The Techniques
This video program shows and demonstrates the many individual precision movements that make up this beautiful sport. You'll see the piaffe, pirouette, half-pass, flying changes of leg and other unique movements demonstrated by some of the nation's top horses and riders. Then you'll see how all these individual movements can be artistically combined with just the right music to produce beautiful performances. And you will see some of the most stunning Freestyle performances in their entirety.

The Competitors
In this program you'll see some of the very best American riders and horses at the Grand Prix level competing at the United States' most prestigious dressage competition. The setting for "Dressage: Understanding Musical Freestyle" is the U. S. League Finals for World Cup Dressage, held every October at the Washington International Horse Show. You'll get to watch some of this country's finest from the 1994 -1998 competitions:

• Robert Dover on Devereaux & on Lennox
• Guenter Seidel on Graf George & on Foltaire
• Carol Lavell on Gifted
• Kathleen Raine on Avontuur
• Steffan Peters on Udon
• Linda Alicki on Gino
• Shelly Francis on Pikant
• Charlotte Bredahl on Monsier
• Kathy Von Ertfelda on Dutch
• and others

Program Content
Introduction to the dressage movements and and the appropriate commentary is provided by Dr. Susan Moody, DVM, a dressage instructor and speaker. Her goal in this program is to educate viewers while entertaining them with some of the best riders and horses in competition. Her insights will be helpful to developing dressage riders, non-competitive riders who are interested in musical freestyle, and even non-riders. In outline form, here is a brief description of what this program covers:

• INTRODUCTION TO DRESSAGE
• INTRODUCTION TO THE GRAND PRIX MOVEMENTS
  • At the Trot
    • Collected, Medium, & Extended Trot
    • Passage
    • Piaffe
    • Half Pass
  • At the Walk
    • Collected and Extended Walk
    • Demi-Pirouette
  • At the Canter
    • Collected, Medium, & Extended Canter
    • Half Pass
    • Pirouette
    • Flying Changes of Leg (One & Two Tempis)
• THE GRAND PRIX TEST
• INTRODUCTION TO MUSICAL FREESTYLE
  • How to Plan Your Musical Freestyle
    • Choreography
    • Harmony & Rhythm
    • Degree of Difficulty
    • Musical Interpretation
  • Gait Analysis
    • Working with a Metronome
    • Your Horse's Tempo
    • Musical Style Choices
• MUSICAL FREESTYLE COMPETITION (the entire performance is shown for each)
  • Anne Gribbons on Leonardo II
  • Charlotte Bredahl on Monsier
  • Steffan Peters on Udon
  • Kathleen Raine on Avontuur
  • Robert Dover on Devereaux

This program is 72 minutes in length.

How to Order Your Copy

You can order this video tape and have it in your hands (or in your VCR) in less than a week. The retail price is $35.95 (DVD) or $19.95 (VHS), plus $8.00 shipping & handling. (Pennsylvania residents must also add 6% sales tax. Sorry!)
1. You can order this and other videos online.
2. Mail checks or credit card orders to: Action Video Productions, 1500 E. Oregon Rd., Suite 100, Leola, PA 17540.
3. Fax orders to us at 717-556-0119.
3. Or, call us toll free at 800-292-4783.
For additional information, or for RUSH ORDERS, please either call our 800 number during east coast business hours, or email us at sales@actionvideoinc.com