Quenia RibeiroThe Samba Reggae Workout, with Quenia Ribeiro: Samba dance fitness classes, Samba dance instruction, Dance fitness cardio workout

I've been a runner for a few years and recently suffered an ankle injury that has kept me sidelined for the last couple of months. I've been rehabbing it and I thought I would try this workout to test the strength of my ankle. Honestly, it was a little rough with the jumping and twisting. I can only imagine how bad it would be for someone with knee or hip problems. If you don't have any of those three issues, you shouldn't have a problem.I also have zero dancing ability so some of the hip shaking, isolation and arm movements when put together were a little confusing. This is only the second dance workout I've done (the first was The Grind with Eric Neis so you have an idea of how long it's been). I still think it's for beginners though. I've always thought the point of a workout was to be somewhat challenging and it was.You need more space than I have available. There is a lot of traveling and some kicking so make sure you move the coffee table and couches out of the way (especially if you live in an apartment like I do).All of that being said, I really enjoyed it. My heart rate was up and I was sweating. There are short breaks while you're learning the next step so you have a little bit of time to catch your breath, but make sure you walk through the new steps with her because it's easy to get lost when the movements speed up again.I hope to start running in the next month or so, but I can definitely see myself tossing this DVD in once or twice a week. It would probably get boring if you did it 5x a week, but I don't see it getting stale if it's part of a rotation. It's fun - not quite a 5 star workout, and I would have given it a 3 because of my ankle, but I can't blame her for that so I gave it a very strong 4 stars.

This is without a doubt one of my favorite workout DVD's hands down.Pluses1) Quenia Ribero is amazing. Her moves are fantastic. Her energy is inspiring. Background dancers know the routine and are really good. Especially, the one on the right. Keep an eye out for her.2) This is a huge improvement from her Dance Today: Samba video. In this video she explains very well that her left is your right. She also breaks down the moves much better and there is less down time between moves.3) I like that there is a warm up.4) The routine is fun. I haven't counted but I think it has like 15+ moves. Much better than some tapes I have that teach you only like 6.Minuses1) I thought they could have repeated the full routine at the end of section one at least 3-4 times completely before moving to section 2.2) The workout is intense. I wish there was a cool down section. But maybe they sacrificed that to include a longer workout so ...3) Awaiting her 3rd dvd :( when is it coming?Helpful hints1) This work out will use every muscle in your body. Don't skip the warm up. Do a cool down on your own when you finish (even though there is not one on the tape to relax after you finish).2) When she explains the moves. Don't just stand their and watch. Keep marching in place so you don't lose your heart rate.3) If the moves seem to complicated keep going. After practicing a few times you'll build muscle memory and be moving like a pro in no time.4) I didn't get all the moves down until the 3rd 4th time I did this DVD. The explanation was good but my body wouldn't comply. But it gaveme something to look forward to conquering the next time so I appreciated the challenge.4) Fair warning. This tapes makes a lot of other workout DVDs seem boring. I've done it a least three times a week for the last 2 months. (More than any other tape I own except 1)

I have to say right at the top that this is a great dance workout. It is energetic; the music is hot and you will sweat. You can see a clip of the dvd at the worlddancenewyork web site. What you can expect:Setting: Quenia and 2 dancers with 5 drummers behind her. She has to talk quite loudly because the drummers are right behind her and any one who has been in a live drumming samba class knows that the drums are pretty loud. The video quality is good. The sound could have been louder. I had to turn my tv up quite loud to get the pounding beat of samba reggae.Choreography: There is a really nice warm-up before the workouts. In workout 1, she goes over each step many times and does add on and goes from the top. The 1st workout goes over the entire routine once at the end; however by that time you have gone over the routine many many times from the top. I was sweating and had to stop and drink some water.Workout 2 is just the choreography at a much faster pace with no instruction. She does it 2x through. The last section of the dvd is the bateria playing as it would do in a real class where the students dance in front of the bateria. By that time I was so tired all I could do was wiggle from side to side. My only complaint is that it would have been nice if the 2 background dancers had started free style dancing, like in a regular class. There is no cool down.One caveat, don't skip the welcome section. It starts with the bateria and then Quenia dances on stage doing part of the choreography and free style. In my opinion, this litte section should have been at the end of dvd when the bateria is playing. So if you have the energy, after the bateria section, you may want to play part of the welcome section again and dance with Quenia.Overall: I loved, loved this dvd. Will do it again! It is a great aerobic workout. Will probably add a cool down next time. Get this dvd. You will love it!

This video is great. Quenia Ribeiro's "the Samba Reggae Workout" is great. I had never done any Samba before, and her dvd is perfect for a beginner. I was able to follow all of her instructions even on the first time I watched the dvd. However it will definitely get your heart pounding and make you sweat for a good 45 minutes. Actually, if you do the warm up, then the main workout, then if you can also make it through the "fast" section at the end, it's about an hour long class, and burns several hundred calories. Not only that, but this was probably the most fun I have had in a long time. It really gets you fit but it is so fun, you don't notice how hard you are really working. I loved it. I have another video of hers too, and when I first started it, I couldn't get through the first section, huffing and puffing and aching and stopping for water. But I did it religiously, 5 days a week, for 2 weeks, and by the end of that, I could finish the whole dvd! if you do her dvd's regularly, like 3 -5 times a week, you will get in shape FAST and notice visible results in a couple of weeks. Well, I did, anyway! Can't brag about her and her dvd's enough! So much fun!

This is a really good workout. Gets your heart rate up muscles working and you feel good. She goes through the steps slowly and you get to enjoy the dance. Problem is when you have learnt it, the dance on its own is not enough of a workout so you have to keep going through it and thats where the DVD is not worth the price it was.

Great workout, got me sweating and panting. However, the music really gets boring after a (short) while, as it's literally just samba percussion (i.e. drums with what seems to be single set of repetitive beat for 45 minutes). So buy it if you don't mind what music you work out to. But if you are like me, who needs music to keep interested, then don't bother. I haven't used this DVD more than 3 times for this reason alone.

Bought this as a fun way to workout and it is, the movements are repeated throughout so you gradually learn a little more each time, the rythem of the African drums keep you moving and you definetely have a work out while learning how to shake your booty at the same time. Quenia is incredably fit, I've not got the energy for the high intensity work out yet but will keep practising!

Fun for exercise purposes