For once the video cover gets it right when it says that this "exciting new step choreography will challenge even the experienced stepper." It's like dancing with a step in the way. Tracy York and Michelle Nevidomsky-Dosios move you all over the step and in all directions around it with their well-coordinated team-teaching approach. As they suggest, keep your step low at first, because the step patterns come at you fast and even basic moves get a dancy flavor added. You need to keep your eyes on your step too as there are many directions changes over the step, including a few forward walks off the step and some jumps onto the floor. (Two higher risk moves according to stepping guidelines.) Keep your remote handy, as there are no half-time tempo practice steps, They teach a step, then repeat it only a few times before making a change to the step or adding a new one. The cueing is often on the move, not ahead of it, which can be frustrating until you learn the pattern. If you can follow this choreography your first time through you are definitely a well-coordinated stepper.

After a dancy warm-up and dynamic stretch by Michelle, Tracy builds the first combo using V-steps, straddles, kick ball-changes, mambos, scissors, kicks, hops, knee-lifts, lunges and a chasse on the floor. Michelle teaches the next block, introducing L-steps, lunges and cha-chas across the wide part of the step, a straddle combo with jogs, heel taps and a twist-tap, and a double chasse on the floor. After TIFTing these two combos a couple of times Tracy teaches the third block, introducing turn-steps on the floor, hop-turns, and a rocking horse. After TIFTing this two times, all three combos are taken from the top one last time. A short, new combo is taught for the cooldown, followed by stretches.

Not for the faint of heart, Charlene's newest video is a testament to her ability to design a high-intensity step workout with minimal impact. Fifty-four year old Charlene and her over-50 pals, Renee and Linda, launch into one of her legendary "evolutionary" workouts with a new step: the rock & dip. For the next 55 minutes these old friends glide into a pattern, smoothly turn it into basic steps, and in the wink of an eye transition into a new pattern, over and over. There are no breaks for intensity checks, or changing the step position, or starting a new pattern. If you're not used to stepping at 128 bpm tempo for 55 minutes straight, start with a lower step and stop when you get winded. I am amazed at how smoothly and effortlessly Charlene instructs (talks!) at this tempo for so long while on a 10-inch step. She is indeed "living proof" that consistent exercise keeps your body and heart young.

The rock and dip is only one of many new steps that Charlene's added to her usual repertoire. She also introduces a pendulum ham repeater, a split repeater (two knees on the step, two lunges on the floor, one knee on the step), hiccup L-steps, a six-point turn-step, and a couple of kickboxing-influenced moves: a "combat" L-step and a knee "smash." She includes core conditioning and balance work by doing certain moves in slow motion. Whenever Charlene does an extreme version of a move, like a "reach" Charleston or a double-time knee repeater, one of the crew holds the base move so the low-impact version is always available on screen. Although Charlene approaches the step from all sides, the workout can be done in a very small space.

The intensity of this workout creeps up on you quietly. The beat is compelling, Charlene's encouragement and example are motivating, and the choreography transitions are so smooth that you work harder and longer than you expect. My only disappointment is in the set. They're standing in front of three huge white-covered windows in a white room. I'd rather see the Canadian Rockies background used in the Step It Off workout below.

With the Canadian Rockies as the backdrop, Charlene and her three stepping pals begin this outdoor workout wearing jackets which are quickly tossed aside after the warm-up. Charlene's unique teaching style is best described as "evolutionary" -- it keeps you in your aerobic training zone with ever-evolving steps. Her teaching method isn't "take it from the top," but it's not truly block style either. It's a sort of casual "free form" style. She introduces one step, adds another, makes a "whisker change", then changes that "ever so slightly"...again...and again...until you've attacked the step from every direction and added power moves too. Once she tires of a pattern (this can be after a little as 8 repetitions), it evolves smoothly into a new one, never to be seen again.

During the 45 minutes of stepping Charlene does lots and lots of knee lifts and repeaters, but doesn't include many leg lifts in other directions -- very few side leg lifts, no glute squeezes, only a few hamstring curls and forward kicks. Low-impact mambos, cha chas, L-steps and U-turns around the step are intertwined with higher impact moves like pop-turns, hot sand and helicopters, which always evolve from a low-impact version that you can stick with. Surprisingly, Charlene rarely cues arm moves or changes them much, she's more concerned with stepping.

Most of the stepping patterns are very simple, with basic stepping as the transitions between. A few of the more complicated patterns are done sideways to the TV -- already a difficult angle to mirror when you're first learning a workout or don't do it very often -- and for some inexplicable reason, the picture is tilted in many of these sideways sections too! (Are the camera crews that clueless as to what the exerciser at home needs to see? We're trying to follow the footwork here, not watch an art film!) Once you learn the pattern this angle will probably be more entertaining than annoying!

One thing you should know: Charlene's a talker. She chats throughout the workout about the weather, exercise tips, her workout habits, etc.-- a holdover from her TV shows I'm sure, where there can be no dead air. At the same time, her cuing is always on time and very clear. She often tells you and her crew to "continue with what you know" or march in place while she previews the upcoming "whisker change." Occasionally she'll describe the upcoming sequence of moves in detail before breaking them down and showing you the new pattern. Listening to these complicated explanations is usually more confusing than just doing the moves cold!

This is a good choice for beginners who are familiar with basic stepping and are ready to add more time to their workouts, but don't want complicated choreography or a faster tempo. Intermediates who are ready to try a higher step will find that transition easier with the slower pace and simple patterns. Advanced who like easy-to-follow choreography can use this as an easy day for cross-training.

A live drummer provides the pulsing beat for Kendall and seven Crunch gals as they energetically bounce and whoop through this half-hour workout. The choreography feels pretty dancy, with many double time steps and a salsa flavor. The music tempo gets as fast as 136 bpm and never drops below 128, but it feels much faster because of the pounding drums.

The warm-up takes place on and off the step and Kendall adds impact right away with double hops on each foot. After a quick lower back stretch, three different 5-minute combos and three 1-minute cardio challenges are taught. The first combo includes turn-steps, knee lifts, Z-steps and a hop-turn over the step. The second combo includes an L-step, a mambo, and adds more impact with hops onto the step and jacks on the floor. The first cardio challenge of knee repeaters comes next. Cha-chas and tight, tiny salsa side-taps on the floor add a Latin flavor to the third combo. The second cardio challenge of plyo jacks is done on the floor, and immediately followed by the final one of single and double lunges off the step. The cardio cooldown is done off the step, followed by stretches for hip flexors, hams, calves.

One stepper on screen right always shows the lower-impact base move. You'll notice that everyone is bouncing onto and off of the step, never getting their heels to the floor or the step--essentially adding impact to the entire workout. You'll even see Kendall's heels hanging off the step at times. While the cover recommends this for intermediates and advanced, the 128+ bpm tempo is best for advanced, with a lower step for safety.

An enticing beach setting, motivating music and excellent cueing are only a few reasons to join Gilad for this two-tiered step workout. Fans of complex choreography will no doubt find this workout boring (turn-steps are as fancy as Gilad gets), but for beginners and the two-left-feet crowd this well-cued step workout delivers an easy-to-follow, progressively more intense cardio workout. After the 8 minute warm-up on the floor you get 36 minutes of pure & simple stepping. There's no marching in place, no walking around the step, no stomping on the step to lower the intensity. It's just 35 minutes of pure and simple up-up, down-down stepping, with added knee lifts, ham curls, glute lifts, kicks, repeaters and v-steps and corresponding arm moves to increase intensity.

For the first 17 minutes of stepping Gilad teaches three blocks of very basic steps at a beginners pace of 120 bpm. When Gilad introduces the fourth block of steps the music speeds up to an advanced pace of 126-128 bpm and optional propulsion or power is added to each basic step. For the grand finale all four blocks are TIFTed four times at the faster pace. After a brief cooldown and calf stretch Gilad takes you to the floor for 6.5 minutes of classic ab training -- non-stop upper, lower and oblique crunches. The final stretch starts on the floor and progresses to standing, but it's skimpy, so you'll want to add more stretching on your own.

Basic steps, easy to learn combinations, right-on cuing, many modifiers, four energetic instructors and lively music add up to a fun and dynamic step workout and a great introduction to stepping for beginners. Lower-intensity arm and leg moves are always shown on the right side of the screen and one woman over there shows floor options for many of the stepping moves. Intermediates are motivated to work harder by seeing the higher intensity power moves shown on screen left. As the music tempo gradually increases, the step combos get progressively more complicated yet remain easy-to-follow. The team-teaching approach exposes you to different instructional personalities who energetically play off one another and never miss a cue. High energy music and a very vocal class of steppers make the time fly by.

The warm-up begins on the floor, then continues on the step, followed by some easy stretches. This well-produced and well-designed workout teaches all the basic steps: L-steps, Charlestons, V-steps, straddles, repeaters, mambos. You travel over the top in both directions and tone the legs with ham curls, knee lifts, side leg lifts, front kicks and glute lifts. The short end of the step is turned to the TV for the last 15 minutes.

A short lower body stretch follows the cooldown, so if you're short on time, you're covered. But, if you have time to relax, Jane will lead you through a sixteen-minute total body stretch. You sit on the step some of the time and use a towel for extra reach, as Jane slowly and smoothly helps you thoroughly stretch and mellow out.

Here's another early 90's KYSS (keep your stepping simple) workout...with simple choreography, three distinct sections so you can add to your stepping time gradually, and a slower stepping tempo that works for all levels, beginner through advanced. For this workout Kathy and her class use an air bench. This unusual step has a thin wood platform with a hump in the middle that flattens when you jump on it, cushioning the impact on your joints. As far a I can tell, it's not available any more. However, it's the reason that Kathy does so many power moves in this workout.

Kathy warms up for 9 minutes on the floor, throwing in a few lifts onto the step and some stretches. The workout itself has three 13-minute sections and two intensity checks (heart rate and Perceived Rate of Exertion). The choreography in each section is very simple. Basic steps are introduced and practiced singly, then occasionally combined into short combos. Kathy adds power moves immediately because she's showcasing the cushioning ability of the air bench. However a woman on screen right always shows low-impact and no-turn versions of all the steps. Another woman on screen left often starts the arm moves before Kathy does. Kathy's favorite move is "power knees": you hop softly onto the step, lift one knee and hold. (Charlene calls this a "smash" in her Living Proof workout.) During the third section and the cooldown the step is turned vertical to the TV. Surprisingly, the final stretch is very skimpy --back and hamstrings only -- no calves, hip flexors or quads, so you better add them on your own.

If you like Kathy's original Step Workout, you'll like this one, but you'll find the set and music more MTVish. I guess that's the early 90's for you!