Being a huge fan of Gareth Walker's 'Pump it Up' workouts, I'm bound to be a bit biased! But unfortunately, for me this DVD just isn't quite as good as the previous Gareth-led ones. It's still full of great dance moves and a fantastic soundtrack, and follows the 'usual' Pump it Up format, i.e. warm up, toning, Dancemixes 1, 2 and 3 (all about 15 minutes each), 'legs, bums and tums' then a cooldown.
There isn't much distinction between Dancemixes 1, 2 and 3 except that Dancemix 2 is a more 'Latin'-style workout, obviously inspired by Zumba. Unfortunately, I found the new presenter a bit dull and uninspiring (though this is obviously just my personal taste); although he explains all the moves well he rushes through them all at a very fast pace and there are so many that you're in danger of forgetting them by the time you get to the final run-through!
The faster pace of this presenter is a little at odds with the fact that some of the moves are quite a bit more complicated and advanced than previous 'Pump it Up' workouts (especially when I got to Dancemix 3 which had me tripping over my feet a bit!) I would think that you need to be a dancer, familiar with previous 'Pump it Up' DVDs, and/or do Zumba classes to be able to pick them up properly as you go - I wouldn't recommend this DVD to a complete beginner or someone who just wants to get stuck in straight away. None of the routines use traditional 'aerobics'; the emphasis is heavily on club/dance moves, so if you want to learn some moves for a night out this will be your thing! And it's a good 'sweaty' workout too, as long as you're able to keep up.
The 10-odd minute 'tone' and 'legs, bums and tums' follow the usual 'Pump it Up' format and can be adapted for beginners.
For me, this loses a star for its lack of the 'fun and flamboyance' factor - I just didn't smile as much doing this DVD as I have with some of the others! But it is still a great option if you're a fan of dance-based workout DVDs and want to be a bit challenged.