So You Think You Can Dance: Get Fit - DVD Review

Photo: Paramount Home Entertainment

Let me begin with a disclaimer -- I love "So You Think You Can Dance." I even called in to vote once in Season 2 (big deal for me -- I never do that). When I heard they were releasing "So You Think You Can Dance: Get Fit" fitness DVDs, I was thrilled. I recognized the names of all the dancers involved, and the geeky fan in me couldn't wait to dance with some of my favorite contestants.

There are two DVDs in the series. There's Tone and Groove, featuring Twitch on hip-hop, jazz with Katee and Dmitry teaching the cha-cha. Then, you have Cardio Funk, starring Lauren in a hip-hop routine, contemporary with Travis and disco with Courtney. Each video features a lengthy warm-up and plenty of well-cued instruction for each dance. You have the option, once you've learned the dances, to skip the instruction and go straight into the dance -- a good thing, since Tone and Groove is 109 minutes and Cardio Funk is 116 minutes long.

The dancers are fit, for sure, and they're great at what they do. But does that mean you'll be able to dance like a pro at the end? And, more important, does it give you a good workout? I tried them out for you, and can give you all the answers.

Level of Difficulty
While it certainly helps to have a dance background, you don't need to be familiar with dance terms to follow along, so in that way, it's beginner. However, there's a bit of jumping around -- not the hardest cardio ever, but because modifications aren't offered, I'd probably say it's physically intermediate.

Next Day Soreness
A little in some of the "dancier" muscles that I don't normally use.

Who's It For?
Fans of the show, of course! Although, anyone who likes to learn different types of dance would likely enjoy the videos.

Likes
The dancers really inserted their personalities into the dances and the instruction. I like them, so for me, that was a bonus. You go over each step several times before moving on, so not only do you really get the dance down, but you also get more of a workout. It might be a little repetitive if you have some dance experience, but it's easy enough to fast forward, right? Additionally, I liked that each video had three distinctly different dances. I don't know that I would've gotten one for the cha-cha or contemporary individually, but because they were included, I did them. And I enjoyed it!

Dislikes
The length was a little awkward. If you go from the warm up through to the end, it's a long workout. Once you've done it, though, and can just go straight into the dances and cut the time down.

Bottom Line
While not the hardest, sweatiest workouts ever, the SYTYCD: Get Fit DVDs are no walk in the park. I absolutely loved the disco section, and both hip-hop dances were a lot of fun. The cha-cha was far more demanding than I'd envisioned, and the rest were a lot of fun, too. If you like to dance, like the show and are looking for a way to incorporate that into your at-home workout, this is a good choice.

If you love the show as much as I do, then of course you adore Cat Deeley. Find out what she has to say about her fashion sense and the show in AOL Television's interview.