Shake your *huff puff* groove thang!
June 14, 2010 11:01 AM   Subscribe

I love dancing. I love exercising. Help me combine the two in video form!

I've never taken dancing lessons and I don't really have the cash to do it right now, but I'd love to pick up a good video that combines some basic hip hop dancing with exercise. Right now I'm doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and I'm looking for something to do after the 30 days is up.

So mefites, help me to not be such an awkward dancer and exercise at the same time! I'm open to any suggestions that combine dance and exercise, hip hop is preferred but I'll try anything! Thanks!
posted by julie_of_the_jungle to Health & Fitness (8 answers total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
Do you have a Wii? Just Dance is a pretty fun game that focuses on dancing, but also leaves me sore and out of breath after playing for 30 minutes.
posted by tryniti at 11:13 AM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


The TV show So You Think You Can Dance has a couple of videos that may be exactly what you are looking for. As an aside, I also didn't think I had the cash to take dance lessons (I also wanted to get back into dance while taking the jiggle out of my wiggle), but I looked around and found a local company that offers classes at $10 a pop. Even if I can only afford one a month, at least I get some instruction and the benefit of watching other student's technique. You may try looking around your area to see if something like this exists.
posted by Term of Art at 11:21 AM on June 14, 2010


I have a SYTYCD video...I'm not sure they're going to teach you to dance, but they will definitely get you sweating!

Term of Art does have a good idea about community classes...I used to take community ed dance classes during the summer that were offered through the school district or community college. Sometimes your local rec department will have them too. Or check out a local gym. Just a thought.
posted by radioamy at 11:25 AM on June 14, 2010


This has Jazzercise written all over it. But seriously my cousin liked Hip Hop Abs...
posted by thorny at 12:26 PM on June 14, 2010


the new york city ballet has some ballet/pilates based workout videos. it will be less hot hot hot energy hip hop than you have done with the other stuff but it is excellent core stability work, plus, you get to feel pretty, really pretty.
posted by ameliaaah at 12:40 PM on June 14, 2010


I love the Tracy Anderson Method Dance Cardio Workout DVD. There's no hip hop, but it's a crazy calorie burner. I did/do the Shred and I think the Dance Cardio DVD is a worthy successor. It's a tough workout and it takes awhile to learn the routines. It's pricey at $30.00, but I think it's worth it.

If you are also interested in toning aside from cardio, the Tracy Anderson Mat workout is perfect. They are meant to be done together, but that equals two hours of exercise which is ok if you have all the time in the world to exercise. I do a half an hour of each DVD and have seen great results.
posted by Hop123 at 12:56 PM on June 14, 2010


Zumba is great if you like latin-inspired dance moves.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 1:03 PM on June 14, 2010


You said you don't have a ton of cash, but have you heard of Zumba? I have taken classes and it was less than $5 per class. It's really the most fun I've had working out and it's 100% dance.

I am an Irish dance instructor and I've been doing that form of dance for so long, my body was too accustomed to it--it wasn't a work out for me. I needed to seek out other dance styles to keep in (better) shape. I've found both Tracy Anderson's and Zumba burn a ton of calories and are really fun-for-working-out-way.
posted by Hop123 at 1:06 PM on June 14, 2010 [1 favorite]


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