sport INDEX
Give in to the
Denise Smith recommends dance to get your heart racing and your muscles working
K
eep fi t can be a fearful phrase. For some it conjures up memories of cold
afternoons on the school playing fi eld. For others, the expensive membership fees for a gym they only used twice, come to mind. So why not take to the
dance fl oor instead. It’s a friendly, convenient way to get fi t without expensive equipment or workout clothes. “Dance is good for all-round fi tness as you use mind and body,” says Rachel Wadey, an ISTD-qualifi ed dance teacher. “Apart from increasing stamina, dance
helps improve memory and can be a great stress reliever.”
LATIN LOVER From Argentine Tango to
Zumba, there is an alphabet of dances to choose from. Once considered rather stuffy, ballroom and Latin are enjoying a renaissance, thanks to Strictly. Nikki Casey, Principal of Impact Dance and Cheer (07710 566827), says “Ballroom dancing provides a fun, sociable way of keeping fi t. It
also helps to improve posture, balance, coordination and memory.” A Latin American style of
dance with Cuban origins, Salsa (try Salsa-Asi, www.
salsa-asi.co.uk) is now claimed to be the most popular dance on the planet. The pace of the dancing is usually quite fast – think Shakira or Gloria Estefan – and can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart rate. A half-hour session claims to burn between 200- 400 calories – just as many as walking, swimming or cycling.
TOE TAPPING
health and fi tness benefi ts, in addition to those already associated with dance. It boosts cardiovascular performance, tone the leg muscles and reduce blood pressure. You
Tap dancing has many
do need a pair of tap shoes, but a starter pair can cost as little as £12.
Divine-Dance in
Bishopsbourne (01227 832268) offers exotic dance classes including Burlesque, Belly Dancing and Zumba. Talking about Burlesque, dance teacher Sally Stonier says: “Every woman can feel fabulous, enticing, and seductive regardless of age, shape or dancing ability. There are no barriers.”
Lisa Payne, also known as Miss Maybe (07870 343870), recommends her burlesque classes for those with fi tness problems. “The moves are gentle and I have two ladies who use sticks to walk and a lady recovering from heart surgery in my classes. It is non impact and you work to your own capacity, plus we have a laugh, which is of course the best medicine!” She has plans for classes in Whitstable this autumn.
SAUCEY!
Miss Maybe
recommends burlesque as a gentle workout with a lot of laughter
14
www.indexmagazine.co.uk
Rhythm
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