How to Dance in Workouts

If you’ve never been a dancer or attended a dance class, the thought of sweating through a dance fitness class can be pretty intimidating. But given the prevalence of classes such as Zumba, Jazzercise and others, it’s clear that extensive dance training is not a requirement for getting in a good workout. Don’t stress — dance fitness classes are supposed to be fun

4 Steps to Dance in Workouts

1. Ask the instructor or other students in the class what type of dance steps the workout will entail,.

And then check out some online videos or tutorials before you attend your first class. The Jazzercise program, for example, has a “Learn the Dance Moves” website that walks you through the steps you’ll use during the class. Practice those moves a few times at home to get comfortable with the basics.

2. Look for classes geared toward beginners.

Some exercise and dance studios have ongoing drop-in classes, while others have classes that start on a set day and end a month or several months later. Typically, those set-time classes will build on each other, meaning you may learn a basic dance step in one class and then learn a more elaborate variation later on. This can be ideal for a total newbie.

3. Add more intensity as you get more comfortable with the basic moves.

In a Zumba class, for example, your instructor may tell you to focus on your feet first, and then to add arms when you can. To burn more calories, raise your arms higher, jump higher or add more bounce to your forward, backward and side-to-side steps. Any time the moves get too complicated, just follow the beat of the music and keep moving by walking in place or doing another basic move — this isn’t a performance, after all.

4. Avoid comparing yourself to others — but learn from those around you.

The people who have been attending dance fitness classes for a longer period are naturally going to know more moves, and those people can be great to imitate. Pay attention to your own form and movements first and foremost, but also try standing behind one of the more advanced participants so you can learn to copy her moves. Be bold and “let yourself go,” suggests Zumba instructor Staci Boyer in an article in “Shape.”

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