Now that I've made it through this tape (mostly) twice, I feel competent enough to review it from the beginner's point of view.

I agree with the tape's description that it is appropriate for beginners in that it is not terribly difficult to master all the moves - with the exception of the infamous ballroom aerobics. This exception is due not to the complexity of the steps, because once you get them, they are easy to remember. They are only a problem because Tracy does not bother to break them down *at all*; she just assumes you know what "Tango Right Close" means the first time she says it. :-) That lack of breakdown, combined with the switching around of different types of steps, means that by the time you've figured out what she wants you to do, she's moved on to something else. I finally gave up and started doing basic marching and step-touch just to keep my heart rate up until we moved on to something I could follow better.

The tall step moves are wonderful - easy to follow but they work you hard. My Fanny Lifter substitute is the Jane Fonda step I picked up for $20 a while back - it has built-in extenders that jack it up all the way to 12" - and it filled in nicely for what they were using.

I agree with the earlier review of this tape that the floorwork at the end is more varied and original. By the time my leg was ready to drop dead on one set of reps, it was time to switch off to something else. I like the idea of working through steadily decreasing intensities of floorwork as a cooldown from the aerobic moves. When we had finished the last rep on the left leg (or was it the right leg? Tracy gets confused sometimes!), my heart rate was right back down to where it was supposed to be.

This tape really makes me want to get the Tortoise tape I've heard so much about here. Of course, I got this one at the used book store for $7, so I can only hope I'm so lucky again. Otherwise, I'll wait until April like everyone else who hates shipping costs!

Don't be afraid of the ballroom aerobics - do the ones you want and modify away the rest of them. Maybe on my next try I, too, will be able to do that "Tango Right Close" the first time!

Michele H.