MIAMI — If ever there was a definitive musical manifesto for Madonna, mistress of the modern dance floor spectacle, it would be the chorus of her Like It Or Not, delivered at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Saturday night.

And appropriately, it was given not from a stuffy podium, but crouched seductively on a mirrored catwalk that jutted into the midst of the near-capacity crowd.

"You can like it or not. You can love me or leave me," the ever-lithe blonde sang, " 'cause I'm never gonna stop."

Well, we knew that. And she apparently meant that in several ways.

Madonna's "Confessions" tour is a relentlessly kinetic series of musical tableau featuring dancers, singers and a dizzying, constantly appearing collection of set pieces that she and the cast vaulted, tumbled and slunk over.

Of course, the happily controversial singer also talked about her "I gotta be me" persona, speaking up about issues she deems important, like the AIDS crisis, and merrily tweaking those she disagrees with. A few of those tweaks, such as the now-famous Live To Tell cross, are curious and seem sort of "nanny-nanny boo-boo."

But then again, the Madonna faithful probably didn't mind, and the people who were offended probably weren't there.

The show began amid fetish-like images on a screen of Madonna, 47, stalking through a stable brandishing a riding crop, as live dancers in leather bridles galloped on stage. The woman herself joined the party, singing Future Lovers, descending from the ceiling in a giant disco ball that split open to reveal her in an S&M-ish riding outfit. It was fairly awesome. Leave it to Madonna to turn her current real-life status as a proper English lady into another excuse to be naughty.

The flirty-naughty vibe continued beautifully with Like A Virgin, sung atop a black leather-studded mechanical horse pumping up and down like a carousel horse at an orgy carnival, and the delightful Jump, where Madonna and her dancers sprang around the stage tumbling on metal bars and platforms like urban gymnasts.

Also delightful was the campy disco portion of the show, including Music, where Madonna grooved in a John Travolta-ish white suit. The starbursts on the screen behind her during Ray Of Light were similarly wonderful.

The only times the show slowed down, in an unsatisfying way, were in the preachy moments. Yeah, I'm talking about the mirror-covered cross from which Madonna hung while singing Live To Tell. The sequence followed a curious segment featuring "Fame"-like modern dance depictions of young people conquering gang violence and feelings of suicide and preceded a disturbing but powerful presentation about the African AIDS crisis.

All very important points, and very poignant. But what that had to do with Madonna singing in a crown of thorns is, well... you tell me. And a subsequent video featuring dubious world leaders interspersed with Madonna singing her song Sorry in a pink leotard just seemed out of place. I don't mind a sermon. But when it's delivered by a woman dressed like a "Solid Gold" dancer, it seems like it's more than a little bit about her. Hmmm.

Despite those self-indulgent moments, "Confessions" was an exciting testament to energy, longevity and the sheer love of a beat. The only other thing: The packed house was stiflingly hot, almost uncomfortably so. Then again, so are the best discos, right?