The most fabulous DANCE complex hi/lo and step workout chuck full of turns, jumps, pivots, leaps, twirls! All new incredibly tough choreography.. This is the danciest CIA ever! During the hi/lo, I felt like I was doing a dance preformance. It uses a lot of room because you need to run forward for eight counts as well as back. So move the furniture!! My favorite part was the move in the hi/lo section like a pendulum knee up with a unique reverse mambo then pivot scoop to the back then V back to the front and then you run up and lift your knee up. The moves flow so nicely together and the music is wonderful during this part. I felt myself really putting my all into it like Sherry. It is so fun! Lot's of running forward and back and lots of fun mambos with new twists and jumps. I thought hi/lo was kinda boring! Not anymore! I was so busy with the choreography that I forgot I was exercising untill I noticed sweat falling into my eyes!

The music is very upbeat and new. Not like the same ol' CIA music that I get so tired of hearing that I want to throw my shoe at the tv! It's a nice variety of upbeat songs mostly vocal. I like this hi/lo better than CIA 9801 with Christie Taylor. Sherry's hi/lo is only 35 minutes! I wish it was longer! Plus I like the hi/lo music in Sherry's section more then CIA 9801 hi/lo.

The step is the some of the most complex combinations I've ever done. IT took me a while to get it. It is just as complex as CIA 9001 with Patrick Goudeau. A lot of complex reverse turns and even a jump forward over your step! You might have to lower your step for this routine! It is very dancy but not high intensity like Cathe's tapes. I mean I was sweating hard in Sherry's step section but my intensity was in my BRAIN more then in my heartrate even though I was definately in my target heartrate. IT was an awesomely tough complex step but also loads of fun once I got the choreography. I used my 6 inch step since my knees aren't too happy with complex stepping on a high step platform.

The hi/lo has a very dancy upbeat warmup with stretching but does not have a cooldown so if you want a cool down you will have to fast forward after the stepping. The stepping section has a good warmup and cool down. The cooldown is the best CIA cooldown. Very dancy and sensual moves to "You'll See" music by Madonna. She also does a very thorough stretch for your upper body as well as your lower body. I like it how Sherry reaches her hand out towards the TV during the inner thigh stretch.

During the hi/lo, Sherry wears a black tank top with black pants and shoes. Then for the step she changes to a white tank with white pants and shoes so its a nice change. There is one background exerciser on the right of the TV that has hardly any hair that over does a lot of the moves. It was kinda irritating. She also doesn't have much muscle tone. But it's nice to have different type bodies on the video. The other background exerciser to the left is definately a ballerina with her kicks that almost bonk her head! Woe! Even Sherry's kicks are incredibly high.

Some of her repetative comments are,"Thats what I want," or "Oh my god!",or she will repeat a word for times like,"Go!Go!Go!Go!". It wasn't as annyoing as CIA 9809 with Janis Saffel's millions of "Awesomes". I noticed Sherry's comments more when I previewed the video. When I actually did the video, I didn't notice that much because my concentration was heavily on the cueing of the choreography.

The workout takes loads of patience to learn. I didn't get it the first time and I'm still learning with each time I do it. It was a challenge to learn. This isn't for beginners! A brainer of a cardiovascular challenge to the advanced exerciser who loves to learn new complex dancy choreography. I was thrilled to get this workout! I highly recomend this video to anyone who wants a challenge workout not only for their heart but also for their mind. Excellent!

Instructor Comments:
Sherry looks so much like Celine Dion it's amazing but she has an incredibly toned body with beautiful muscles which Celine does not. I felt like I was working out with Celine! Sherry has blonde hair that is pulled back into a ponytail. Her form is very elegant and she has a no nonsense,"Firm" instructor way of teaching. Not bubbly or super friendly. Celine..oops, Sherry from the warmup through the hi/lo and step to the cool down shines forth the beauty of dance. Even her inhales and exhales choreography have graceful moves with Ballet arms. Her presence in this video is exquisite as well as her form. She does make some mistakes but she is only human and boy does she SWEAT in this video! I'm not alone! I thought the cover of the video was a little misleading because Sherry is holding a loaded barbell. But there is no weight training in this video. Just tons of dancy choreography. Sherry has a "Firm" body with a "Firm" disposition way of teaching. I think she should lead one of the next advanced Firm videos. She has got some incredible muscle tone. She must come out with some weight training video to show us how she got those wonderful muscles!

Mandy Lee