In reply to blackreaver: I find stanage quite an intimidating crag. I'd led a VS or two when I turned up there and got spanked on some of the severes/hard severes.
As for my recomendation; my favourite VS experience was on louisiana rib (but its quite a balancy move above gear, one to go for when you have a bit of confidence)
My other top climbs are probably christmas crack/april crack (but the latter is currently quite green), heather wall (VS, can be pumpy if you dont just go for it), Robin hoods right hand buttress direct (lots of exposure, only HS but very good) and if you like the balancy stand up on rounded breaks style of this, Hargreaves Original is a good choice for you, if the thought of it sends you gibbering and elvis legging, well, probs best to avoid.
I'd definatly recomend Black Hawk Hell crack at S 4a as a good warm up, good exposure and bomber threads towards the top, and it puts you in the same bay as Castle Crack, a solid HS that gets you the VS tick for the arete finish (which isn't really that much harder).
I'd definately recommend manchester buttress and beech tree (birch tree) wall, both at HS, and both very worthwhile.
All in all, via media sounds like a good bet, but to be honest, the BMC guidebook will point you towards everything worthwhile, anything starred, whether its S, HS or VS is usually worth doing. Pick something in the sun and not too green or damp, and have fun. But yeh, avoid crack and corner. And probably FBD. quite polished and the latter is best done later in the day when the sun has reached it.