About me: I’m a former advanced exerciser, now squarely in the middle of intermediate and at a stage in my life where I prefer to enjoy workouts. Caveat: I’m partial to Yoga Booty Ballet, which is a “love it or leave it” workout.

That said, I am lukewarm about this video. The dance cardio portion got my heart rate up the highest of the YBBs and the “booty set” afterward is intense – BUT Go Go is over the top even for this diehard YBB fan. (I’m keeping it though.)

Go Go begins on the mat with intention and breath work; here you are seated Japanese style on your heels and perform a “root lock” deep holding breath, which graduates to swan-like forward stretching movements to limber the spine. The warm-up progresses to all fours for cat/cow, wag the tail, down dog to forward bend with twists then toe raises to warm the feet. Suddenly you squat and roll back on the mat and come up into boat pose. This bewildered me at first but now is rather fun.

Cardio dance is shy of 20 minutes, featuring shimmies, ponies, the jerk, skipping, “Go Go Bunny”, and other 1960’s Go Go Girl moves. I could have fun with this if it weren’t for the “Chicken Arms” low-impact jack modification and “Tequila,” yes, the PeeWee Herman in the big white shoes dance from PeeWee’s Big Adventure. It is add-on TIFT style.

Cardio is followed with a ballet segment that is truly a balance challenge and I wish it were longer. About 5 minutes of demi plie with toe sliding up to knee (Tree), then the foot stretched backward into a Warrior III pose with leg pulses. Afterward recline on the mat with the squishy ball between your thighs for an excruciating 6 minutes of bridging while squeezing the ball, pulsing, rocking the hips and dipping the hips alternatively to the mat. Thankfully this is followed by 2 minutes of deep hip opening/hamstring stretches. The workout ends in easy pose and a kria for uplifting – hands in prayer, reaching overhead with the breath, which deliciously stretches the spine.

The music is also “best of/worst of.” Ravi keeps an energizing staccato bongo beat, but the soundtrack has an annoying poinging effect that can cause an earworm. I was also mildly disturbed by Teigh & Gillian’s outfits. Teigh wears a little skirt around her capris, which resemble ace bandages, and Gillian is in a mango colored gaucho bottom. In my after workout, Go Go’d, earwormed state, they appeared to be the Good Fairies of East LA Shopping Bag Ladies. I believe they will look back on this video in 10 years much as I look back on high school year book photos featuring me in six inch buffalo sandals, aqua tie-die Danskin, acid-orange beads and say “Oh my God what was I thinking.”

Nevertheless, I love them. I’m still married to my husband and he wore platform shoes once, too.

Instructor Comments:
Two fun and funky friends with great chemistry, infectious attitudes and good cueing.

Pat58