at $11.99 or whatever at Deep Discount DVD with free shipping there is NO excuse not to pick up one fo the new Romana's Pilates DVDS.

i'm blown away. she's an inspiration. she's 80 years old and pure diva. BE SURE to take a look at the "Romana - A force of Nature" section in the special features and you'll travel with Romana as she meets Uncle Joey, allows her lover to marry her and whisk her off to Peru, where she lives "high and wide". You'll see Romana with Lamas, Romana with Jill Clayburgh, Mari Winsor gushing over Romana - and you'll start to see - much more clearly then in the Collage clips - how deeply intelligent, fun loving and authentic she is.

As Karen W. described (if memory serves), all the DVDS have a "history" section with J.Pilates footage (and teenage Romana), a "Basics" section where she gives detailed technique, a workout w/Romana section where she twists some hapless, but beautiful student into deep pilates moves, and a "Routine" section where the student goes solo with a femal voice over.

You see the 80 year old diva whipping around doing backbends on the cadillac - her granddaugher tells us that grandma enjoys being twirled around by men. Her family is extremely devoted to her - she's just brimming with "a life well lived".

Optimum Weight Management is maybe 23 minutes - its intermediate. Its not a routine I'd start a beginner with, but for someone who has some pilates basics down its a real treat. I "worked out" with Romana - so I can't really speak to the solo routine - I believe its identical.

Romana shows a much more sweeping, artistic, intense pilates practice than I've ever seen - it is definitely *not* for the faint of heart - there's *alot* of back bending, alot of fast leg moves. she is just little miss pilates party - she's what I want to be when I grow up.

fyi, the production values are quite nice - the Collage clips don't do her justice. She's in a pristinely clean dance studio with polished hardwood floors and beautiful loft windows with gause curtains - you can see an urban landscape through them - its not unlike the early kari anderson sets. The dvds are loaded with added features. She likes silk blouses and slim pants - you have to see her move to take in how filled with exhuberance she is.

Did I say I liked it?

Instructor Comments:
like they say - a force of nature. 80 years old. very vibrant

Jane C