Is your dance class a good workout? Maybe not...
We need to talk.
I’m worried that your dance class isn’t a good workout. And no-one likes being lied to.
As someone who started out in the dance biz and side-stepped my way into the fitness industry, it took me a while to figure out the essential differences between teaching dance and teaching dance fitness but knowing the difference can transform your class experience, and your class results!
It feels like dance workouts are so on-trend right now, with Zumba still going strong as a grandaddy of the dance fitness world, dance shows like Strictly and SYTYCD fuelling dance-fever and more and more dance classes opening up.
And hella YES, you can get yourself into a sweaty mess with a good dance routine, so most of us think that dancing is a great workout.
It makes sense.
After all, we believe in the benefits of doing 10,000 steps a day - and dancing has a lot of steps!
We’ve been told for years that dancers have great bodies and mostly come in size ‘teeny’. Black Swan...well...that lie is a whole other post!
And we’ve been told that if we do a certain amount of exercise every week, (150 minutes to be exact) we’ll end up uber-fit.
But if that was true everyone who rocked up to 2 sessions a week of their fave dance class would be strong, supple and fit, but we know that’s not the case.
So what’s up?
Your dance class simply isn’t a good workout
If you just want to dance like a diva, then you probably couldn’t give two hoots about whether or not you’re getting a great workout.
In fact, you’re probably not even reading this far down…..
But if you teach dance or dance fitness, or you’re an avid dance-cardio lover, then you’ve likely already realised that a large majority of people coming to classes have goals, including improving their body composition and cardio fitness.
Here at CORIO, we love to rock a good workout with the best of them, and we don’t think that dancing is all about burning calories and getting abs...cos there’s so much more to it than that.
But we also think our students deserve more. Yes, you can have a fun dance class and a great workout.
The problem with dance classes is they aren’t about fitness
A dance class isn’t designed to get a training response from the body. It’s designed to look cool, feel great and to unleash your creativity. Sometimes it’s designed to tell a story. We heart them. But, sorry, they aren’t a workout.
A good dance-fitness class is focused on the workout first, and the aesthetic comes second, or even third.
Take a typical dance class structure for example:
15 - 20 minutes of stretching and warm up
30 minutes of routine, which is taught slowly without music, then practiced quicker with music (start / stop / start / stop)
10 minutes of doing it full out and then some more stretching.
Dance classes haven’t changed much since I started taking them at Pineapple Dance Studios over 25 years ago!
This format simply isn’t designed for a workout. At best it’s ineffective, and at worst it can be dangerous for untrained populations.
We also know that doing steady-state cardio for hours on end isn’t the most effective workout anymore either, so move over Jane Fonda aerobics!
Choose your dance workout carefully.
We don’t think doing something the way it’s been done for years, just because it’s the way it’s been done for years... is a good enough reason.
Which is why we designed CORIO Dance™ to embody a new style of dance workout. Something that feels creative, fun and uplifting, but still gets results (even if we don’t talk about the nerdy part in class!).
Something that takes dance, music and hair-flicks but makes it easy and non-intimidating to follow.
That’s why, inside of CORIO Dance™ we’ve created a special blend of HIIT style dance moves, core conditioning, and routine-based dance cardio that will push your body into the fat burning and cardio fitness zone, improve balance, coordination and core function all while you feel like you’re nailing a routine!
‘Cos you shouldn’t have to choose between a good workout and enjoying yourself to the max.
It’s not you, it’s me…
But what if it’s not your dance class that’s the problem? What if it’s you?
If you really want to get in shape, then try to push it. P-Push it real good.
(That’s what we call going FULL OUT.)
Think you’re dancing it? Dance it harder. Think you’re jumping? Jump bigger.
Yes, it can feel scary to go bigger. Especially if you’re that person who loves the back row.
You have to put yourself out there, let your inhibitions go and be OK with saying, ‘Screw it, I’m dancing, here I am, at my boldest, biggest. I love it. And I don’t care what you think of me.’
That’s not easy. Which is why I don’t believe dance fitness classes are just about safe effective, fun-as-heck workouts.
They’re about pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, personal growth, empowerment, being vulnerable, being open to learning and change, saying yes when you want to hide and always stepping up to the challenge.
That’s what dance fitness can learn from dance class, and bring to the studio.
We would love to hear your stories about taking dance workouts and dance classes. Do you think you’re getting a good workout? Does it matter to you? What do you love the most about dance fitness and how does it help you?