Christi Taylor

T

treebaby

Cathlete
I tried my first Christi Taylor video yesterday STEP HEAVEN. I don't know if I was having a bad day or what, but I thought her choreography was SO different from what I am accustomed to, which is primarily Cathe, that I was lost most of the time. I consider myself very good with complex choreography, but like I alluded to before, a good deal of the workout I was confused. I did feel a bit lethargic before I started, so maybe that's why my "performance" was so off. I am really going to enjoy learning these steps! Has anyone else had a familiar experience with Christi's workouts? I'd be curious to know!

Thanks,
Teresa
 
Hi Teresa,

I am a huge fan of Christi Taylor, and of Step Heaven in particular. I actually consider it the best step workout I own...

I think a couple of things come into play when switching from Cathe to Christi. First, Christi's choreography is more complex and definitely more "dancy" than Cathe's (although Rhythmic Step and Step Blast are up there in the danciness department.) Second, Christi's cueing is completely different than Cathe's. Christi not only cues a few beats BEFORE the step (I love this), but she also uses the "watch me" method, and in addition layers on turns, twists and other complications!

You mentioned that you consider yourself good at complex choreography. Perhaps the other instructors whose choreography you find complex tend to cue more like Cathe does, so you pick up on that style easily...

In any case, I hope that you will love Step Heaven as much as I do. It is so fun, the music is great, Christi is wonderful... I just enjoy it thoroughly!

Good luck :)
 
I love all of Christi's step workouts. I agree 100% with the above poster on her style. I am familiar with her style but even so, each new workout takes me once or twice or even three times to get it down. But once you do, it's incredibly fun. Perfect if you like dancier routines. (I believe Christi trained as a dancer growing up). And her choreography usually goes perfectly with the music.

Her newer DVDs contain "move master" whereby Christi goes over each move slowly.
 
When I first discovered Christi I was BLOWN AWAY by the complexity of her choreography. Because of her dancy choreography and love for turns and twists I think her workouts are some of the most demanding when it comes to choreography.

Hanging in there and getting familiar with Christi's style of teaching and cueing are important. She cues a beat or two ahead and when changes come she will show you the moves while you repeat the 'base' you are working on. It takes some getting used to it and it is so worth it in the end. Her workouts put huge smiles on my face!:D While I like Cathe's cardio a lot, when I want a good workout with a huge fun factor I reach for Christi.

Keep at it! Good luck!
 
Another Christi fan checking in here, but I need to tell you that I find her step workouts more difficult to learn than her Hi/Lo.

Give her hi/lo a try and see what you think.
-joy
 
I love Christi step workouts because they are soooo much fun (once you learn it).

Totally Cool Step is probably the easiest to learn compared to the others. It has Move Master to show you how each movement is done slowly so you can understand it.

Right now I'm addicted to Still Steppin'. I love the music, the moves, the way time just flies by while doing this workout. It feels more like dancing than working out.
 
Christi Taylor is so much fun! Her choreography is indeed tricky at first, but if you hang with it, you'll get it sooner than you think.

She's not as intense as Cathe, but your heartrate will still get up there and you'll get a great, extremely fun cardio workout.
 
Wow! I don't think I have ever gotten this much feedback from a post of mine. Thanks everyone! I DO think that I am really going to enjoy this particular video for some time, and I will probably be buying more of her videos/DVDs. Actually someone on this website recommended Christi to me. It might have been one of you, so THANKS again!!

Teresa
 
I also have a lot of Christi's videos and I enjoy them all. My favorite one; though, is "Still Steppin'". The choreography & music makes it so much fun that time flies by.
Patti
 
Add me to the Christi Taylor fan list! She's wonderful!!! I reach for her last hi/lo workout--Solid Gold Cardio--whenever I feel down, don't feel like working out, or when I just want to have a ball and enjoy flowing with the music. I don't do her step workouts as much because my knees won't take step very often, but she's so much fun. Solid Gold Step is right up there with Solid Gold Cardio. I love her choreography and choice of music--definitely more dancey than athletic, but that's my favorite. Hope you get more of what she has to offer and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do--I think I have every one she's done.
 
Just wanted to mention that I have terrible knees, and RARELY use a step for my step workouts. I just do them on the floor. I enjoy this so much more than just using hi-lo tapes for my cardio. In reality, I think hi-lo is worse for my knees, because many instructors just do a lot of high impact, twisty moves. By using step videos (but using them on the floor), I get the best of the choreography out there, but save my knees at the same time. I highly recommend this method to anyone who struggles with stepping and knee issues! (You can just pretend there's a step there, or some people need to tape a rectangle on the floor to keep their sense of direction. I actually use a lot more room/space than I would if there were a real step on the floor, so the tape thing wouldn't work for me.)

:)
 
I've done the same thing, but I haven't done it in a while. Thanks for reminding me that I can take advantage of doing my step tape/DVD library as hi/lo. It does add to the variety and is a different feel than doing the routines on the step. Good on you!
 
I'm a huge Christi Taylor fan too! Her workouts peg out the fun meter for me! Like everyone else says, her choreography takes a while to learn but once you get it it is so fun. Her hi/low is easier to learn than the step. I think she is the best hi/low instructor out there.
 
Just wondering, does anyone find that Christi's choreography is actually EASY to learn? I know that it is complex, but for me it just flows so well and is taught so well, that I have no problem learning it. I always get her routines on the first run through.
This is great at first, because I can enjoy the routine without having to rewind or anything, but I struggle with finding choreography that is taught well, is fun, AND is so challenging that I don't get bored quickly.
Well, its not that I get BORED with Christi, I LOVE her workouts. But I just want the challenge, or maybe the feeling of "newness" to last a little longer...
I think Seasun Zeiger is close, but I don't think she teaches quite as well as Christi--can't quite put my finger on it. She's just not as polished.
If Christi would come out with another 9801, I would be so thrilled. That step routine is probably her most complex...
 
I, too, am a Christi Taylor fan. I love her step and her hi/low tapes/DVD's. I remember when I first started doing hers a few years ago, I had a hard time with her choreography - but I kept plugging away at it. The rirst one I tried was Step Heaven and I learned the first section first, then went on to the second section(which I felt was harder than the first) - section three seemed easier with the choreography - that is one of my favorite step tapes. I wish she would do another longer step tape.

I also love Still Stepping for Fun - as the others posted her workouts are all fun - I find her workouts very motivating - I do enjoy her Gold Step too.

I will definitely continue buying her DVD's and videos - I think she should be having another one out by summer time, am I right?

Cheryl
 
Another Christi fan! Christi and Cathe are my favorite instructors. I go through stages when I do more Cathe then Christi, or reverse. Christi uses the music very well, and uses the down beat. Sometimes her routines seems a little off until you get the feel for it. I just did step heaven yesterday, it had been a while since I had done it. It is a FEEL GREAT workout. I was singing, dancing and my heart was right where it needed to be. It will take a few trys, don't give up. She cues very well. Her new workouts have choreography 101 and movemasters so you can learn from those.
Diane
 
Not to reply to myself or anything, but...

How could I forget Kristin Kagen of Step This Way and Step This Way 2??? She has the exact level of choreography that I like!

Unfortunately, I emailed her recently and she let me know that she has no plans to make anymore videos :-( :-( :-(

If you haven't tried her yet, you should! She uses a great mix of athletic and dancy moves, and she moves very quickly through the complex choreography. LOVE her tapes. Too bad there are only two!
 
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