Altheatized: Funky Dance Aerobics Volume 1

Althea Lawton-Thompson
Year Released: 2001

Categories: Floor Aerobics/Hi-Lo/Dance


I think I’ve finally found my perfect dance video. I absolutely love to dance – ballet, jazz, tap, funk, hip-hop, you name it, I love it. I love dancey choreography and I’m always on the lookout for a workout that takes me back to the fun of taking dance classes as a child.

Unfortunately, trying to capture that feeling on a workout video is a little hard. Sometimes the steps are really funky and awesome, but the instructor has to break them down so much your heart rate drops and the video isn’t good for a steady-state aerobic workout. Other times, the workout is great for steady-state aerobics but it’s more aerobics than dance. And still other times, the intensity of the dance moves is gotten from a lot of higher impact moves.

I have a chronic back condition that allows me to do a little bit of high impact but not as much as what’s found in some of the dance videos I own. Since I usually turn to dance videos because my back is hurting at the time and I either can’t do aerobics or I want some cheering up, high impact moves without showing modifications brings my opinion of the video down quite a bit.

Hence my comment that I think I’ve finally found the perfect dance video for me. There are some really neat moves (moves with attitude!) and there’s one exerciser who always shows the low impact version. There’s not a lot of marching in place while learning a move, which can be a drawback in other dance videos. There are some intensity bursts that involve running in place and so the low impact version is marching but I can also choose to do some other low impact move during that time.

I really like the routine that Althea puts together and I love that she has a participant showing the low impact version all of the time. I wish instructors would do that more often. The only complaint I have with the routine is that there’s this one move where you turn to the back and are supposed to do something but unless you stop and watch the video (or preview that part and can remember what to do), you might not get the move. I have to review that particular move sequence when I’m not working out.

Grade: A-

Instructor Comments:
Althea seems to really enjoy herself and I love the “attitude” she can convey with her facial expressions.

Sharon Muha

01/24/2002