Dance Off the Inches: Sizzling Salsa

Stella Sandoval
Year Released: 2006

Categories: Floor Aerobics/Hi-Lo/Dance


I’m reviewing this workout after doing it twice.

General workout breakdown: Beth has already described this workout well. I’ll just add a few details.
This is dance as a workout rather than dance lessons for the club, performance, or competition. Despite the name, this isn’t pure salsa; more accurately, it’s a Latin dance mix. (I’m fine with that, but if you’re a real Latin dance purist the mixture might irk you.)
To give you an idea of the moves you’ll see, the Step Guide covers the hip sway, salsa step, merengue step, cha cha, hip roll, Latin twist, box step, samba, mambo, and tango. Like the other DOTI instructors, Stella’s goal here isn’t to teach you a basic salsa step you can use anywhere so much as the salsa step she’ll use in the workout, including its relevant arm pattern.
Speaking of arms, Stella includes quite a few arm movements to go with her foot patterns. This is one place where I feel Stella lacks some creativity, although I’m not sure how much could be that some Latin dances just don’t have as interesting arm movements as others and how much is her just trying to find something to do to accompany the feet, either as an afterthought or as a conscious effort not to make things too complicated. Expect to circle your arms, elbows bent, a lot.
I do like having a short warm-up and cool-down here, but I’ll note that Stella doesn’t do many stretches, and those she does aren’t held very long.
This is primarily low impact, although you can add a little hop here and there. Do be careful if you have sensitive knees, especially if you’re on carpet: the merengue walks, hip roll turns, and the one pivot move might not agree with some.

Level: I’d recommend this to experienced beginners through low intermediates comfortable with basic dance choreography. Someone who’s more intermediate could put some oomph into their moves, but even then this I agree with Beth that “low moderate” is probably the appropriate term. You don’t have to be a dancer to do this, but if you’ve only done walking workouts this could trip you up.
I’m usually an int./adv. exerciser, but I’ve backed down to a more intermediate level in my workouts this year between health issues and a long, hot, muggy summer that had me sweating while just standing still in my current exercise space. These DOTI workouts came in handy because they’ve helped me break up the monotony of Leslie after Leslie. Even in those circumstances these aren’t particularly challenging or intense, but they do their job of getting me moving at a low to moderate level of intensity, and that’s all I wanted. Once I get back up to my normal level of intensity I’ll keep them for sick days, recovery days, lighter days, add-ons, etc.
In addition to not being too challenging to do, I found the choreography not too challenging to pick up. I did watch the Step Guide beforehand, but for me it wasn’t really necessary; I would have been fine without it. I was comfortable with the routine after one run-through and very comfortable with it after my second. Now, I must disclose that a) I pick up choreography easily and b) I’m familiar with Stella Sandoval (I also have her 10 Minute Solution Latin dance DVD), so it’s no surprise I found this one so doable. Others who aren’t such choreo hounds and/or who are new to Stella’s stuff are likely to find it’ll take some time to figure out her cuing and how some of the moves fit together.

Music: Latin-inspired instrumental exercise video mixes, although parts are more Latin jazz than salsa club. It’s fine, but like the other DOTI if it were just a little bit better the fun factor would jump way up.

Set: bright interior studio made up like a giant living room, with French doors onto a “sunny” patio.

Production: clear picture and sound, camera angles that are helpful rather than distracting.

Equipment: shoes that won’t catch on your workout space flooring.

Space Requirements: You should be able to take a few steps in each direction. I was able to fit this in my workout space of about 5-6’ deep by 7-8’ wide with no difficulty.

DVD Notes: Your main menu options are Calorie Blasting Party – Play and Chapters (Introduction, Warm Up, Spicy Salsa Mix, Latin Lime Twist, Mucho Mambo Combo, Cool Down, and End Credits) and Step Guide – Play. Unfortunately, the Step Guide is not chaptered (although I see later DOTI workouts fix this).

Comments: No one shows modifications or substitutions, although there are some personal variations. I like and respect Michelle Dozois a lot, so this isn’t me making fun of her, but she has to work harder at the hip shaking compared to the other cast members, to whom those types of moves come more naturally. I actually appreciate that because I’m not a naturally gifted, graceful dancer; I give it a good try, but especially when I’m just learning a routine I’m just not going to be able to move like Stella. I like seeing a fit, athletically-talented instructor like Michelle have a great time even if she also doesn’t move exactly like Stella.

I have 6 DOTI titles – in addition to this one, I have Fat Burning Cardio Jam, Dance it Off Ballroom, Hip Hop Party, Hip Hop Cardio, and (Fat Burning) Belly Dance – and of those I feel this one is among the least intense (it’s a small step up in intensity from the Ballroom one and a small step down from Cardio Jam) and among the easiest to learn. I’ll admit my ease in learning this routine most likely is due to two main factors other than my usual comfort with choreography: 1) I’ve done a number of Latin-themed cardio workouts and 2) I have another Latin dance workout by Stella (see the next paragraph).

DOTI Sizzling Salsa vs. 10 Minute Solution (Fat Blasting) Latin Dance Mix: Stella teaches the same types of routines in both videos in similar styles – and with lots of TIFTing. The major difference between the two is really the structure of the workout itself: DOTI obviously has a warm-up, 3 distinct sections, and a cool-down, clocking in well under 40 min., whereas the 10MS has 5 10-minute segments, clocking in at a hair over 50 min. Oh, and in DOTI Stella is with background exercisers whereas in 10MS she dances alone. Right now I can’t pick a favorite between the two, but I like having both because the 10MS is easier to use as add-ons whereas this is easier to use when I want a short workout because I’m finding it hard to reach for something longer and stronger.

Instructor Comments:
I like Stella. She has just enough personality but not too much, and she cues well enough. I agree with Beth, however, that she should have had a wider repertoire of interjected comments so she didn’t repeat herself, but I appreciate her efforts to make her viewer and background exercisers feel included in the class, er, dance party. Note: Stella does say “sexy,” “sultry,” or “sassy” a few times, and she has a “come hither” arm movement, but she’s not particularly flirty or coquettish or cutesy.

KathAL79

10/12/2011