I want to start dancing...

September 15, 2009 1:35 PM

I want to start dancing---just for me, for stress relief and mood enhancement and flexibility. Recommend some DVDs to teach me routines and give me ideas for my own?

I found these two dancing-yoga videos on you-tube, and I love that idea -- while I could eventually (laboriously) copy their routines...are there DVDs out there that teach routines like this? I have been doing yoga for a long time, so I'm sure this is within my capability.

And how about your favorite DVDs for dance routines in general--belly dancing, latin, hip-hop?

I found this thread and plan to try the videos, but please give me more -- I'm not necessarily looking for good cardio here, just some fun.

posted by lemonade to health & fitness (7 answers total)

video.Google.com Learn to Dance Salsa, Merengue, Latin, Hustle, etc.
posted by theora55 at 2:13 PM on September 15, 2009

If you like hip-hop, you may really like to C-Walk.
posted by netbros at 2:15 PM on September 15, 2009

hit post too soon. The key is to have great music. I have a hard time sitting still if there's dance music playing loud. I'm partial to Motown, but that may be generational.
posted by theora55 at 2:18 PM on September 15, 2009

You're about to be introduced to the best thing in the world. Learn the shim sham from the guy who invented it.

One beautiful summer in college, a huge number of people in my social circle all learned the shim sham (it's not very hard to learn). At house parties, we would pull out jazz CDs and start dancing. Or we'd even shim sham to standard college kid music - Beck, Magnetic Fields, whatever. A slow shim sham and a fast shim sham are almost completely different dances from each other, and they're both super fun. There's something delightful and hilarious about watching a huge group of people shim sham.

It might be how I met my wife.
posted by roll truck roll at 2:29 PM on September 15, 2009 [1 favorite]

I liked Neena and Veena's basic bellydance workout/routine videos, but I like live classes better. Bellydance may be less likely to cause injury than a higher-impact dance style, but improper technique won't do your body any favors, and a teacher should be your best resource for good technique. That said, this site was helpful when I was trying to learn bellydance without going to a class, and there are pointers available all over the web for learning the basic stance, which is key to good movement. Have fun!
posted by EvaDestruction at 3:50 PM on September 15, 2009

I asked a similar question a while ago and got some great responses. I would have to say that, out of the videos suggested, I liked the samba party workout the best. It goes really fast so you really have to be on your toes. It is fun on a bun! I have also borrowed learn to salsa tapes from the library and it is a very accessible and fun to learn dance. Plus, there are so many salsa clubs you can apply your knowledge.

Another idea would be to get into contra dancing. A lot of contra dancing involves learning a pattern for a bit, then instantly applying it in a dance where it gets repeated many times. It is truly a great time.
posted by Foam Pants at 1:53 AM on September 16, 2009

Seconding Foam Pants about the contradancing. Plus, there are how-too videos on You Tube. Not that you really need them, since almost all dances offer lessons a half an hour before the dance starts. Fun and social!
posted by jvilter at 9:25 AM on September 18, 2009