Center Floor is one of Kari Anderson’s two new videos. She hasn’t done any new videos for several years so it’s a delight to see her making videos again. Welcome back Kari!

First the DVD. It is very well chaptered. There are three major chapters: 1) Standing Center Floor Challenge, 2) Full Body Matwork, and 3) Lengthening Stretch. Within each chapter are subchapters. Each is clearly labeled within the menu so you can easily pick and choose the segments you want to do, in the order you want to do them. Each section is about five minutes long. This is a great DVD for designing your own workout.

The video features Kari, her daughter Danielle (all grown up) and her friend Stacey. They are in a room with a wooden floor and pastel shades in the background. They’re wearing mint green tops with black pants, and are barefoot. Kari is in great shape as always.

The warm-up begins in the standing position. Kari mentions that center work without the barre is the hardest part of a typical dance class. There’s nothing to hang onto, so balance is continually tested. Kari starts in first position then starts to shift her weight from one leg to another along with ballet arm movements. She then proceeds to do plies and tondues.

She starts the second section in a turned out position moving one leg at a time pointing and flexing the toe. She then lifts her leg to the front, side and back going higher as the segment progresses. At the end of this segment she does grapevines and starts gently jumping off the floor. You can follow along or stay grounded. This is the only segment that has any dance movements across the floor.

The next section is done in a parallel position. She starts with squats and then ads in side leg lifts as you rise up from the squats. I found these very challenging. The segment ends with a series of curtsey (cross back) lunges.

The next section is also done in a parallel position, and contains many lunge variations; pulsing, static, deep ones with the back leg straight and leaning forward over the front knee. This section ends with a deep stretch.

She goes to the mat in the next section. She starts with front planks alternating with downward dog. Then she stretches one leg into the air for a one legged downward dog. After working each side, she throws in some triceps push-ups. Thankfully she does them on her knees. She ends the section with a very challenging side plank variation where you have the option to lift the nonworking arm and leg into the air.

The next section is ab work. There are roll downs, roll ups, bicycle legs, straight legs etc. all the while crunching with your upper torso.

The final section before the stretch starts with bridgework. She starts with both legs and then moves to one while extending the other leg in various positions, graceful as always. She then does side lying work moving both the arm and the leg, while lifting her hips off the mat. I found this to be very challenging. She ends the segment with a seated stretch facing forward gently stretching out the legs.

The video ends with a final section that consists of standing stretches similar to various warrior positions in yoga. When it’s all over, you feel you’ve worked all of your body. You’ve worked on balance, flexibility, and strength with even a little cardio thrown in.

I recommend this video to intermediate and advanced exercisers who love elegant dance style moves with some yoga and Pilates variations. Beginners could to this video with modifications, but many of the moves are harder than they look. All in all an excellent effort from Kari and crew.

Instructor Comments:
What is there to say about Kari? She is grace and elegance personified. She makes even the toughest moves look easy. However, it’s more than that. Other instructors are also former dancers, but they don’t have the ethereal quality that Kari has. There is just something special about her. She also has an excellent voice for video. I hope she continues to make videos.

Jane P