Step & Sweat is a short, 33-minute step video. The set is a bare studio and the cast consists of instructor Michelle Nevidomsky and two other exercisers. I feel this video is geared toward a high level beginner/low level intermediate exerciser who prefers dancy choreography and shorter workouts. Some moves involve optional "hops" onto the step or pony steps, for which there is always a low-impact modification. I agree with the other reviewers that this video is difficult to learn, especially for the choreographically-challenged exercisers. Here's what I did, and it helped me A LOT:

• Watch tape one time through

• Watch tape and try out some of the more complicated steps

• Do entire video, pausing and rewinding if necessary

Let me qualify this by saying that I prefer dancy videos and I usually don't have too much trouble learning complicated steps. At the time of this review, I have done the complete workout 4 times and I can truly say I have thoroughly learned it.

I felt this routine was worth learning, because I enjoy the choreography. I personally prefer to take the time to learn a new routine rather than having to "learn" the steps each time after I've been using a video for years. I didn't have a problem with the camera angles, though; the filming style is pretty much the same as the Crunch Fitness TV show, and I was already familiar with that. The only thing I found annoying was the exerciser in the back on the right side of the screen; the camera focuses on her too much -- almost as much as Michelle -- and she's usually making a strange facial expression. However, I've now learned the video well enough that I don't need to look at the TV through the whole thing, so this doesn't bother me as much anymore.

I give this video a B+ for choreography and a C for cueing/instruction.

Instructor Comments:
Michelle is a likeable instructor; she's not too perky and not too serious. Her cueing is "okay" -- not the worst, but there are many instructors with better cueing. Overall, I enjoy her as an instructor.

Lynne Lounsbury