Returning to Trisha’s house, we popped the DVD into the TV and got started. Rather than playing all of the dance workouts (Mambo Mix, Hollywood Jazz and the Hustle & Pop) consecutively, we decided to do them one by one, allowing for short breaks in between.
Three main instructors, different for each dance, filmed all the dances in a studio with four back-up dancers, each of whom were dressed in a ridiculous outfit. Whether it was a black body suit with cut-outs or a sports bra with a fringe shrug on top, the wardrobe choices of the cast served as a big source of entertainment. Already wary of the DVD, all we were thinking now was, “What did we just get ourselves into?”
Starting with the Mambo Mix, the instructor (wearing a bright red mini skirt, a long sleeved belly shirt and black boots) started us off with challenging hip movements that we would have typically associated with a complicated Spanish dance. Not to mention, the foreign instructor’s deep, sultry and heavily accented voice was difficult to understand. After many failed attempts and sexy hip movements, we skipped onto Hollywood Jazz, hoping that an American dance workout would be more doable.
The instructor, this time Australian with perfectly quaffed hair, was slightly easier to follow and nauseatingly more peppy. Looking down at our Nike shorts and tank tops, stringy hair and tangible frustration, this lady was not helping. Rigorously lifting, turning and kicking, most of our moves were ridiculous, even laughable, at best. To make matters worse, due to the difficulty of the moves, the majority of our time was spent standing in front of the television, trying to figure out what to do next. By the end, we had managed to complete only handful of moves (to our dismay), that pushed us to our limits. With only a few moves, the workout became more obvious, as we struggled to keep up to pace.
Shimmying into the next and final dance, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was unlike the previous two and actually like an actual workout class. Stepping and clapping to the beat, the next 20 minutes soon slid by, and before we knew it, the video was over.
Overall, while the video wasn’t out favorite workout, it did have its benefits. Along with mild cardio exercise, the dances worked to tone the whole body. Meticulously working the core especially, the hip movements and stretches throughout complimented each other perfectly. So while this video wasn’t necessarily a high-intensity workout, it definitely worked toward creating a leaner you.
By Ashleigh Atasoy and Trisha Chaudhary
