Dance Lovers: Level 2 Ballroom Course

Ballroom, Lampert, disks 1 and 2:

These are exactly as self-described, “beginner,” DVDs. As such, they are very good. Just keep in mind this is what you’d see elementary school kids doing, beginner adults doing, and so forth until they get very comfortable with the basics and before they take more lessons. You’ll look like a beginner after you study these, but you’ll be a pretty good beginner.

The value in these DVDs is that they present the information in a very plain manner and telling you only as much as you need to know to start stepping around the dance floor. Not much is said about how you move yourself, frame up with a partner, pick out the beat, and so forth. But, they are very good at “just do what I say and show” instruction.

It’s easy to watch these and discount them. Yet, if you take a beginner class, especially an adult beginner class, you’d be lucky if you could say, “Uh, how’s that again?” and you’d be told and shown again and again just for asking. It really is (or, can be) this simple and if you watch and step it out with the instructors you’ll be “dancing” - in an hour or two.

These are older and obviously dated videos, but the dances haven’t changed so it’s good enough. True, it was probably put together for people who’d seen a lot of Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, Rhumba, and “ballroom” Swing - and decades later most of us aren’t as familiar with the dances as “beginners” used to be, but that’s going to be true of any DVD you rent – you don’t know what you don’t know and no one DVD is going to fill in everything you need to know about dance history, music theory, and so forth.

These are at least simple. Rent DVDs 1 and 2 together and pick one dance to learn at a time. If you know nothing, start with Waltz and “do” the Waltz sections from DVD 1 and DVD 2. Actually get up and step out the instruction; there are things about dance that you just have to experience and practice before you can get it right – even for beginners.

This is not, as taught, very pretty dancing. But, most of what is taught on DVDs 1 and 2 is both fundamental and adequate for Wedding Dancers, live music venues with enough floor space, for dancing at County Fairs and so forth. It’s simple, “walk around” dancing and about as good as most people used to dance when all anyone wanted to do was get up and move around the floor - not impress the judges for a million dollar prize.

Not great instruction, but not greatly complicated. Again, learn by doing. They aren’t going to tell you enough to fake it, you’ll just have to get up and figure it out. Try. Look at the video again. Try again. Look again. Try again. You may not be great, but you’ll be better than the people who never get out of their chairs. And, you can take more courses later. Put an hour into each dance on each DVD and you’ll be better off. Good luck.