Fitness Level: Intermediate/advanced

Impact: both high and low impact moves are shown for the entire routine

What you get: Introduction that includes quick review of stepping basics, 5-6 minute warm-up; about 25 minutes step aerobics; 10 minutes abs/back work; 5 minute stretch. And, oh, yes, the "Deep Thoughts" lecture:)

Pulse checks: 1

Music: Dynamix aerobic music. On my copy of the tape, the music is so low it doesn't really stand out very well.

Choreography: moderate once you get used to how Kari builds her combinations.

Setting: studio with wooden floor and almost sepia-toned photography. Mercifully, the camera people keep it simple and don't dance around as much as Kari does:)

First of all, I'd like to thank Pilar, my cyberbuddy at West Point and fellow mom of a two-year-old, for passing this 1993 release along to me. She's one of the many folks here who makes this website the best on the Internet!

OK, enough maudlin gushing. On with the review. ..My one and only caveat: while Kari is a great teacher, IMHO, if you're new to stepping, you're better off starting with a more basic tutorial-type workout before moving into this one. She does review basic technique in her intro, but this workout doesn't seem geared to a beginning stepper. The first few times I gave this a whirl, I was really glad that I already knew what "basic step", "straddle", and "repeater" meant. I was busy enough catching on to Kari's unique way of building her routines. If I'd had to try mastering safe basic technique at the same time, it would have been more frustrating than fun.

This workout is now the one I reach for when I'm just getting over an illness, coming back from a few days off, or just plain too tired/unmotivated/lazy to kill myself with Sweat Express or Energy Sprint. It's a great way to ease back into the old routine. The 25 minutes of aerobics can be as easy or hard as you want to make them. You've got one side of the class doing power moves, the other side sticks with low-impact. (Kari does a little of both, and so do I). The workout includes about five or six different combinations. In addition to the workhorse moves mentioned above, Kari breaks it up with grapevines, Charleston-style kicks, and lateral moves on the floor. Kari wins the Donna Richardson Award for including a variety of body types in this tape--and for mixing them up in the class. Whatever your body type, you'll probably find someone who looks just like you on either side of the group! I don't do the abdominal routine because for some reason, it strains my neck and shoulders to move that slowly. But it looks like an excellent one, nonetheless. "Deep Thoughts" doesn't really give me anything new, but during those periods I'm feeling REALLY unmotivated, I tune in for a little kick in the pants.

Kari has finally put out a beginner/intermediate level video with Linda Evans, so hopefully those new to fitness can get an earlier introduction to her than I did. But I will say that she was worth all the hard work I had to go through to reach intermediate/advanced level for this tape and those beyond it. If you're a somewhat experienced stepper who occasionally wants a shorter aerobic workout with abdominal work included, and love choreography that's a bit more dancy than basic step tapes, this tape could be for you. It's definitely a keeper for me!

Grade: A

Melissa Cooper