Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up

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Starring: Ana Marie Forsythe
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Studio: Kultur Video
Release Date: 2005-03-29
Lester Horton Technique: The Warm-Up is a unique program designed to prepare dancers for rehearsal and performance. The technique’s creator, Lester Horton, was determined to develop a warm-up that did not limit how the body could move, and that was anatomically corrective. As a result, his method has enormous variety, range and complexity. Such noted dancers and choreographers as Alvin Ailey, Bella Lewitzky and Joyce Trisler began their dance training with Horton and used the techniques with their own students. Horton protégée Marjorie B. Perces and Ana Marie Forsythe lead a group of young professional dancers and the viewer through leg swings, metatarsal presses and fortifications in this exclusive Kultur presentation, which preserves this important achievement in dance training for generation to come. For the professional dancer who needs to build strength, agility and flexibility, this DVD provides important injury-preventing techniques. It’s also an excellent way for the non-dancer or athlete to do a non-aerobic workout that helps develop grace and relieves muscle stress.

Its ok
After a few years in modern dance class, this material seems very old hat.
Buy it if you've never danced and want to maintain range of motion as you age, or if the Horton technique is a big part of your studio work, but for the average (active) person, its stuff you already know.

Beautiful moves, but not enough instruction
I am not a dancer, but I thought who better to take tips from about warming up & stretching then people who put their body through hours of intense work daily?
Watching the dancers graceful movements was beautiful to see how the body moves when posture is correct.
The DVD runs like a copy of an old VHS from the 80s with everyone including the guys in bright neon, tight spandex. Exactly what you see on the picture of the DVD. The chapter menu is good.
There are diff exercises such as flat back stretching, primitive squat descent, lateral torso stretches & release torso swings, leg swings, deep lunges, fortifications (hamstring & calf stretches, balancing on toes, plies, hip propulsion), elementary balance (ballet style), 5/4 swings (lateral torso swing & turn w/leg in split in the air), dimensional tonus (using other moves in slower more toning way), & the first 5 exercises. (exactly what you see on the picture.) I did feel more stretched out, some exercise work as good or better then yoga or look similar to it.
The cons is first they show the dancers doing it with general stiff female voice over, not instructions how they do it so you have to the look at the screen. After is the same woman voice over with pictures of what they did reminding you some posture cues, etc., though not enough to be of that much help.
At the end they show the first 5 exercises only one after the other without stopping.
I would only recommend this to anyone who doesn't have any joint limitations or muscle/bone issues, can do squats several times easily, can swing their leg fwd to their chest & backwards & up & exercises regularly.
I took off two stars for the lack of instruction & stiff presentation & I personally love the movement itself, I don't like how each move is executed with a slow, quick, slow, quick speed. It's great for increasing precision & control, but not good for increasing fluidity & being in the moment in your body other then a logical way.

Great! And easy to follow.
I got this DVD to get better in my modern dance class. If your school does Horton exercises and you want to see how they are done on your own time, this is great. It is a professional DVD presentation which first shows you a given exercise using several dancers at different angles to the camera, and then breaks the exercise down into the important things to note and keep in mind. It has good flow, so you can do the exercises as you watch them, which I do.

I am glad I got it.