Review of CD:UK Dance Workout

Introduction

`Get fit while you dance along to some of your favourite pop tunes` is the mighty claim. If these are anyone`s favourite pop tunes then I`ll eat my hat!

Set in the CD:UK studios (during a bit of downtime between programmes I presume) this is actually a very straightforward workout video that could have been set in any gym or studio in the country. There`s really no relation to CD:UK other than this slightly tenuous one.

It`s a typical dance-workout format that starts at a break-neck pace, and cranks up from there leaving you feeling not only breathless but a little befuddled besides. What`s that move again? Where do I put my foot? Which arm is it? How do I `body-pop` my head again?

If you`re a good dancer, you`re young and you`re fit, and you`ve got a lot of patience and a natural capacity to learn, then you`re going to love this. Sadly I`m none of the above and I hated every moment.

However, all was not lost in the McLean household. I have two daughters who pride themselves on their dancing abilities and I set them to the task of vicarious reviewing. They were much more able to keep up than I was but, like me, their interest quickly waned. The songs here are unimaginative 4/4 beat pounders that were unrecognisable and highly uninspiring.

Our host for the work-out here is the same `looking pretty pleased with myself` presenter (Choreographer Andy Instone) who was featured on the `Phat Moves` release last year, and he`s pretty good at the moves which claim to include hip-hop and urban choreography, though all looked a bit robotic to me.

`Body-popping` (well my trouser buttons popped once or twice but I guess this doesn`t count), `Body Ripples` (my tummy certainly did that), `Chug Steps` and `B-Boys` are all included here for those who like the idea.

The workout features three sections: "A warm up, to get your body ready to exercise, the dance workout and finally the cool down to stretch out the muscles and relax the body". I found the warm-up difficult enough to follow and by the dance-workout felt that I`d arrived on another planet. Whatever happened to swaying from side-to-side and clapping out of time every now and then? It worked for my generation!

The blurb also claims that once you`re through that you`ll be able to shake your booty like Beyonce and strut your stuff like Gwen Stefani. I`m taking them to a trade descriptions lawyer!

Video

A perfectly reasonable television image with a multi-camera shoot of a fixed presentation on a small floor-stage.

Audio

Adequate if unremarkable.

Features

`Pick a Routine` is really just a `scene selection` function. `Behind the Scenes` is a series of handy-cam footage and talking head interviews with various participants. Apparently 100 dancers auditioned and just 6 were chosen. Each of the selected dancers talk a little (nothing too insightful...just the `I love to dance, you know...` style comments that you`d expect. There`s also an extended interview with the choreographer Andy Instone who can`t be older than 17 or 18. He discusses his love of dance, and how he was inspired by Michael Jackson to learn the body-popping routines that sit at the heart of his ouvre. We`re also told that the dancers rehearsed for a total of 3 days...no expense spared there then!

Conclusion

There`s a glut of keep-fit DVD`s on the market. Cheap to produce, they fill a need amongst those who like to exercise in their own home - and in that respect they`re a perfect use of the video format.

The CD:UK Dance Workout will inevitably disappoint though. For those fit enough to keep up with the funky-moves, the complete lack of anything slightly related to CD:UK (other than the hire of their studio in down-time) is bound to disappoint, as are the tracks used for the work-outs; all obscure dance tracks and not `your favourite pop tunes` at all.

It will also disappoint `starters` as it`s just too complicated to get the hang of, and too frenetic for old timers.

On a final note, the version that I received for review did include the disclaimer that this was `Not Final Version` so maybe plans are afoot to licence some decent and recognisable music more in keeping with the claims on the blurb.