MENLO PARK, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 1, 2008 -- With the popularity of TV shows like, "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," Americans have a renewed interest in dance that is spilling over into the fitness arena. According to a survey published by the American Council on Exercise, health and fitness specialists see dance-based workouts as a growing trend, and Pilates continues to gain in popularity. Besides being fun, dancing continuously for 30 minutes burns 200 to 400 calories per hour -- the same calorie expenditure as experienced when walking, swimming or cycling, according to MayoClinic.com. The coordinated movements of dance also stimulate the brain to create more connections between neurons in the brain, making dance truly beneficial to the mind and body.

Razor Fitness teamed with esteemed dancer, choreographer, author and Pilates master teacher Jennifer Kries to create two new fitness DVDs for strengthening and sculpting the body to achieve a long, lithe "dancer's body": "JENNIFER KRIES: HOT BODY! DANCE" and "JENNIFER KRIES: NEW BODY PILATES 2." Available now from Razor Fitness (www.razorfitness.com), these DVDs bring Kries' popular New York City classes to viewers at home to help them feel more energized, capable and alive.

Source: Razor Fitness
Dancer, choreographer, yoga devotee, author and Pilates master teacher Jennifer Kries partnered with Razor Fitness to release two new DVDs to help people create a sleek dancer's body and improve overall tone, strength and flexibility: 'JENNIFER KRIES: HOT BODY! ·  Razor web site

Known to millions of TV viewers who tuned in to her workout show which was broadcast nationwide four times a day on the Fox Fit TV channel, Kries has appeared on the Today show and The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and she has been featured in such magazines as Fitness, Family Circle, and Total Health. Her mat class was voted one of America's Top Ten Group Classes by Shape magazine, and she was honored by New York magazine three years running as New York's Top Pilates Instructor. Kries already has many at-home exercise fans: over 1 million of Kries' Method Pilates DVDs have sold to date.

Kries draws on her background as a professional dancer who studied at the American School of Ballet and danced with several top ballet companies to create the "JENNIFER KRIES: HOT BODY! DANCE" DVD ($19.99). In this program there are three progressive 20-minute segments for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels that include a warm-up and invigorating jazz and Latin dance sequences. These are the actual warm-ups and dance combinations regularly performed by dancers on Broadway. In addition to a sleek dancer's body, exercisers will gain an improved sense of rhythm and better coordination, flexibility, and stamina. For added variety, a bonus 20-minute ballet workout is also included on this DVD. After using the DVD just a few times, most people will learn to dance, gain fitness, strength and confidence, and improve their posture, flexibility, coordination and balance--all while sculpting and toning the entire body.

The "JENNIFER KRIES: NEW BODY PILATES 2" DVD ($19.99) is an intermediate level Pilates mat program will take the viewer's Pilates practice to the next level and help achieve body-changing results. With 98 minutes of content, this DVD is packed with a highly effective and challenging Pilates workout and Kries' unparalleled instruction to help improve one's form.

"I was thrilled to be able to influence the lives of people in my Pilates classes in New York, but I wanted to share this incredible secret with as many people as possible," says Kries, who studied with three of Joseph Pilates' original disciples, Eve Gentry, Romana Kryzanowska and Ron Fletcher. "In 1998 I premiered the first ever Pilates video, and this 'JENNIFER KRIES: NEW BODY PILATES 2' DVD is the latest in a long line of award-winning Pilates videos I've made since." She has another recent release with Razor Fitness: "JENNIFER KRIES: HOT BODY COOL MIND, The Life Force Power Workout!"

"JENNIFER KRIES: HOT BODY! DANCE" and "JENNIFER KRIES: NEW BODY PILATES 2" are available at better retail stores everywhere and all major online stores including Amazon and Netflix. To learn more about these and other Razor releases, visit www.razorfitness.com.

About Jennifer Kries

Dancer, choreographer, yoga devotee, author and Pilates master teacher Jennifer Kries is an unparalleled innovator in the realm of alternative health and fitness. She was among the first to bring Pilates to the masses with her award-winning videos and DVDs, paving the way for the current wave of enthusiasm for Pilates mind-body exercise.

About Razor Fitness

Privately owned, Razor Fitness is a full-service DVD and digital distribution company, licensing and distributing a wide range of titles for both the traditional and specialty markets. A complete product lineup can by viewed at www.razordigitalent.com. To order DVDs, visit: www.razorfitness.com or look for them in retail stores.

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