content: Styling routines.

General Comment:In 15 minutes this DVD teaches you 8 combinations and puts them together in a sequence, so you had better learn fast. Vanda is surely a good dancer and shows her disparate repertoire from jazz and contemporary to oriental dancing. The content is quite unlike standard salsa ladies styling - not a single double spin, no ‘shine’ looking steps, no hands caressing the hair. Vanda involves her entire body in movements which only the young and flexible may be able to achieve; they require strength, coordination, energy and attitude and you will surely look impressive if you manage to master them. Before you get to it however, be prepared to make full use of your fancy remote control because while the filming is good, with a good view of all details from front and back, the explanations are quite basic and given only once after which each sequence is demonstrated with counting and at full salsa speed.

I have to admit that if tomorrow in the local salsa club, I was to find a dance partner who was to unleash some of these moves in a social salsa dance, I would feel slightly intimidated; rather than subtle, the key words here are ‘energy’, ‘flashy’, ‘big’, ‘strong’ and ‘loud’: a choice surely suitable for a wannabe performer, less so for a social dancer.

Reviewed by Fabio - Ok