Aqua Zumba Vol. 7

This is the fourth and probably the last Aqua Zumba CD/DVD set I am getting (and therefore reviewing). I suppose I still will be able to purchase the follow-ups but frankly I don’t see why I should.

Music: not especially bad, but nothing remarkable. I heard Hola my Friend already on MegaMix 25 (although there it was called “Pacific Rhythm” rather than “Polynesian Rhythm”, even though it sounds like calypso to me). And of course, Daler Mehndi’s bhangra is always a welcome addition to the usual merengue/salsa/cumbia/reggaeton programme.

The choreo... once again, not bad, but nothing to write home about. Also, I have nothing against using the bench, but hanging on the frame looks like an extravagance I can live without.

Song List

1. La Mujere Quieren Más — Merengue *
2. Cumbia de mi Tierra — Cumbia *
3. La Extranjera — Reggaeton — by K.L.C. Clave Cubana
4. A Gozar Timbero — Timba / Cha-cha-chá *
5. Hola my Friend — Polynesian Rhythm ◊
6. Tú Tienes — Merengue *
7. Me Enamoro de su Piel — Cumbia — by Periko
8. Oxígeno — Salsa *
9. Ho Jayegi Balle Balle — Dance / Bollywood — by Daler Mehndi

* Covers
◊ Zumba Fitness originals

Aqua Zumba Vol. 6 and MegaMix 27

Back in June 2011, I attended the Aqua Zumba training and Zumba Masterclass in Liverpool with ZES Kelly Bullard. Without any exaggeration, it was a truly remarkable experience. I was looking forward to this Aqua Zumba DVD featuring Kelly. I’d love to say that it did not disappoint. But that would be a lie. The thing is, Kelly does a good job given the material. I am not sure who gave this material to her though. Remember what is the single most important element in a Zumba class? That’s right, the music. No matter how good choreography is, it cannot save the bad music.

Now I understand that I am entering a dangerous territory here. Highly subjective. I don’t like pop. That includes “Latin Pop”, and this collection has three (out of nine!) songs marked as such, even though La Bomba could have been called “reggaeton”. All three are awful. The best songs in this collection are Reggae Kumbia and Yo No Fui. As per usual, most of the lyrics here are interspersed with “Zumba Fitness”, which really gets on my nerves. (As if simply “Zumba” were not enough. But “Zumba Fitness”? “Zumba Fitness sabroso”? Yuck, yuck, yuck.)

As for MegaMix 27, I don’t feel it even deserves a post on its own. Can’t think of any usable tune from here except from a cover of Benny Moré’s Qué bueno baila usted — alas, once again contaminated by “Zumba Fitness”. And what Great Balls of Fire, More Than Words and Unislide are doing here?

Aqua Zumba Vol. 6 — Song List

1. Vamos a la Playa — Latin Pop
2. Hablale De Mi — Salsa / Reggaeton — by K.L.C. Clave Cubana
3. Reggae Kumbia — Cumbia / Reggaeton
4. Rumba y Gozadera — Merengue
5. Yo No Fui — Reggaeton / Calypso
6. Dime Lo Que Quieres — Salsa
7. Shabadabada — Latin Pop
8. Mano Pa’ Arriba — Reggaeton
9. La Bomba — Latin Pop

MegaMix 27 — Song List

1. El cuento — Merengue — by Omar El Spactacular
2. Que Bueno Baila Usted — Salsa
3. Bureo, Bureo — Urban Funk
4. Rebolaxa — Axé — by Ceceu Muniz
5. Cumbia del Caribe — Cumbia
6. Unislide — Freestyle — by Jerome Haywood
7. Great Balls of Fire — Rock and Roll
8. Amoot Alak — Rumba Flamenca — by Bandoleros
9. Het Is Tijd — Soca — by K-Liber4life
10. More Than Words — Acoustic Rock

Aqua Zumba Vol. 5

I liked this collection better than the previous one. By now, only two girls are left in the pool but they seem to be enjoying the experience. There are two (not bad!) originals by K.L.C. Clave Cubana, the rest are covers. The program opens with Suavemente; this song works great in water too! But the most fun song is Busamba. One day I’d love to play it in a Zumba class.

Song List

1. Suavemente — Merengue
2. Dale Cintura — Salsa — by K.L.C. Clave Cubana
3. Gotcha — Cha-Cha-Chá / Pop
4. Amor Del Bueno — Cumbia / Pop
5. Sin Aire — Latin Pop / Rock
6. Cumbianchera — Cumbia
7. Busamba — Salsa / Cha-Cha-Chá
8. No Te Pido Flores — Cumbia
9. El Celular — Salsa / Reggaeton — by K.L.C. Clave Cubana

Aqua Zumba Vol. 4

AZ Vol. 4 arrived last week — redirected from my old UK address. I sent an email to Zumba Home Office to remind them that I have actually moved (and changed my address) some time ago.

Musically, it is not bad, although I find it too heavy on reggaeton — five tracks (out of nine) are either pure reggaeton or salsa/reggaeton or merengue/reggaeton. Rebolabum (axé) by Cecéu Muniz and Mama Canana (reggaeton) by El Vampiro are the highlights. I Like It Like That is marked as salsa but it is more like disco/cha-cha-cha hybrid. Either way, it is the worst song of the set.

Now the DVD. We are treated to the videos of the instructor dancing (very nicely) in front of the pool, where a group of ladies does some asynchronous moves. From time to time the camera dips underwater (just like in Blue Planet) to show us the lower part of the dancing body... which clearly does not belong to any of these ladies because it actually can move to the beat. Maybe it is the same instructor’s but I can’t say for sure. It would be more helpful if there was an alternate angle option or, even better, split screen showing simultaneously dry land vs (intended) underwater dance.

Song List

1. Rebolabum — Axé
2. Qué Tengo Que Hacer — Reggaeton
3. La Negra Tiene Tumbao — Salsa / Reggaeton
4. La Despedida — Merengue / Reggaeton
5. Yo Como Que Te Conozco — Merengue
6. La Morena — Merengue
7. Te Digo Adiós — Reggaeton
8. Miama Canana — Reggaeton
9. I Like It Like That — Salsa