First, and perhaps most importantly, let’s talk about what the show is not – specifically, a topless review. There is no nudity in Fashionistas but it is definitely one of the most adult shows in town. If it was a movie it would get an R and there would probably be a few people on the MPAA board voting for an NC-17.

I guess you could call it a ballet of sorts. It tells the story, through dance, of a young, innocent web designer Jesse and a famous fashion designer Antonio, both of whom get caught up in the kinky world of Helena, a dominatrix style fetish fashion maven who wants to rule the runway world. Helena’s Fashionistas are a troupe of Amazonian models and hunky designers who employ guerilla tactics to spice up the staid world of fashion and in the process lure Jesse and Antonio into an underground lair of bondage, domination, and all manners of fetishes from feet to derrieres and beyond.

Sounds weird, huh? Yeah, it is. Interlaced with multi-media displays and some aerial acrobatics, the “story” is not always easy to follow, but that could have been my own limitations. Call me stupid but I need dialogue to help explain things and since this follows the basic tenants of ballet, expressing everything through dance, I’m sure I missed some of the subtleties.

Although to call Fashionistas subtle is like calling The Strip understated. The in-your-face sexuality is just this side of soft-core porn with only the dirtiest of dirty bits left to the imagination. It’s like watching a late-night movie on Cinemax only without the bad dialogue getting in the way of the action. Again, there is no x-rated nudity but you’ll see every other bit of skin on the human body, often engaged in simulated acts of carnality that could make everyone this side of Paris Hilton blush. Definitely not the show to take your mother to.

So all of that begs the question: for what it is and what it tries to be, is it successful? Well, I guess that kind of depends on what it’s trying to be. The dancing and choreography throughout are fantastic – probably the best in town. A blend of modern and lyrical with hints of classical ballet thrown in for good measure, the less overtly sexual numbers are stunning and evocative. But as soon as you thrown in a couple of guys in harnesses and exaggerated cod pieces alongside women in full leather “spank me” gear, discussing the merits of the choreography seems a bit silly.

The soundtrack is an interesting blend of originals and fever-dream induced electronica and rock featuring Lords of Acid, Crystal Method, Prodigy, Evanescence, and even a few Madonna tunes from back when she was still acting like a slut.

Fans of dance who have really, really open minds may want to check this one out. You’ll find very few better examples of the craft and the people who perform it in Las Vegas. Think of it as “Swan Lake” with really horny birds.