Description:
Too shy to take a dance class? 1-2-3 Dance may be the ticket to unlocking the mysteries of swing dance in your home. For users who have already had some success learning dance techniques from home video, CD-ROM instruction is a logical next step. The dance segments in 1-2-3 Dance can be run at slow or fast speeds, and footwork charts and frame-by-frame imaging give further assistance. Users can also isolate male and female dance moves to examine the differences between the two parts in detail. With perseverance and judicious use of the program's features, picking up the fundamentals of swing should be easily achievable--and at a fraction of the expense of lessons. 1-2-3 Dance is an older program--great for users still running Windows 95 or Macintosh System 7--but it does feature the simpler graphics of mid-'90s multimedia products. What's more, it has a tendency to crash, even on newer machines. Finally, the video window, in which filmed dancers demonstrate steps, is smaller than it would be on a home video. Users should keep these factors in mind when considering this program. Even so, teens interested in learning the basics of the dances--and anyone who wants to experiment a little with swing in a private, embarrassment-free environment--may find 1-2-3 Dance to be an excellent starting point. --Alyx Dellamonica
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