Wow, am I the first to review this video?? Cool :-) Ballroom Aerobics is compiled from the Tortoise and the Hare, and the between-segment segments are done by Tracie Long as well. Here's a general breakdown of the workout:
* warm-up and stretch from Tortoise
* tango (Tortoise)
* waltz (Tortoise)
* charleston (Tortoise)
* 4-limbed aerobics with delt lifts and biceps (Hare)
* cha-cha (Tortoise)
* waltz (Hare)
* tango (Hare)
* pasa doble - I think that's what she called it, and I have no clue what that means but in my head I call it the bullfighter dance. Don't ask.(Hare)
* 4-limbed aerobics with upright rows and triceps (Hare)
* swing (Hare)
* cha-cha and aerobic finale (Hare)
* straddle cha-cha (Tortoise - this is considered a cooldown)
* the very first segment from Tortoise - the stretch she does before going down to do abs
* lat stretches from Tortoise (also in Tough Tape, before the infamous cleavage-building pushups)
* stretch from the Hare/Tough Tape warm-up

Good things about this tape:
* It's fun! Really! Okay, I know the ballroom segments are not popular with most VFers, but I'm just freaky that way. It's a nice light workout to do on a light day, or you can make it more intense by using a higher step and more impact. I do the latter, and work up a pretty good sweat by the time it's over. My favorite segments are the charleston and the swing. Least favorite are the waltzes, but only because I have some sort of problem with the whole 3-count thing.
* The music! It's a nice change from the usual workout-tape/porno-sounding music. I mean, can you really imagine having waltz music in a porno? Hmm. Maybe. Ew, never mind! At any rate, it's still much better and classier than the Firm's usual choice of music (Flatulating tubas, I'm looking at you...)

Bad/annoying/confusing things:
* Like I said, the waltz. And some of the steps take some getting used to. Some segments she cues well, and other segments she doesn't. Then again, how does one explain a "Tango Close"?
* It's only available from FIRMDirect, and has a plain white cover. Also, while they now sell it for only $10, I'm not sure it's worth that since it's a parts tape (Seriously, why must all FIRM tapes be partzed to death??) I got my copy for free using one of their sales.
* Their idea of a cooldown. They use a tango segment as a cooldown and go straight from that to that weird opening stretch from Tortoise. (That segment makes no sense on Tortoise and makes no sense here either.) I just walk around during this segment because that tango wasn't really slow enough to be a cooldown.

* I don't really consider this a bad thing, but it puzzles me still: Towards the end of the tape, Tracie has little sweat stains on her leotard during the between-segment segments. Why?? Did they actually have her do the workout to get them? Or perhaps they used hot lamps or something, like they use at McDonald's to keep the cheeseburgers warm?

Anyways. I do recommend this tape if you like the ballroom segments from Tortoise and Hare, or even if you're unfamiliar with the segments and just like ballroom-type dancing and classical music. But if you get it from FIRMDirect it might be a better idea to get this as your free tape. It's not really what I'd consider a total-body workout. It's more of a cardio tape.

Instructor Comments:
What can I say? She's Tracie Long. She can make a video about needlepoint and it would still kick your butt. She cues well (most of the time) and even tells you what your options are if you want to add more "power". I like when she says "give it some hip". She's always fun to work out with.

Kavitha M.