Dancing With the Stars: Cardio Dance for Weight Loss

A fun way to get a work-out.....
I have tried about four of the Dancing with the Stars workouts but have only purchased, one, which was the Dancing with the Stars "Dance Off the Pounds". Here's my take...Each I felt were well done, but it really depends on if you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced exerciser.
The one dvd I do have is an intermediate/advanced workout. I do have dance experience, I like a fast pace and I get bored easily and need to be challenged. If you are looking for an easier one that I liked, the Latin Dance one with Cheryl Burke is a good one for a beginner.

This dvd is good, depending on what you like. Some of the basic moves you will use in each dance are outlined by your instructors, Kym Johnson & Mark Ballas in the 7 minute warm-up sequence. I'm not sure I love the warm-up and the instruction in that section, but it is not a huge deal. The three types of dances that you will do are the Samba (17 minutes), the Salsa (16 minutes) and the Jive/Swing (15 minutes). The...

Mark Ballas has ENER-GY
This latest DVD from the DWTS DVD line has become one of my favorites. Again, I like to see different instructors and it's great to see Mark Ballas as an instructor. He does a great job, breaking down the steps and doing them slowly, at first.
The first section in the Samba, which focuses on the abs. Next, both instructors lead the Salsa, which is good. I like doing a different routine. But the real workout is the swing/jive, led by Mark. This is fast action, high intensity cardio, which will enhance weight loss.
The front of the DVD says: "Perfect for Beginners!" but I would classify this as an intermediate workout because the last section is very intense.
AS another review pointed out, the warm-up section is sort of a "dance lesson", which is fine, but do you keep wanting to "learn" th moves to warm up?
The DVD also lacks a cool down segment, which you need after burning up the dancefloor during the swing/jive.
So I do my own stretches, no big...

Has something for almost everyone
This DVD has quickly become one of my favorites, however I do have to call it out on having false advertising. On the front it clearly says "perfect for beginners," and as other reviewers have said, that's not exactly true. With that being said, this is still an intense workout that will definitely give you weight loss and a whole lot more.

There's about a seven-minute warm up to start things off. It may be what the producers thought was perfect for beginners, because it breaks down key steps of each dance style. Mark Ballas and Kym Johnson, the instructors, really teach fundamentals of the first few steps they'll actually show you in the dance routine to come. Was it a warm up? Not really. There's no stretching or anything that will particularly get you loose and ready to go. After viewing this the first time, I now skip it and warm up with the beginning of one of the routines.

SAMBA - 17 minutes - Kym leads Samba, and I think she does it very well...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Fraggle Rock: Wembley's Egg

takes me back
fraggle rock takes me back to my child hood. i got this for my nephew. he loves the fraggles! the dancing and singing, he gets right up to the tv and dances! i watched the fraggles as a young child also.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Wallace & Gromit: World of Invention [Blu-ray]

Wallace & Gromit are back....well, sort of....
I anticipated that this release would be just what it is: a variety type show with wrap-arounds starring W&G. Fun stuff to be sure, but make no mistake: this is NOT a new set of adventures with our pals.

While it's great to have them back, it is a far cry from previous releases.

By all means; if you are a huge fan (as we are) pick this up and enjoy - and maybe even learn something. Just don't bring any expectations from previous adventures.

OMG, Some of you have got to be kidding
OK, OK, we too were surprised when we got it out of the library that it was Wallace and Gromit hosting a show about inventors and their inventions, and not a series of Wallace and Gromit shorts with all their crazy inventions.

Well the fact is it is so amazing, we are buying it for gifts for young and old alike. You will be stunned by the REAL inventions out there, and the stories behind them. If you have a curious mind, or you want to inspire curiosity in a young one, then this is a movie for you.

And as a reminder it just has short cute vignettes of Wallace and Gromit, but the real stars are the REAL inventions.

Good - but pay attention to what you're actually buying!
I recently received this and watched it with my 7 & 10 year old sons. This is a series of National-Geographic-flavored-but-cool-enough-to-compete-on-Saturday-morning shows (Children of the 70s, think Big Blue Marble). Segments are introduced by our friends from Wallaby Way, but the core of the show is real-life footage of inventors, hobbyists, and tinkerers showing off their cool gadgets. They have a segment on Theo Jansen, the guy who makes those amazing wind-driven walking 'animals' that stalk beaches. Cool stuff. The level of the engineering is ~2-3rd grade. My 10 year old thought the inventions were cool, but he definitely could have handled more detail. The 7 year old liked it after his initial disappointment that it wasn't a 'real' Wallace and Grommet show. Overall, absolutely worth a look, but make sure you're aware what you're buying!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Adventures in Lalaloopsy Land: Search for Pillow

A Movie That is Sew Sweet for EVERYONE!
The Lalaloopsy dolls are huge right now, and they have finally made the transition from toy to the little screen. It was rather successful, if you are looking for a cute, completely inoffensive movie that anyone can watch. The main seven original Lalaloopsy dolls are the focus of the movie, along with Rosy Bumps and Bruises and four of the Lalaloopsy littles - the sister dolls and all of their respective pets. It's the little sisters that make the show so cute and adorable, as they toddle around, saying things in a childish, simple manner that's quite endearing and very much like little bitty sisters do. The older Loopsies are very sweet and understanding. They have all personalities but are definitely nice girls, every single one of them, and they play off well with each other. This is a refreshing change from having a few "nasty" characters in the mix, like with other series. In Lalaloopsy Land, everyone is considerate, caring and nice.

The plot is all about Peanut...

Super cute :)
My two year old LOVES this movie. It is adorable and not nearly as annoying as some of the other shows aimed for little girls. We love it! Great purchase:)

Girls love this movie
My daughters got an opportunity to catch a sneak peek on Nick Jr., and they loved, loved this movie. Unfortunately, I didn't think to record the movie on our DVR, so I bought it. If you have girls that adore Lalaloopsies, then they will adore this movie. My girls grabbed their Lalaloopsy dolls, and acted along with the movie, so that their dollies were also in on the adventure. In a way, the movie helped foster their imaginations as they play with their dolls. Even after the movie ended, my daughters continued Pillow's adventure..lol.

Click to Editorial Reviews