Latinasize [DVD] [2006]

It amazes me how many of these reviews boil down to "it is too hard, so I gave up".

If you want a video where you can jump in and pick up all the moves straightaway, then yes, this is not going to be for you. This is a dance video as much as (or more than) it is an aerobic video, and as such you will have to learn - gasp! - dance steps. This may sound daunting, but actually it's great, and makes this DVD better, not worse! I've had this DVD since it was released, and still love it.

The way to approach it is to take one routine at a time, watch the instructional bit, then stick with that section, doing as much as you can and closely watching the bits you don't immediately "get". You can build up your expertise in the routine pretty fast, and any bits you don't immediately "get" will become easier as time goes on.

This way, you will gradually build up your skills and, when you have the routine down, it will be FUN, which is something missing from way too many exercise DVDs. Don't expect to pick up every step straight away - you wouldn't expect that in any dance class - but if you approach it in the right way then you will get a lot out of it. The sense of achievement when you can dance the routine right through is great, and worth a lot more than slogging through a boring, repetitive aerobics session.

This video is harder than her later Latinatone, but actually I think it is also better. These are all real Latin dances, with real Latin dance steps, and to a greater or lesser extent all of them will actually teach you something about the dances as well as getting you fitter.

I'm not too much of a dunce at dance, not that great either, and this DVD is just enough to be challenging (there are still parts of several routines which I struggle with) without being by any means impossible. Personally, I relish the challenge!

It has also given me the basics of a few dances; I did ballroom for a few months last year (till the teacher upped and left the school where I was learning!) and the first time we did cha cha I picked it up instantly and was able to do it well, because of what I had learned during the cha cha section of this video.

The music is pretty good throughout, appropriate to the dances used, and a lot of fun (the cha cha to Smooth is my favourite choice).

Some of the camera angles are less helpful than they could be, but all of it is workable.

Lilia doesn't yell encouragement at you every five seconds, but, to me at least, that's a relief - she lets you get on with it, listening to the music, listening out for what is coming next, with the occasional encouraging word. I like nothing less than my DVD yelling at me to "feel the burn", so if you, like me, find a lot of aerobics instructors make you want to put a fist through the TV, this is a definite bonus!

In conclusion, if you want a video where you switch your brain off while you exercise, buy something else. You'll hate this! But if you want to be a bit more challenged and actually learn something interesting as well as getting a good workout, then this comes highly recommended.

Such a shame - this DVD is not a good work out. The routines are complicated, not very aerobic, not well explained and the focus of the camera is in the wrong place (face not feet). It also required quite a lot of room (more than a usual DVD). Not sure that being familiar with dance or salsa would save this one. Good luck.

I think I bought this the day it came out in the shops.. as dvds are my main form of exercise I'm always willing to try a new one and this one seemed like something different and fun. Unfortunately it has been sat untouched on my shelf for the last 6 weeks and I'll explain why! Whilst each of the 5 different dance sections will work up a sweat i really could not follow the footsteps as it was just too quick. There were too many random shots of peoples faces, bodies, etc so I ended up losing where I was up to and doing my own obscure steps until I could catch up! I felt like I needed eyes in the back of my head for all the turns - plus i kept going dizzy! Maybe if i'd stuck at it for more than 2 weeks I would have got better but for me there was not enough explanation of when the next step was coming up, not enough counting out loud so you know where you're up to and far, far too complicated!