Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease

Get ready to flick your hair, purse your lips, and call in the lighting technician for this lesson in striptease, hosted by actress/Playboy Playmate/high-profile marriage maven Carmen Electra (the former Mrs. Dennis Rodman who wedded rocker Dave Navarro in 2003). With a simple set, various soundtrack options (you can toggle between techno, hip-hop, and rock tracks), a few costume changes, and two sidekicks, trained hoofer Electra begins with a typical dancer's warm-up that ensures “you'll be ready to tease in no time!” Stressing the importance of letting go and not judging yourself, Electra incorporates “cute” movements like finger-snapping, torso isolation, hip rolls (“the foundation for any good striptease”), booty smacks, dips (“I swear, doing a couple sets of these a day has really improved my butt," she giggles), and the age-old favorite “finger in your mouth” move into three separate routines. Imploring viewers to “sex it up a little,” Electra's program is tamely racy, and while there is fitness to be had here--what with all the contracting and shimmying--the instruction (as in “grab your ankles” and “strippers do it all the time”) clearly emphasizes the cheesecake aspect (a companion volume, Carmen Electra's Fit to Strip, focuses more on the fitness side). Toning the body and boosting confidence, Electra's aerobic striptease reminds women that “the secret to sexiness is you.” I couldn't agree more, Carmen (that's why I always open the bag of chips with my teeth). Recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)