I recently met a new friend who told me about a fun, unique cardio “class” that she attends every week called Dance Walk. This is exactly what it sounds like: a combination of dancing and walking (think Parkour meets Prancercise). Brooke Null, owner of Hooped, leads this Dance Walk group in Boulder, Colorado every Wednesday morning and she first learned about this new fitness phenomenon after seeing this video created by television reporter (and Dance Walker) Ben Aaron.
Null explained, and Aaron demonstrated, that to participate you just need to make a playlist of songs (that are fun to dance to), headphones and the inhibition to just let go. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous before my first Dance Walk experience. Would I be comfortable dancing around town in front of a bunch of strangers?
Within thirty seconds of Dance Walking, I forgot about all of those nerves and just allowed myself to let the music move me. I, along with a group of seven other men and women, danced our way around the streets of downtown Boulder for a full hour. Some people stopped and stared at us or laughed, others paid us no attention at all. Some took out their phones to take pictures or video, and almost every single person smiled. Some people even joined in for a few seconds and then went back to what they were doing.
After that first class I knew: I was hooked. Not only did I have fun, I also got a great cardio workout, laughed a lot, and brought joy to the people that I passed on the street. Admittedly, I’m a horrible dancer, but it didn’t matter. Dance Walking is about allowing yourself to move, be free and just have fun without caring what anyone else thinks. Also, dancing burns a ton of calories!
Once Brooke Null heard about people meeting up to Dance Walk in Boulder, she had to check it out and eventually found herself leading her own weekly group. There is no cost to join the group – all you need is a music playing device and a pair of headphones. Dance Walking can be done alone (although it’s more fun with a group!). It can also take place anytime and anywhere.
Brooke shared a quote from Amy Poehler with me that very much applies to Dance Walking: “There is power in looking silly and not caring what you do.”
Another great thing about Dance Walking is that it’s for everyone. You don’t have to be a good dancer or even be in great shape to participate because you can move at your own pace. Since no one else can hear the music you’re listening to, no one else can tell if you’re way off tempo or right on the beat. Dance Walking allows you to be carefree and let go of any stress and negativity that you may be holding on to, all while getting a workout you may actually enjoy!
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