This award comes from Parents Choice:

We are thrilled to announce that the following GAIAM products have been selected by the Parents' Choice Awards:
 
On the Ball Kit -    2003 Parents' Choice "Silver Honor" Award winner

"Fewer than 15% of those items submitted to the Parents' Choice Awards program receive a commendation in one of the six award levels: Classic, Gold, Silver, Recommended, Approved, and Fun Stuff, underscoring the coveted and prestigious achievement of being honored with a commendation from the Parents' Choice Awards program."

The Parents' Choice Silver Honors are given to excellent products that are designed to entertain and help children develop universally ethical attitudes, and rigorous standards and skills. Silver Honors come in a high second with one or more evaluating groups. Silver Honors are highly prized-like the Gold Awards-for production and human values.

http://www.parents-choice.org

Testimonials

Dear Madeline Lewis:

I was so happy to find your e-mail address at the end of the stretching tape.

I have practically worn through your California Calorie Burner over the past fifteen or so years. I have owned many exercise tapes and yours is by far my favorite. I only wish you had more of them!  You make the workout fun, while providing encouragement and great instruction. My two boys come running to workout with me when they hear the beginning of your tape. I do enjoy the new stretching series as well, but I am curious if you will be doing anything a bit more "calorie burning" in the future. I hope so.  Thank you for helping me keep fit and teaching me years ago that fitness could be fun.

Sincerely,
Beth Fleischer

Dear Madeleine:

I love your "AM/PM Stretch" and your "Get Moving".  You have really made wonderful DVD programs.  I enjoyed your interview very much in your stretch DVD.  I love to workout to the great outdoor retreat of your "Get Moving".  The location could not be better.  It leaves me refreshed, rejuvenated and positive.  I use your DVD's several times weekly.

I hope very much that you will consider making some more workouts.  Your workouts are very thorough and never boring.  Please do consider making some more.  Your choices on locations are impeccable.

Thank you again for making my workouts that much better and brighter!

Norma Alvarez

Hi.  My name is Deb Nam-Krane.  I'm a yoga and Pilates instructor, but mostly a mom now :-)  My younger daughter (almost 5) loves the ball tape you did for Gaiam- she wants to do it at least three times per week.  My older daughter (almost 11) was helping her with it last week and asked if there was anything like it for her age group.  What she liked was the fun, upbeat setting (and the exercises), but she wanted something without the game-feel to it.  I think you're one of the best children's instructors I've seen (Leah Kalish is great as well).  We'd both love to see something like this from you- please let us know if we need to campaign to higher ups at Gaiam :-)

Thanks,
Deb

I have recently purchased your AM/PM Stretch DVD.  It is great!  Thank you! I currently live in Virginia though I am Canadian from B.C.  I have spent many hours in the mountains where your video was filmed.

Take Care.
Susan E. Petty

Dear Madeleine:

I recently purchased your AM/PM stretching DVD.  I think it is terrific!  I like the way you put the stretches together, and the way you cue the moves.  I only wish I could be in those beautiful locations while doing my stretching!

Thank you,
Tamara Swanson

Hi Madeleine,

I've got your stretch DVD and I wanted to tell you how much I love it!

I've got a question for you. Actually, your DVD had a lot to do with my decision to travel to Banff--the scenery is so gorgeous!!

Deanna

Hi.  Just finished the PM stretch (2d night in a row), and I wanted to say thank you, you did a wonderful, beautiful presentation.

I am 50 years old, and decided for the first time in my life to try to do a full triathlon.  Never tried to do anything like it before, I just want to approach the last half of my life with a better level of physical health.  I have a coach at my fitness center, who keeps telling me I need to stretch, that I am way too tight.  All the stretching I was doing was just painful.  I wanted something to ease me through, with a routine I could follow.  At 10:20 p.m. last night, I ran over to Barnes and Noble to get a stretch DVD.  Yours was the only one they had in the rack--thank heavens!

Steve Hodge

Greetings Madeleine,

You don't know me but I feel as though you're my "new best friend." I did your AM Stretch earlier this week and I just finished the PM Stretch minutes ago. My dear husband came in during part of it and was impressed with you and me (smile).

I live in North Carolina, am 52 years of age, and African American. I negotiated my way out of PE in high school; I refer to myself as a recovering PE dropout. I am blessed to have a wonderful collection of fitness videos and a delightful fitness program.

I plan to write a review of your videos for videofitness.com and when I do I will send you a copy and a link to the site.

Many good wishes to you and I'll be in touch again soon. Thank you for the stretch programs.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world,
Charlotte

Hello Madeleine,

Having suffered from shoulder, neck and back pain that was not relieved by
physiotherapy, massage or other exercise plans, I am extremely grateful to
you for having created these videos.  Finally something that works!  And
they are so appealing, with the beautiful natural settings, the gentle but
intriguing music, and a trainer who looks great without the irritating
artificial vamping so prevalent in the industry.  I use them several times a
week.  If any improvement on this routine were possible, it might something
almost the same but with just enough variation since I use them so
regularly.

Thanks to you and to Gaiam for issuing these wonderful videos.

Camrose Burdon
Ottawa, Canada

Dear Madeline,

I would like to THANK YOU for your wonderfully inspiring videos and programs.  Your excellence in coordinating truly beneficial workouts for health and well-being are greatly appreciated.  I applaud your choices in unique stretch positions.  You have taken fitness techniques to a new awareness and life-enhancing level.  You are just so warm and down-to-earth, and I want to let you know just how much I enjoy your efforts.  My husband also admires your style.  We thank you!

Sincere appreciation from your new fans,
Lisa and Don Halahakone

I have been using your AM Stretch and PM Stretch videos for about a month, and feel wonderful.  I am 64 yrs old, and have had chronic bursitis in my hip since 1997, when I backpacked approximately 900 miles of the Appalachian Trail (carrying a 45# pack). 

Thank you.
Martha Reed
Swannanoa, NC

Reviews

Here are some reviews from Amazon.com:

I am 42, out of shape and looking to add flexability. This is a must have for anyone's collection at any fitness level. The streches wake the body up, gently add back flexability and give you energy for the rest of the day. The instructor's voice is soothing and the moves build strength. I can't say enough about this. I use it every morning!

I am in my late fifties, overweight, out of shape and have arthritis in my knees. When I previewed this DVD, I was sure that I would not be able to do the stretches. However, with some modifications for my inflexibility, I was able to do all the stretches.
Pros:
Beautiful and peaceful scenery
Very professionally produced
She gives instructions with voice-over as she does the stretches silently - very easy to follow her instructions and movements
Calm, soothing voice
Reminders to breathe correctly
Reminders for good body alignment and form
Not impossible moves for the inflexible
Good sequencing of stretches
Just makes you feel good!

This is such a great video! I recommend for all fitness levels. It would be a wonderful first for someone "just starting out", but also very benficial for someone already in a "more advanced" exercise routine. The a.m. video is invigorating...the p.m. video relaxing. The movements are SIMPLE to follow and leave your body feeling SO MUCH BETTER. This was the first "stretch" video I ever purchased and I am wondering how I got along without it. After just delivering our 5th child, I am anxious to get back into my exercise routines...and this is the first ex. video I reached for.

Each workout flows naturally from stretch to stretch, and the natural setting and calming, unobtrusive background music is very soothing. I do the AM stretch when I first wake up, and the PM stretch after my evening workout. The former gives me a sense of centeredness and accomplishment to help start my day off right, and the latter leaves my body relaxed and tranquil, all the while increasing my flexibility. I really like the instructor, Madeline Lewis, and her narration is relaxing yet encouraging. (She narrates throughout each workout, over the music, and the video portion consists of her performing stretches according to her narration.) The stretches themselves encompass the whole body, and although emphasis is put onto the lower body, there are some upper body, and especially back stretches within each segment. Most stretches target a specific area rather than encompassing a larger, more general set of muscles, but attention is paid to many major muscles: hamstrings, quads, glutes, lower back, biceps and triceps, shoulders, and neck. Abs are not emphasized in the AM or PM workouts, although it seems logical that they would be in the Power Stretch workout, which I haven't looked at yet.

I would definitely recommend this video, which is calming and focuses one's attention on the body without being strenuous or difficult. You truly feel relaxed and refreshed afterward