"David Gray's Step Fusion" (Intermediate-Step Aerobics)

Gray, a pleasant, rhythmic and nicely-built instructor, leads this 30-minute step workout featuring Latin and Caribbean music. The warm-up is far too brief, and is awfully simple compared with what's to come. During the workout itself, Gray introduces funky, somewhat complex steps that he puts together into combinations, separated by periods of marching. Some of the moves are "power" ones, like jumps and leaps onto the step, making the workout quite aerobic. My favorite part is the cooldown, which is backed by a couple of vocal reggae songs. Quibbles: Gray doesn't always use conventional terms like "basic step" and he says "over the top" when he means ACROSS the top. The step position has to be changed twice - but there's no pause to let you adjust the step! There are also a couple of reverse turns and steps forward off the step, which some purists perceive as unsafe. In sum, probably only fans of island music (like myself) would enjoy this video. Tape is extended-play, but production and sound are somewhat better than other EP cheapies. Grade: B-

Sue B