Search - Broadway Dance Center: Active Isolated Flexibility and Stretching For Dancers on DVD

Great results...Poor Guidance

kimberly Hahn | 08/23/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a dancer for as long as i can remember and Im always trying to find new ways to better myself. I bought this DVD to gain flexibility as the title suggests and I do feel that the tape has helped me to do this. However, I don't believe that I would be able to execute the exercises in this film had I not been a dancer. The terminology that Michelle uses is not explained and the "take the class" section moves far to quickly for an inexperienced audience. I had to watch it several times before I could keep up with the pace. Even the students on the DVD seem confused at times and are not in sync with Michelle. Furthermore, I dont believe that the stretches can be done properly without some type of guidance as the muscles DO NOT stretch correctly without very procise postioning of the limbs. I perform this routine daily and I have gained excellent strength and flexibility because of it, I just think that perhaps Michelle could have gone into further detail in regards to the stretching for a less familiar viewing demographic."

Good advanced stretching, mediocre production quality

Lena, LMT | Nassau, NY | 04/14/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Kimberly Hahn wrote a great review I agree with 100%. I am not a dancer by any means, but usually I can do a russian split on a good day, have been doing yoga for over 5 years & rented this in hopes of increasing my flexibility.
Michelle teaches you the stretches for about 30 min on a physical/massage table. It is chaptered by muscles & it is taught straight-forward, dry scientifically with medical terminology. She uses analogies to help, but unfortunately there is only one camera angle & sometimes it's hard to read the angle of the stretch. Also, in the teaching segment, only one side is taught (both sides are done in the later class chapter.) The legs are first & almost all require a strap or rope that can always twist the foot medially/laterally in/out while pulling the straight leg toward your head. The legs, feet & toes stretches are the bulk of the streteches as well as a single stretch for major areas of the chest, rotator cuff, shoulders, arms & neck.
Some stretches I have never seen before, some everyone knows such as assisting your bent arm slightly behind your shoulder to stretch your triceps.
After that 30 min, all stretches are shown for 10 min in a gym with mirror with about 6 other people besides Michelle. The camera is far away to show everyone & it's all one shot/angle.
Since Michelle is very flexible, you will see the leg be stretched further then almost any fitness dvd you've seen. Since positioning of feet is important when stretching the legs, I agree with Kimberly you should have great body awareness or be guided in person to avoid injury. There is great potential to overdo it just be somewhat in the realm of the flexibility Michelle shows.
I took off 2 stars for lack of camera angles, boring music, stiffness of the routine & I was expecting more secrets or unknown stretches. I kept the 3 stars since considering the boring take on the stretches, she went as fast as possible knowing it could be boring, she didn't go off topic, no story telling & kept to the point & kept to the target of the dvd."

Flexibility Made Accessible

Andromeda | Chicago | 03/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an excellent video of how to be flexible, using real people. The teacher's flexibility is amazing, such as a hamstring stretch with her leg stretched all the way up to her head on the floor. She says that if you stretch every day, you can do this too. The video is a good tool to help a person find this inner flexibility with many useful and easy to follow exercises. It is very positive and motivational as well."