Geared towards women (though certainly appropriate for those of us of the opposite gender), the DVD is split into six segments, Warm Up, Jazz/Funk, Hip Hop, 90s Jam, Showtime and Cool Down, as well as an Introduction. Hostess/Instructor Tabitha D'umo is spunky and encouraging as she guides her on-screen dance co-horts and those viewing (and hopefully exercising) at home through varied steps in these variant musical styles. While the completely homogenous supporting dancers sport no minorities (at least no apparent ones), therefore seeming a little disingenuous doing a Hip Hop routine, and are all perfectly fit, thereby perhaps discouraging the less toned home viewer, they are all as vigorous and enthusiastic as D'umo herself.

Typically D'umo starts with an easy step movement which then builds to more vigorous exercise involving the arms, torso and D'umo's self-confessed favorite, the hips. The music in these 10-minute routines is pretty generic, but at least is not so relentlessly bad or bland that it spoils the routine itself. The movements range from completely easy ("The Ponytail," in which the women swipe their hair back) to more involved ("Snatch and Grab," in which they kick forward while grabbing imaginary goodies from the air).

The most interesting routine is probably Showtime, which despite its title, is not a Chorus Line kickline, but instead a combination of moves that have been learned in the other dance styles. At the end of the 10 minutes, any conscientious follower of the routine is most definitely going to "feel the burn." Showtime also features captions informing the viewer of what the next move up is, allowing some mental time for preparation.

The DVD also offers a music-only audio option for advanced practicioners who have already memorized D'umo's instruction.

The DVD

Video:
Nothing special here in the expected full frame image, but there doesn't have to be in this sort of presentation.

Sound:
The stereo soundtrack boasts no real separation to speak of, but there is a good balance between D'umo's narration and the score, and the score-only option has excellent, bass-thumping fidelity.

Extras:
Some "helpful hints for healthy living" offer pretty basic ideas for keeping your weight and cardio-vascular fitness in check.

Final Thoughts:
This DVD offers enough options and variety to keep home exercise enthusiasts engaged over the long haul. Recommended.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet