Search - Tap (Dance) with Ginger: Beginner level on DVD

Head--and heel--start

Sara S. | Queens, NY | 04/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I live in New York, where all the kids in the so-called Beginner classes have had at least 1 to 3 years' training. Beginners, ha! Well, there was no way I could enter, much less keep up with, any of these classes, without some kind of supplemental training and at long last I've found it! It goes by the name of Ginger of Paris, and yes, she does have an adorable French accent, but don't let this mislead you. She's a spectacularly good dancer, and far more important for my purposes, a spectacularly good teacher. Everything is repeated at least five times--very slowly, then up to tempo. The teacher faces forward--just like in a real tap class--and you move up from the most basic shuffle to the wow-the-folks-at-home shim-sham. I learned this all in a couple of lessons, and now can I not only keep up with my classmates, but truth be told--I'm probably even better.

Sara
Queens, N.Y."

Do not waste your money or your time!

Anonymous | FLA | 03/08/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, is this an awful video-- the quality is poor, the dance INSTRUCTION is minimal. You are supposed to mimic and somehow magically "get" it. Not a chance for beginners! I am a former dancer and have never seen anything with so little instruction. Yes, Ginger tells you-- in a VERY thick accent that is difficult to understand sometimes-- about the steps. Yes, she demonstrates them. But she doesn't really give you tips on VERY important aspects of dancing-- such as balance, timing (other than counting out things-- we need tips here, lady), body position, arm position. And quite honestly, I was apalled at her own lack of grace and balance. Yuck. Do not waste your time or money. Check out Bonnie Franklin's "I Hate to Exercise, I Love to Tap" if you want clear, fun, fluid dance. Franklin knows how to make tap enjoyable and simple without making you look like it's amateur hour. Now, if I could only get that hour back that I've lost with Ginger!"

Simple and very helpful!

tarmin | Dallas | 04/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes, this kind of videos tend to be too sophisticated, giving you too many advices to chew on, and you get lost. Here, none of that. You just follow what you see, with simple instruction to follow each time. It's intelligently done. I have taken some classes and it was not as easy to follow the steps as it is here. Now, I can enjoy it. That's it. Just great for me!"