Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786304236284
Format: Color
ISBN: 630423628X
Label: Parade Video
Languages: Array
Manufacturer: Parade Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Parade Video
Release Date: 1996-10-24
Studio: Parade Video

Well organized and appropriately paced, dance instructor Cal Pozo's Salsa Merengue includes instructions and demonstrations for this classic Cuban dance. Using his standard teaching method, Pozo starts with an explanation and history of the dance and includes animated footprints stepping out the moves, the perspectives (front and back) of each partner, and finally, a full-out demonstration. He begins with the fundamentals of the "Cuban motion," as he calls it, which is "all in the hip." Mastering the merengue requires more than just memorizing the steps. The dance springs from this essential hip movement, and if you don't get a feel for it, you won't get a feel for the dance. Therefore, Pozo spends a good part of the tape slowly and clearly explaining posture and weight emphasis on the foot, to ensure that you'll be able dance the merengue without looking like a robot. One annoyance is the beginning of the video, an excessive eight minutes of people dancing the steps you are waiting to learn. Fast forward through once you've seen it the first time, and you are on your way to merengue. --Beth Massa

Customer Rating:
Summary: Not good Salsa
Comment: The salsa steps are out of touch with the real world. You may learn something but it will be while crushing your partner's foot like I did when coming out of the side mambo to the forward back salsa step. Nobody does this. Cal should visit some contemporary dance socials. Princeton, NJ

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Customer Rating:
Summary: I will never again buy any "Learn how to dance" Cal Pozo Videos!
Comment: "Cal Pozo's Learn to Dance in Minutes - Salsa & Merengue Learn to Dance in Minutes" - It was nothing like what I was expecting. I knew it wasn't going to be great, but I was pretty sure by the editor's description & front cover picture that this DVD would be good. NO! It was terrible! I'm a 27 year old woman. I've been dancing in clubs to all kinds of music. I just wanted to get better dancing with a partner more hmm.. classy - I don't know if that's the right word. I dance close, very close to a guy a.k.a Dirty Dancing or also known as - my friends telling me "why don't u two get a room" LOL (they are joking & I have a good sense of humor:) ). In addition, I wanted to learn that Latin hip motion. I did not learn it from this Video. But u can try to do what I did! YOU can learn it by going to any club where Latin music is played and people dance to it. You watch people on the dance floor for a few minutes and you'll start to FEEL the music, you'll start moving without even realizing it. At 1st you'll dance in the back, still watching others, but by the end of the night you will be Dancing and with that "Latin Hip Motion". I watched this DVD, and the only thing I got out of it is, Cal reminded me how to dance the Macarena. LOL. If I knew Macarena would take up 30% of the video if not more, I wouldn't have bought this DVD. The people in the video are nothing like the two u see on the cover. I'm not sure what year this video came out, but it looks like mid 80's maybe! Cal is not the best dancer, maybe he was good in his prime. He has no personality, when he tries to be funny, it sounds forced, unnatural. The music is boring, and so are the dancers. The ladies are wearing something like bridesmaid dresses. I made three mistakes: 1st I went for a cheep DVD; 2nd I didn't keep the slip to return it; 3rd and biggest - I did not read reviews. At least I bought it used only cost like $10 with shipping. I was looking if any of my family/friends might want this DVD for free, it was always brought right back! The DVD quality was so-so. I didn't really learn anything new..The only person this video would be OK for and who may get something out of it is Ex: You are in someone's wedding, the couple getting married, at least one is of Latino/Spanish origin, and you know you'll need to do at least one slow Latin dance, if u don't u will offend the newlyweds! But if you really want to learn Latin Salsa try this one "the quick & dirty guide to salsa". It's great and u can get it here on Amazon.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: don't waste your money!!
Comment: this was the 2nd salsa "how to" dvd I purchased. The first one "the quick & dirty guide to salsa" was such a gem, I assumed I would have excellent luck once again with this dvd. The old "follow the footprints" is soooo dated. if you are serious about learning to salsa - this is NOT the one for you. this is the basic of all basics. If there was a rating option of zero,this video would win hands down. I threw it away - since I would feel guilty re-selling it to some poor salsa hyped sucker on amazon. really, it is that bad. i rolled the dice a 3rd time & got lucky with edie the "salsa freak" & al"liquid silver" espinoza. i know i am being a bit harsh - but I really do look at reviews when i'm not quite sure of what i'm buying. i appreciate the inside scoop, so i figure i will do the same.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: I would have given a zero, but that option wasn't available
Comment: To say that I was disappointed with this DVD would be an understatement. I purchased it because of "neallatino's" review...there are very few actual techniques covered on this DVD, and there is virtually NO advice about HOW the man should lead the woman. The basic steps are SO basic that the instruction is almost useless to all but folks who cannot dance at all. The animated footprints are not done in a way that makes sense...they are confusing and weird. I could have learned everything shown in the DVD in the first 20 minutes of a dance lesson in our local latin dance club. The cover also shows a young couple, including a hot Latina girl...giving the impression that they are the instructors...instead the instructors are two VERY ballroom people...the male instructor is so stiff...I had to stop looking at him and just focus on his partner, who is a much better dancer. I also bought the "Quick and Dirty Guide to Salsa, part 1" and was VERY pleased with it, and wish I hadn't wasted my money on Cal Pozo's DVD!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Craptacular
Comment: Never buy any DVD by Cal Pozo. I've accidentally bought two, since Cal isn't on the cover and I hadn't noticed that he would be the one doing the instruction. By the way, the cover of the DVD looks like it's a lot more lively than it actually is.
This is extremely stiff, and you will not be impressing anyone with your moves. Honestly, this looked horrible and my entire family was laughing hysterically for the first ten minutes because we could not believe that anything could be so boring, stilted, and lame. After that we fell asleep. Please, save your money.

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