By LEAH WEATHERSBY

What kind of auditions could bring 30 Seattle women together, all of whom are scantily clad and in great physical condition?

If you said aerobics video auditions, youıd be right.

Fitness celebrity, businesswoman and Montlake resident Kari Anderson is the star of over 20 exercise videos and owner of six local workout spots including the Pro-Robics gym in Laurelhurst and the Goldıs Gym on Aurora.

In March, she sent out an open call to adult fitness fanatics of all ages to try out for her new video series.

So there I was, at Laurelhurst Pro-Robics one snowy mid-March morning with a crowd of potential fitness stars. Although almost no one in the group would confess to pre-audition jitters, I knew better. I could smell the sweat.

Of course, that might have had more to with the fact that many of the auditioners had just come from Andersonıs 10 a.m. class. But as far as I was concerned, only Carey Serfontein, who had appealed in a previous Anderson video, ³Angles, Lines & Curves² had no reason to be nervous ‹ at least she knew what to expect.

³Itıs an interesting experience for fitness purposes more than anything,² said Serfontein, explaining that she wasnıt paid for that appearance.

It seemed most first-timers were drawn by pure curiosity.

³I watch all these exercise videos and think, who are these people?² said Amber Manning, a Ballard resident.²(I) saw the (audition) flyer and thought Œoh cool!ı

³You should try out,² said one of the clubıs friendly management staffers as I grabbed an application ‹ for research purposes only.

Having just dined on a heavy breakfast of black coffee and Girl Scout cookies, I declined. Andersonıs description of what it takes to be a good video ³aerobisizer² was further evidence that I made the right decision.

³Technique and form are the top,² said Anderson, explaining what she and her staff would be looking for. ³Be aware of the expression on your face. You donıt want to be smiling, you donıt want to be grimacing. Try to be look pleasant.²

Finally, Anderson warned, making an exercise video isnıt all fun and fashionable workout togs.

³It does get quite intense at times,² Anderson told the crowd. ³If you are one of the those people who are chosen, make sure you are prepared. Iım the only one who can have emotional breakdowns.²

And so the stretching, crunching and lightening-fast step aerobics combinations began. ³The music is very low when we shoot so the excitement has to come from you,² Anderson said. ³We always choose the few screamers. Thatıs a way to get noticed!²

Some of the more ambitious ladies in the crowd responded with cheers and shouts. As one segment of the audition drew to a close, still only one participant would admit to nervousness: Wyn Pottinger, a dance teacher at the Center School.

³If Iım asking kids to go on an audition, I better have a taste of the same butterfly soup,² Pottinger said. ³The fact that Iım here means I did well.²

I have to hand it to those brave women, that (more-or-less) coordinated jumping and spinning was certainly inspiring to watch. I went home determined to build muscle, shed fat, and generally turn and burn.

Right after a little nap.