The dance revolution: Exercising using the most popular dance moves
DANCE is traditionally a feature of the arts industry, primarily practised globally for entertainment. However, in recent decades, dancing has evolved, earning and maintaining its place in the sporting and fitness arenas. And for people who are not particularly interested in the traditional forms of exercise, executive director of Chai Studios Limited, Shani McGraham-Shirley, said that a dance fitness class may be your perfect escape.
“A dance fitness class can truly give you a killer workout with the same results as other traditional forms of exercise; just a million times more fun. When you get lost in the pumping music, the time flies, fat melts, sweat pours and you don’t even realise how much you are investing in your workout,” McGraham-Shirley said.
Below she shares a list of common dance moves and how exactly they contribute to your fitness.
Azonto
This dance from Ghana really gets your core involved, especially your obliques. It’s simple in movement as it is just stepping from side to side, but you lead with your hip. In order to lead with the hip, the oblique connected to that hip needs to contract to lift and push the hip. Use opposite arms to swing and pull across the body when the foot steps. Ensure to keep your core tight in order to feel the full benefits.
Push-up wine
“This is my signature move — I should just rename it ‘Shani Pushups’. As the name implies, simply get into a push-up position and wine while going down and up. This is the ultimate full-body workout.” This dance move, she says, works the chest, back, arms, core and legs if you keep your knees bent and really give a deep rotation.
Cha Cha boy
“Cha Cha boy works the core a lot, specifically the frontal abs because of the ‘lean back’ position. This dance move features feet alternately tapping forward with bent knees as you lean back and rock, allowing the arms to move freely. The dance move includes a single hop, and each time you tap, the cardio value is increased. The count is four taps with the lean back, then four counts and you lean forward,” McGraham-Shirley said. This exercise provides a full body workout.
One Drop
If you want to target the hamstrings, glutes and lower back while dancing, One Drop is your move. “This move is done with a stiff leg, unlike most of our Jamaican dances. In a bent over position, with both legs stiff and locked out, you isolate and lift from the hip, then drop the hip that you are alternating one hip at a time. You can do it as singles with a slow tempo, doubles, or singles, but double speed.”
McGraham-Shirley said that although the One Drop is a very simple move, once executed with precision you will truly feel it the following day, and what will really seal the deal is quick drop squats to the floor, then starting again.
Kushi Wine
“In a bent over position, place your hands above your bent knees. While your stomach is held tight you wine, doing a quick figure eight of your derrière in this position, never standing or straightening your knees,” McGraham-Shirley instructed. She said if this is not challenging enough, after four counts in this base move you can step one foot back and forth twice while still in a squat, then switch. This way your thighs will be on fire. This wine targets your thigh muscles, the quads in particular.
Flairy
Flairy uses predominantly the upper body — arms, shoulders and core. It starts with the arms above your head as you step four counts to the right, then left and repeat. With each transition the hands are lowered and raised again. It then picks up, the arms swing left to right three times, before you step to the left and repeat. It then changes yet again, to arms pumping in front with a retraction in a rhythmical pattern.
“So if you are serious about changing up your fitness routine and adding some flavour in your life, then blast the music and get moving or, better yet, see you in my next Yahsuh Dance Fitness class and let’s kill it together,” McGraham-Shirley advised.
