Ballroom Dancing at the Gym

[RhumbaWaltz]

New York Health & Racquet Club is now offering ballroom dance classes at a couple of locations. I'm going to see if my friend (who's a member) can get me a guest pass. I would be interested to see what the "gym" take on ballroom is!
-RW

[Laura]

Wow, that just shows how popular this is getting...it was like that with Pilates...for years and years only crazy esoteric teachers seemed to teach it to super serious (professional) ballet and modern dancers. And then it spread, and elite-level ice skaters started doing it, it spread more and more, and celebrities started doing it, and now every gym has Pilates classes.

Cool.

[alemana]

i'm interested too, RW - want to know which locations and who's teaching?

[Ithink]

There is a big article in the weekly fitenss insert of the Washington Post Express (a free version of WP they hand out on the DC metro) about ballroom classes at local gyms, how it's a great total body, low impact workout, etc. One of my friends is quoted in it because he's teaching a ballroom-oriented fitness class at one of the local gyms. Ballroom is getting HUGE!!

[newdancer113]

There is a big article in the weekly fitenss insert of the Washington Post Express (a free version of WP they hand out on the DC metro) about ballroom classes at local gyms, how it's a great total body, low impact workout, etc. One of my friends is quoted in it because he's teaching a ballroom-oriented fitness class at one of the local gyms. Ballroom is getting HUGE!!

I saw a story about ballroom dancing in gyms a few weeks ago on Good Morning America. They went on and on about how the DTWS celebrities lost a bunch of weight, and how Jerry Rice said it was a better workout than football. They showed a small group being taught swing. The instructors were wearing dance shoes, the participants gym attire and gym shoes. Seems like a good alternative to traditional aerobics, as long as you stick to faster more energetic dances.

[la morena]

They are offering ballroom classes at the gym for the company where I am going to work next year. That made me very happy :).

[alemana]

well, the folks on the show who lost all that weight were dancing 5 or more hours a day... it's a little bit of false advertising going on there to insinutate that casual ballroom dancing is a fat-burning powerhouse exercise. but whatevs.

[Laura]

Yeah, toward the end when Lisa was getting so skinny, they were working like 8 hours a day. Those Stars on that show put in more time on their competition routines than even the pros I know!

Still, if someone is a 100% couch potato, and dancing gets them off the couch and into a class, they will see some kind of positive result.

[RhumbaWaltz]

There is a big article in the weekly fitenss insert of the Washington Post Express (a free version of WP they hand out on the DC metro) about ballroom classes at local gyms, how it's a great total body, low impact workout, etc. One of my friends is quoted in it because he's teaching a ballroom-oriented fitness class at one of the local gyms. Ballroom is getting HUGE!!

How funny would it be if the athletic and dance shoe manufacturers team up on some kind of "ballroom shoe for the gym" - the Nike "Salsera" or the New Balance "Samba"...

[Laura]

Then we'll know dancesport has made it big! :)

[redhead]

They had classes like that in my gym and they were no value for anyone who had any experience in partner dancing... imagine someone trying to teach you 6 dances in 6 sessions. I wonder if they turned a few people away from dancing, if anything. Wish they were willing to pay for good instructors.

[ChaChaMama]

I don't think most people who take ballroom dancing at the gym are that concerned about learning from really good people.

I think for a lot of people, just being able to get up and do a social swing at the company Christmas party is a triumph. (And you still get to look better than most of your friends!)

The more the love of dance spreads, the better!

:) ChaChaMama

[Twilight_Elena]

How funny would it be if the athletic and dance shoe manufacturers team up on some kind of "ballroom shoe for the gym" - the Nike "Salsera" or the New Balance "Samba"...

Heck yeah, I want the Nike "Salsera"! Does it have air soles?

T_E

[redhead]

I don't think most people who take ballroom dancing at the gym are that concerned about learning from really good people.

I think for a lot of people, just being able to get up and do a social swing at the company Christmas party is a triumph. (And you still get to look better than most of your friends!)

The more the love of dance spreads, the better!

:) ChaChaMama

True, but I guess my point was - complete beginners usually don't pick up 6 dances in 6 lessons, especially from a so-so instructor... hopefully some of them will want to continue learning, but I'm afraid many are intimidated

[Joe]

How funny would it be if the athletic and dance shoe manufacturers team up on some kind of "ballroom shoe for the gym" - the Nike "Salsera" or the New Balance "Samba"...
Actually, there is (was?) already an Adidas shoe model named "Samba." :)

[DanceScientist]

I think beginning ballroom/social dance classes can make a big impact on the business and social climate of fitness clubs. At my 24-hour fitness, aerobics, step, and yoga classes don't keep the aerobics room constantly busy. Most of the classes are between 5:00 to 8:00 PM for the those people who rush to the gym after work, and you can easily fit in one or two more ballroom classes at around 9:00 PM after the evening rush. Plus, the ballroom classes can add something currently non-existent at the fitness clubs -- social bonding with other members. People are more likely to stay at a club once they know the people around them and don't feel like a stranger in a city.

While it's true that advanced dancers probably won't get much out of the beginner classes, they could serve as TAs and have some fun. Also, the club can have a social dance party every other week on a Friday night for its members. That would be fun and generate curiousity even for the people who weren't in the class!

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Not sure I know where I stand on this. The more dance classes, the better, IMO. But I also agree that good quality classes at gyms would be a good thing. Hmm. I wonder if it's possible to have both? Meaning, would good instructors be willing to go teach classes at the gym, in order to expose people to good dance instrcution (while growing their own clientele? )

(btw, nice photos, Dancescientist. :cool: )

[Twilight_Elena]

Hmm. Not sure I know where I stand on this. The more dance classes, the better, IMO. But I also agree that good quality classes at gyms would be a good thing. Hmm. I wonder if it's possible to have both? Meaning, would good instructors be willing to go teach classes at the gym, in order to expose people to good dance instrcution (while growing their own clientele? )

I think that if there were quality ballroom classes in gyms it would be great. Really great. Because all the fitness people would be introduced to dancing and that would mean more people dancing, not to mention bonding between two different communities.

T_E

[fascination]

bottom line, I am for anything that makes it possible for me to have more access to a nice cheap practice floor....

[DanceScientist]

Well, I guess you could have a few good, advanced technique classes, which a wide audience can benefit. However, when it comes to advanced patterns, I think you're opening up a can of worms. The dance syllabus is just too large to continue to advance the pattern knowledge of new, intermediate, and advanced students. I think the goal of the gym should be to expose the clientele to dance, and the ones who are very interested can go to a local studio to continue their training. Of course, with enough interest in dance, you may just have some informal sharing of dance knowledge between gym members at non-official classes. :)

I think some social dance classes and parties can really liven up the singles scene at gyms. Lots of fit and attractive singles can use some help to break the ice!