In respect to the combos, it may be that you are not pressing the buttons fast enough. I initially had this problem. DO NOT use the character animations on screen to determine when you should press the buttons. You do not need to wait for an animation to finish (or even begin) before initiating the next move.
For example, if you start with a kick, as soon as you have pressed the button, input the next move. Do not wait for the character to do the kick first, before then pressing the button. Technically, it is possible to input an entire combo before even the first move has completed on screen. All the button presses are "stored" or "buffered" and will be executed in sequence. That's how you do it.
My advice is to go into "practice" mode, pick a character, and go through their set combos (via the moves list). Focus on inputting the sequence on the controller quickly and smoothly, not on the character animations. You'll get the hang of it after a while.
As for blocking and dodging, it is hard against computer opponents. This is because it reads your button inputs and reacts instantly. Try against other humans.
-Anonymous