Dance workout

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Dance The Night Away

Don't Be Afraid To Let Fun Get In The Way Of A Good Workout

By D. Faye

Quick, think of a dancer. Who came to mind? Was it Gene Kelly, twirling Leslie Caron around in An American in Paris? Was it Mikhail Baryshnikov, soaring across the stage with the American Ballet Theatre? Perhaps it was Madonna, John Travolta, Fred Astaire or even Britney Spears? Whoever it was, I can assure you of one thing; they were all, at their prime, in exceptional shape because dancing is great exercise. Tripping the light fantastic works your muscles and your cardiovascular system. It eases stress and, best of all, it’s fun!

Probably the best thing about getting a good cardio workout through dance is that you often forget you’re actually exercising. “It’s a lot more fun than being on a treadmill or a Stairmaster,” explains fitness instructor Teigh McDonough who, along with fellow fitness instructor Gillian Marloth, created Yoga Booty Ballet™!, a workout program that combines yoga, ballet and body sculpting. (Related article: Yoga during pregnancy) “Dancing is much more challenging than some cardio machine,” Marloth adds. “It engages the mind.”

Beachbody member Della “Punki” Maricich agrees. “When you’re dancing, it never occurs to you for a moment that you’re doing something healthy,” says Punki, who’s been a serious dancer with her husband, Joseph “Hunki” Maricich, for over eight years. On the dance floor, the sixty-something couple can outdo kids half their age. Their specialties include swing, waltz, tango, rumba, foxtrot and Rueda, which Punki describes as a fast-paced, Cuban, salsa square dance. “If you can do Rueda for an hour,” Punki says, “you have to be in pretty good shape!”

You’ll also be working muscles that, currently, you don’t even know you have. “It’s a great way to work alternate muscle groups because you’re doing a non-routine activity,” says McDonough. (Related: Lose weight to recover virility)

To test this theory out, dust off your old Chubby Checker records and do a little twisting. You’ll be working muscles from your ankles to your shoulders -- especially your abs. After a while, it’ll become clear that Mr. Checker wouldn’t be chubby had he taken his own advice and twisted the night away.

Dancing also benefits your muscles because, unless you’re into contortionist jazz movements, “you're doing natural body weight movements,” says Occupational Therapist and Fitness Trainer Andrea Pesce. “It works the primary mover and stabilizer muscles in harmony.”

Of course, there are a few macho guys out there who wouldn’t want anything to do with dancing. For them, here’s one word: Baryshnikov. Look at the guy. He’s all muscle -- toned, lean muscle. Adding dance to a fitness regime can’t help but build and define your muscles and, frankly, which way would you rather burn calories, jogging on a cold, lonely Saturday morning or grooving on a Saturday night with the lovely lady -- or ladies -- of your choice?

Whether it’s with your friends at a club, in a class at the gym, or at home on your own, dancing just, plain feels good. As Marloth puts it, “Letting your body work like this promotes creative self expression by engaging the heart and the spirit.”

It lets you listen to the music and relax for a while -- oftentimes with someone you want to be with. “It’s a magnificent, romantic exciting thing for a couple to do together,” Punki insists. “Someone told me this once: it’s impossible to dance and be stressed simultaneously,” she adds. “As soon as you start getting involved with the music, all your cares of the day just go away -- at least for a while.”

Recommended links: Date Idea: Shall we dance Play a video game together

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