Block Party Hi/lo

I got this tape from Sara's City Workout, knowing that the quality probably wouldn't be too good, and I was right. I was certain that Franny would carry the day anyway, making me like the video despite the quality. Unfortunately, I don't feel that way. This is a good, heart-pumping high/low workout with interesting choreography. But I often can't hear the music because it's so low (if you crank up the volume, then it's like Franny's shouting at you), and I found the combos, especially the beginning few, to be somewhat over-taught. I kept wanting to move on. If I didn't already have so many videos, I'd probably keep this one. But given the selection I already have available, this one just doesn't tempt me. Grade B.

This is a Sara City production, so production quality is not the best. Not as bad as earlier Sara City, but not as good as CIA either. But, there is something that I do like about this type of filming, it's more like a live class. There are mistakes in the video that don't get edited out. The music cuts out once, and Franny deals with it by talking/teaching tips. Franny makes one or two mistakes herself, which is uplifting to me, as an instructor.
BR>Now, the routine is very good. Franny puts together some fun moves. The choreography is not as complex as her CIAs, but the intensity and footwork are both intermed/adv. The workout is about 60 minutes, and then a 30 minute instructional segment. The warm up is easy to grasp, but everything takes off from there. The first combo is the easiest, running up, V step turn, run back, knees up(turning) and I believe some ham curls that later turn into her "spin out"(like in CIA 9905). She does have this one tricky move: lunge out, then cross in front and lunge out with the other leg and cross in front(I don't know why I even bother to write that-I can never figure out things like this in other people's reviews). anyway, Franny's Block Party is a lot of fun. And especially good for a first Franny video. A+

Another Sara City Workout from Franny. The warm-up is 15 minutes, so I skipped it. The music from Step Jam and Step Fit is in the background; remember, it's not a high quality production, and Franny uses a head microphone. But the workout is great. Mostly high impact; her holding move is the step curl so your heartrate stays up. Some of the moves: v-step, jogs, two knees followed by step knee, step curl and grapevine. There is a block with scoops, jogs, jacks, step knee lifts, pogo, and headache (knee lift with a slide back), rocking horse with a step turn, serve it up. After 30 minutes she pauses and you think the workout is over, but then she does an additional eight minutes taking it from the top two times. I love it!! It flows beautifully and I was sweating. She never lets me down, and the quality doesn't matter as long as the workout is advanced and I sweat. I would say it's the same intensity as 9704, which makes it a bit less in intensity than 9905.