Despite the fact that I’ve been teaching group exercise for close to 10 years now, I am not always the most gifted when it comes to coordination and dance skills. Sure, I can do the basic step-touch or even a mamba here or there, but when you start asking me to do one thing with my feet, another with my hips and something entirely different with my arms, my eyes cross and my body simply does not compute.
I recently decided to try a new dance exercise class: BodyJam by Les Mills. Just like any group exercise class, there was a bit of a learning curve, but I really enjoyed it. With high-energy music that makes you want to move and a variety of dance formats — salsa, hip hop, jazz, contemporary and even some rock ‘n’ roll moves — there were a few parts during the class that I felt like I actually “got” it. Other times, not so much, but the instructor had a fabulous way of breaking down even the most complicated moves to easy-to-do steps. At one point, I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe that I was moving my arms up and down, while shaking my hips and turning my knees in and out! It was a group-fitness miracle. (more…)
