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Dance it Out!

Are you having fun working out yet?

NO! I’m serious. Are you having fun? Are you excited about moving, anticipating your next burn session and enthusiastic about exercising? If not, why not?

If you want to be fit and make this your lifestyle, then the number one way to be successful is to be good at what you do! All successful people are good at what they do. They find their niche and they excel in that direction. So if you want to excel in fitness, you must find what you are mentally and physically gifted in and capitalize on those strengths.

People with large, powerful bodies sometimes play football. People with have extraordinary eye-hand coordination often find their way to playing golf or tennis. Other people who enjoy dancing and music are like me! They love to move their body sexily to music and dance!

Last year at the annual International Health Racquet Sports Association (IHRSA), I attended a few dance classes including: Urban Strip Tease, Zumba and Salsa Dancing. Many of the classes focused on freedom of expression, loving your curves and empowering your body’s presence. Each 45 minute class burned approximately 400-500 calories! Not only was I enjoying the class but I was burning my lunch, you can’t get much better than that!

Here are my favorite dance classes of 2007!

Latin Dance: Zumba!
When I tried it last year at the IDEA Health and Fitness Convention in Las Vegas, I loved it! Inspired by his Latin roots in Columbia, “Beto” Perez created this new, aerobic dance workout in 1999. Since then, fast tempo moves, shaking hips and Latin flare has influenced not only our workouts, but our sexy, workout clothing too!

Striptease: The “S” Factor
My friend, Minji Wong actually bought a pole after becoming a committed student of Sheila Kelley’s “S” Factor. After watching her utilize her core, her back strength and her body’s grace liberating on a simple pole, I was absolutely fascinated! Creator, Sheila Kelley, both focused on the basic moves of strip tease. Her classes focus on empowering females by feeling the sensual power of their body through movement.

Indian Dance: Bhangra
When I was a Fitness Manager, one of our most popular classes was Bhangra! Whenever class was in session the entire club was energized by vivacious Indian beats and buoyant dance moves. Popularized by FIT TV’s, Sarina Jain, this class was formulated from an Indian folk dance from Punjab, India, and has now become the Indian Dance Workout of the western hemisphere!

African Dance: World Dance Groove
I was recently given a DVD gift from the creator of World Dance Groove, Joey L. Dowdy, and have exercised to his dance routine a many times since then. His moves focuses on incorporating the mind-body-spirit in a sensually, moderately slow dance moves to the background of African beats.

Solo Dance: THE FUN Factor!
This is the spontaneous, hip hop dance I individually perform when one of my favorite Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson or Britney Spears songs comes on the air. It doesn’t matter where you are, you get up and dance! That extra 4 minutes of movement burns 30-40 calories! You do this sporadically 5 times throughout the day and you burn 150-200 calories just being a dork!

Dancing is one of the most primordial forms of female movement. We have used it to attract male partners, celebrate life events or come ‘into age’ as a woman. Swaying our hips, tapping our feet and flexing our limbs are all part of our in-born, feminine nature. If you want an alternative to boring workouts, go back to your womanly roots and dance!

That’s me!