“5.0 OUT OF 5 STARS. CLEAR INSTRUCTION.I enjoy this video. Though not naturally inclined to learn ballet, I have found that the clarity and simplicity with which this topic is approached has given me into an enthusiastic appreciation for this art. I also enjoy the kindness Finis Jhung shows to his demonstrator. Though I have watched the group class and this class for Absolute Beginners several times, I still enjoy doing so.”

—Tadhg. December 14, 2019.

“5.0 OUT OF 5 STARS. CLEAR INSTRUCTION.
All the videos in this series are very clear and informative. Once you understand how to do each exercise, there is a workout mode you can use that by-passes the instructions. These are the very best ballet videos I’ve seen. Highly recommended.”

—Christopher E. Reid. March 16, 2019.

“5.0 OUT OF 5 STARS. Non-dancers are using and learning with ease!”

—Stephie. August 3, 2018

“The music is beautiful and the instructions easy to follow. I highly recommend this product.”

—Diana Day. July 26, 2018

“I’m thinking of you and the joy your teaching has brought me. I do the Ballet Barre for the Adult Absolute Beginner DVD at least five days a week and feel myself improving each time I do it. My feet, ankles and hips are stronger; my upper body is more flexible. Your cues during the demonstrations are fantastic. They have been an important key to my development. When you say, ‘Good,’ I feel you’re talking to me!”

— Maria Schreiber

“I’ve been doing your DVDs with my mother in her 60s. It’s helping her out a lot with learning to keep her balance and have good posture. Even the slightest movements have helped strengthen her muscles. We love you.”

— Trula Hudelson

“Ballet Benefits
“5.0 out of 5 stars

“I’m in my 50s and have danced for fun and exercise since college. For years, my go-to favorites have been Kries’ New Body Ballet, Lowe’s The Ballet Workout and Argo’s The Anti-Aging Method. Needing a change, I ordered Ballet Barre for the Adult Absolute Beginner and loved it right away because it engages my mind. Finis Jhung explains the movements and helps you understand why each is important. I use a portable VitaVibe 4′ barre to do the 18 exercises then the brief floor work. The sessions can be played with or without instruction and the exercises can be played one by one.* Jhung even explains how best to hold your arms which I’ve always wanted to know (Exercise #6). The music is peaceful & unintrusive. This DVD has the detailed type of instruction I’d been craving–longer, focused, and helpful in improving my balance. I also have Beginner Ballet Barre and am looking forward to the third in the series Ballet Barre Stretch & Strength. Mr. Jhung suggests in Beginner Ballet Barre to do this DVD Adult Absolute Beginner first. I would agree because “Beginner Ballet Barre” appears to have more complicated exercises, also well-explained. Very pleased with my purchase!

— Amazon User “meadowrueon”

*Some features mentioned not available for streaming videos, only hard-copy DVDs.

“Must have for the total beginner
“5 out of 5 stars

“I’m almost 70 and have never done ballet in my life. This DVD is perfect for a total beginner. I only wish I had a barre. I’ve tried chairs, the bookcases — even the baseboard on my bed. Not the greatest solution… BUT Finis Jung is an incredible teacher. He is thorough, informative and throws in a little humor just when you realize that you forgot to breathe. I can’t imagine a better DVD for a total beginner who really wants to do the postures correctly.”

— Joanne L. on Amazon

“Simply the best!

“Here is my story–and one you might relate to… I am 69 years old and in pretty good shape. I work out on the treadmill. Do machine/weight workouts. I take walks. I dance to music around the house. Nothing major or heavy duty. I am stiff in the knees, hips, and back. I wanted to add something to my workout routine to help combat the stiffness. Yoga and pilates are nice but I wanted to try something different–and ballet was something I always longed to do since childhood. I love the idea of ballet–the music, the art, the discipline, the whole package.

“This fall, I attended ballet classes at my workout facility. Turns out it was an advanced class–not a good match for my skill level but it was a start/an intro. I attended about six sessions. Two takeaways from the experience: 1) Ballet is right for me. 2) Finding an appropriate instructor/class is a key requirement and worth the search. But what to do? I searched for local beginner-level classes. Nothing jumped out at me in terms of offerings and/or scheduling. I also began searching on YouTube for beginning ballet videos. I found a few…some good…but alas, nothing that really suited. Then…and much to amazement…I found Finis Jhung.

“I purchased this DVD in December 2016. It is excellent. Perfect for my needs. Finis Jhung is my kind of teacher. His approach is sensible, clear, and it works for me. My balance is improving–immediate benefit. The stretches are helping achieve more flexibility–a slow process to be sure but at least I have a way forward. The arm and leg work are making me stronger–again, a slow process. My posture is improving–immediate benefit. I self-correct my posture during the day and find I do it naturally–not forced. Overall, I feel more body/brain connected. Although the DVD price is not inexpensive, in value terms (for me) it is worth the price.”

— Amazon Customer

“Finis Jhung has been teaching ballet since the 1970s and it shows. His expertise is quite obvious in this DVD, as he a true master at explaining the techniques behind every movement. I would say this video is the #1 at-home tool for someone just beginning to study the art of ballet.”

— Amazon Customer

“An absolutely exceptional instructional DVD for ballet. First of all, I have always wanted to take ballet but didn’t have the money when I was growing up. Finally now as an adult I have (sort of) the time to finally take some adult classes. It is not easy to find the time to make it to classes every week due to my kids’ sports schedules so I turned to finding some DVDs to help me practice ballet at home. I am very thankful to have found these DVDs. Finis is an excellent teacher and it’s nice that I can rewind and replay a segment to ‘get it right’ as many times as I need to. He has taught me more things than my teacher has in class though I do like my teacher too. I have realized that I was doing certain steps wrong and I’m finally understanding the importance of the plié. I only wish I lived in New York City so I could attend his live classes. Now that would be a dream come true!”

— Amazon Customer

Five Stars. “Truly unlike any other. Immediately after using, was able to change many things, especially how toes ‘grip’ floor. Balance immediately improved and has helped in all activities. Bought many other of them in this series, and while people commented about cost, I truly say, very worth it. Nothing like it!”

— Anthony G. on Amazon

“Finis Jhung’s DVD, Ballet Barre for the Absolute Beginner gets to the basics in a uniquely perceptive way. It will insure that, even before the student has learned to dance, they will have ‘found’ and begun to use exactly the same muscles as those of a professional dancer. How cool is that!? Feeling the same muscles as your favorite premiere danseuse or ballerina? Emphasis on feet. We stand on, turn on, move across, and away from the floor … with our feet. It should be obvious that the feet require an enormous amount of attention. Emphasis on alignment and balance. It should be obvious that before one is rising to balance on one leg, then the weight should already be on that leg in the preparation. Obvious? You might be surprised at how often the obvious is not emphasized. Enter Finis Jhung! Mr and Ms Absolute Beginner, improve your posture and balance. Become more aware of your body in space. Practice. Discover your dancing muscles and you will soon be ready for the next barre along the way: Beginner Ballet Barre.”

— Marie Paquet-Nesson

“I want people to know how wonderfully you teach, and I think what you teach will be really helpful in learning and loving ballet. I’ve taken it for a long time as an adult, and I love taking class, how class proceeds, how the discipline manifests in class, the attention to the teacher, the student that demonstrates, working both sides, the beauty of the dance, the music, and so on. I do like how you have us start on the angles, because I have trouble with that, getting completely lost. I think this will help. Also, I never wanted to advance to the next level in class, because I felt something was missing, something in my fundamentals. I could do the pliés, tendus, dégagés, and the other movements, but I wasn’t sure if I was holding my body correctly, and after taking your classes I understand better what I need to work towards, and for that I really appreciate these DVDs. I feel like I’m there by how you conduct the class, and I really appreciate how you teach. It’s so welcoming and informative. You are truly a gifted teacher. Thank you!”

—Debbie, Anaheim, CA

“I am a retired swimmer who always secretly believed I should have been a dancer! Age 46, I enrolled in my first ballet class, about one month ago. The women in my class are a quite a bit more advanced than me, so there’s a steep learning curve to catch up. I’m well balanced but unfortunately not terribly coordinated all the time! I have quite a bit of space at home, so I am using these (streaming) videos to learn the movements step by step, through repetition, to build my precision and speed.”

— Amy Henderson, Amman, Jordan

“I want to thank you with all my heart for sharing your gift with all of us. I have loved ballet my whole life. Although my family did their best, they could not afford to send me to lessons for long. I was a cadet at West Point between 1999 and 2002. I used to run 2 miles each way to dance with six year-olds. I wish I would have known you were only a train ride away. I have a very fragmented dance education, and you have helped me put those pieces together. This renewed dancing life has also very unexpectedly allowed me to heal some emotional wounds I suffered during my military times. I am so grateful. I live in a rural area and have opened a small dance studio with the hopes of hiring a teacher for my kids and their friends. I decided I would refresh and start teaching until I could find one. I’m still teaching confidently and happily because of your clear direction. I hope to attend your workshop next year.”

— Josie Posir

“The Absolute Best Introductory DVD for an Absolute Adult Beginner”

“I am a long-term lover of ballet, but as a practitioner I am an adult beginner, with absolutely no prior experience. Like the recent reviewer, I have checked and researched what was available online and public library. Originally, I was NOT really going to buy the DVD by Finis Jhung – mainly because of the price (I am a student, and I don’t usually spend $40 on a single DVD). However, upon reviewing other beginners DVD options and looking at Finis’s website, watching the clips of his various DVDs and reading reviews, I made a decision to take the risk.

“The short story: Within a month of starting to work with this DVD, I invested in another one; that is how much I have grown in my esteem of Finis’s teaching.

“

The longer story:



“TEACHER:

• Finis is a very knowledgeable and gifted teacher:
not only does he explain each position, exercise, and how it supposed to feel, but he also coaches you on the potential mistakes and what to watch out for in the mirror
• while he teaches one exercise, he simultaneously builds into it small fragments of the “things to come” (e.g., turning your head to prepare for spotting, taking a balance)
• even though he is a professional dancer, he seems to have a genuine passion for sharing this art with ordinary people and a remarkable understanding of how complex ballet movements could be best explained to absolute beginners
• he has acute attention to detail: like that of a bonsai gardener, except with regards to the human body
• and his dry wit will make you chuckle along as you practice.

RESULTS:

• after one (!) time of practice with this DVD, my regular ballet teacher remarked that I have “remarkably strong plies for a beginner” (this is because Finis has his own unique way of explaining plie!)
• after two weeks of practicing with this DVD, my regular ballet teacher said that I “really got the spotting”
• now, at the end of the second month, I have lost almost all “wobbling” when on demi-point. I feel stronger and can follow my regular ballet classes with greater confidence and ease. (I also notice that I am becoming stronger and have greater balance in my daily activities.)

“An unexpected but very welcome result is mental/emotional: I feel very relaxed after practicing with this DVD.

“NOTE FOR PRACTICE: it really is best to practice with a barre, and in front of the mirror. 

I would recommend this DVD, with great enthusiasm, to all adult beginners!”

—An Amazon.com Reviewer

From an Australian Streaming Customer:
“How lucky are we to have you as an expert coach! As a ballet teacher for some years, it’s just fantastic that I am able to access teaching materials from you; exercises are interesting, explained in detail and easy to follow. I love that I am able to stream lessons that help me see ballet skills from a professional dancer’s experience and perspective. It’s a long way from attending dance workshops, buying many books and making copious notes, not to mention the many miles of travel when one lives in the Australian countryside! Teaching Adult Ballet is a passion of mine; thank you for your expertise and being my On-Line Coach! Cheers!”

—Ann Mader-Flowers, DMC Studio
Bathurst NSW, Australia

“At 66 I am just starting to study Ballet. I have no previous music or dance training to draw on. After considerable reading of beginning ballet material in books and online, I discovered that four beginner ballet videos or teacher videos were repeatedly recommended: any DVD by Finis Jhung – I selected Ballet Barre for the Adult Absolute Beginner by Finis Jhung with dancer Sachiko Kanai- 2014 DVD; Ballet Class for Beginners with David Howard- 1982 VHS/DVD; Ballet Workout by Melissa Lowe 1984 VHS/DVD; and Ballet 101, A Beginners Class by Jennifer Nunes- VHS/DVD 1997. I read that any Finis Jhung DVD is pricey compared to the rest and are virtually never found online for sale at a discount.

I purchased all four of these programs from Amazon in DVD format. I find that Finis Jhung’s DVD is by far the best choice for the true adult beginner!

The Finis Jhung DVD has a detailed list and individual description of each of 18 exercises with time and tempo on the jacket cover. None of the other three DVDs have any listing of tracks on the jacket cover. Nor was any insert placed with within the jacket to provide a listing or description of the tracks.

I feel that Finis is directly and most successfully targeting the new Adult Ballet Beginner Student. The other three DVDs I purchased and viewed were originally recorded in VHS format in the 80s and 90s, and then apparently transferred directly into DVD format without any updating of material. None of the DVDs had technical improvements in individual track accessibility equal to the refinements in Finis’s DVD.

Finis teaches in the program himself and he really teaches! He tells you what the reason is for having “knees bent” or “ears up” or always trying to be “in number one.” In his quietly supportive and confident speaking style, Finis tells you the reason why you have to make a specific movement in a specific manner.

After purchasing and viewing four different teaching systems’ introductory ballet DVDs, I have concluded that the The Finis Jhung program is the only one of the four that is technically and actively supported in the present by the originating artist. And it is updated new today for the target audience I absolutely belong to: The Adult Absolute Beginner!

Finis Jhung Ballet Barre for the Adult Absolute Beginner DVD does indeed cost more than any of the other three introductory ballet DVDs I purchased… But it is by far the best prescription and the most effective DVD teaching remedy for any true at home adult beginner ballet student.”

— Mark Bayuk, St. Paul, MN

“I started using BBAAB two weeks ago and already I can feel a difference in my movement and my ballet teacher saw a difference in my last ballet class. I’m 37 years old and living in Japan. I’ve always wanted to do ballet since I was a young girl but I never had the opportunity. I started adult ballet March 2015 and I have been searching for reliable DVDs ever since. I was so happy to come across your collection. I have an excellent teacher, Mrs. Suzuki, but because of the language barrier I don’t always understand her explanation. Your DVDs have really helped me fill in the gaps in my understanding and performance. Thank you! I hope I can join one of your workshops in NY soon. All the best and keep inspiring adult learners.”

— Sharla Mohammed, Japan

“Finis Jhung’s way of teaching a plié is absolutely revolutionary. His focus on correct weight placement is the foundation of supple movement. This is a much better class in an easier format than his older absolute beginner barre DVD and I could not recommend it enough; even a highly experienced dancer should consider taking this class at least once and beginning to unlearn some of the bad habits that, while they look good in the mirror, inhibit the dance and frustrate the dancer. I was taught by some of the best, but I’m so sad they didn’t teach like Finis!”

— Rachel on Amazon.com

“Great instruction! Realized I was doing a lot of ballet moves wrong (I just started ballet as an adult).”

— Jill on Amazon.com

“I have practiced along with this DVD, and I enjoy that all of the steps are broken down and explained and that the pace is one that I can keep up with. Thank you very much for a high quality product.”

— Sylvia Lausted, Social Worker, Spokane, WA

“I have often spoken to adults who gave up dancing long ago and miss it and now here is the perfect class for them to reconnect to this wonderful art form. The clear instructions, the lovely music and the beautiful demonstrations come together in this well considered class to make learning to dance enjoyable for even the most hesitant beginner. Confidence is built from one exercise to the next until the point is reached where the magic of dance actually begins and then everything flows from there.”

— Judith Chestnut, Erina, NSW, Australia