Let's get one thing straight... to give 4 stars does not necessarily mean "I'm a fan", but I believe this is a good place to get your fitness on. These workouts are intense and will kick your butt. You don't need shoes for most classes. The cardio class does require shoes for the first half (you will jump rope... it took me a second to remember how to do that!) The classes are cardio the first half and then focused muscle groups the second, with stretching at the end. Your heart rate will be up in the fat-burning zone and you will be sweating. They work you to complete muscle fatigue, so plan to take yourself to the edge... and then some. After my first Xtreme Barre class, my legs were literally buzzing for about a half hour.
If you're looking for a challenge and want to fire up muscles you've likely been ignoring, you should give these gals a try. You will probably wish evil things upon your instructor during class, but once you finish, you'll feel good about what you've done. Take water, a towel and a mat if you have one. Otherwise, everything else is provided.