- Jean Butler's Irish Dance Master Class

If you are a beginner at Irish Dance, you will have to take this very slowly. The lessons are progressive and the exercises build complexity very quickly. What seems to take just a few moments on the DVD, may take you days or even a week or more to get it down. But I like challenging and quickly progressive lessons because I can always go back and draw them out longer and take my time. This DVD is packed with information and dance steps you can see. It isn't the best production I have ever seen and you may have to stop the DVD a few times or watch in slow motion. You need to be light on your feet and toes. Irish Dance, like jazz and ballet, requires you to be nimble and if you havn't got the "nimble" part down, that is if your feet hit the ground like mine with a slam, then yeah, you'll need to work a bit slower and work with drawing your energy upward until you get the right feel for it. Try wearing some modern dance sneakers or something until you get the nimbleness and flexibility before going into taps.Jean explains everything very quickly and is right down to business without any fluff. She was the lead female dancer in Riverdance as well as other performances and she knows her stuff. Again, the DVD could have added extra shots in slow motion or shown some graphic aids but all together, its a very good DVD. If you are a beginner like me, you'll have to rewind and watch it a bit but I actually got through the first third of the video in a few days. Be aware if your hips, knees, and ankle joints are not used to this kind of activity, you will feel it. So take your time, be patient, and don't judge yourself. Just move along at your own pace and you will get it. If I can get it, anyone can!

The media could not be loaded. It's not really a dance choreograph video, but there are some great stuff most dance videos do not include like warm ups, core & strength training, and cool down exercises, which is really helpful for any dances. Jean designed these exercises specially for Irish dancing. It really works!Why I love the video:I was dealing with personal matters, and not getting to do any exercises for a while, nor cook proper meals and then weight gain! Getting back to do Irish dancing was hard with the extra weight-including back pain. As soon as I remember this video, I started using it again which really helps with my other dance routines, and the pain went away. My 11 shape abs are starting to come back and looking slimmer!My only complaints:Like some reviewers have said are some steps are not explained well enough and moved on too quickly. I think it was some of the hard shoe steps that had extra steps, and it wasn’t narrated either. Also one of the links for the Main Menu is not working, but luckily my DVD player has an alternative exit. Or else it would have been a 5 star.Additional suggestions:If some of these steps are too hard, or want to learn a new dance routine, what I usually do is switch between videos. Here are some good one to also look into: Basic dance steps: Irishdancelsfun- beginner’s Irish dance moves Stretches & basic techniques: MJP Academy of Irish Dance Beginner to Advanced Dancing: Irish Dancing Magazine with Casey Costello (very easy to follow) Social Dancing: CeiliAndCraic’s dance videosFinal thoughts:I think Butler’s Masterclass video is a must have since it made my practice much easier and getting back in shape. It is a workout and Irish dance technique video in one.

I come from the same school of thought as Jean, and this DVD really is geared to dancers like me- familiar with novice concepts of Irish dance and really looking for a DVD to strengthen your basics as your train in the highest levels of competition. That said, I won't discourage any interested dancer from trying this programme out. There really is something on it for everyone, if you have the patience. The glossary has some great examples of more traditional movements and I'm sure if you hit "replay" enough times almost anybody can get even the most difficult parts. If you find this masterclass too challenging, don't be discouraged. Keep at it. I'd say anybody can do at least half of Jean's workout with no problem, and it IS a workout.I have incorporated much of this workout into my own classes as an assistant teacher, and into my daily routine as I'm training. I love pullng it out and watching the Bonus bits- "her royal waggeldy toes" and "blue" in addition to the work out. Jean is an amazingly graceful dancer and is very inspiring to watch. In the cut-throat world of competitive dance I live in it is wonderful to have something beautiful and fun to keep you going when you get tired of all the pressure. Jean knows what Irish dance is about, and combines her unique perspective with her extensive knowledge to create a flexible program for novice through championship dancers looking to hone their skills or just have fun.

I've never danced at in my entire life, but I found this to be very helpful. She explains the moves slowly at first and then does it at a fast pace. Naturally, if you don't have any dance experience, you will need to repeat a section many times. For example, I couldn't get passed the ""point pull back" section for about a week and a half, but now I've gotten pretty good at it. What I found really helpful was that you can play the same section over and over again until you've gotten over it and if something seems too fast, even if she explains it slowly, you can use the slow motion fastfowarding on your dvd. The glossary is also very helpful, where she explains the vocabulary and different moves in detail, for example, all five jumps, which can be very hard to do. I think this DVD is very good for beginners but it may be helpful for people who have had alot of experience and just want to practice.

In audio inglese, esercizi e balli di Irish dance. Per chi è interessato può essere un buon modo di aumentare il proprio livello di ballo.

A beautiful practical Irish dance course.Simply beautiful.Very pleasant to watch, and good to learn difficult dance movements (only for experts, because the movements are shown very quickly).It is worthy the price.

La verdad es que es un buen programa para quien ya está metido un poquitín (pero de nivel principiante tirando ya a llevar un año bailando) en el mundo del irish dance. La profe es una estrella. Aun así, no es un programa sencillo de seguir.

I enjoy learning to Irish dance with this helpful movie that makes it so much more easier to learn because it is very informative. It has a glossary with the beginner's steps and a master's class section. I like the style that Jean Butler has in Irish dancing which makes this movie have a unique, special, and outstanding performance style. This movie can help you learn your own style. A tip don't expect to get perfect the first day you try, it might take awhile but you'll get there. This movie is encouraging and motivating. I enjoy the music which helps the dancing become exciting and fun. This DVD is helping me to be the best Irish dancer I can. I think that this movie will help people to become a great Irish dancer.

I am fully satisfied! This DVD is perfect for beginners, and is also difficult enough for good dancers. I will need a few months to learn the content of all lessons in this masterclass.