Hi everyone! How are you? I hope you are well and enjoying the wonderful month of September so far.
We have been having fun dancing to our super showgirly ‘That’s Entertainment’ routine. Click HERE to take a look at a video that was filmed last time we did this routine 5 years ago (how time flies!!). I see some familiar faces in the video, can you spot yourself?
Lots of lovely new ladies joined us last week for our free ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness taster classes, it was fab to meet more musical loving showgirls! We find that many ladies have fears and nerves before coming to their first class, which is why this month’s blog theme is all about busting those all too common dance fitness myths.
Having some reservations before starting a new hobby or class, whatever that may be, is totally normal. However, these reservations are often limiting beliefs about ourselves that get in the way of doing what we love! It’s also super common to let the fear of the unknown stop us from taking that leap of faith.
Well, let me help to put your mind at ease. Here are some ‘expectations vs reality’ about our ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness classes. Do you relate to any of these?
REALITY… While knowing what a ‘jazz box’ and a ‘slide ball change’ is before coming to a class could be handy in making you feel more confident, it’s definitely in no way essential! If you’ve never danced before that’s great, it’s never too late to start something new, and what better time to start than now?
Our number one priority is having FUN. So whether you’ve got two left feet, have never danced before, used to dance many years ago or have dance experience… our classes are suitable for all levels, shapes, sizes (and two left feet).
What we call ‘accidental solos’ are always welcome here, in fact they’re encouraged. It’s all about having a giggle, getting fitter, having fun with other like-minded ladies and learning something new! (And all to songs from your favourite musicals… BONUS)!
REALITY… This is a common worry among women who have enquired about our ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness classes, however I can assure you that you are never too old to dance and escape into the world of all things jazz hands and show tunes! Our clients range from their 30’s all the way through to late 70’s. Dance really is for everyone!
And remember, age is totally just a number. As Yoko Ono once said “some people are old at 18 and some are young at 90. Time is a concept that humans created.”
REALITY… Dance is an amazing workout for the mind and body. Unlike many other forms of exercise, dance improves your cardiovascular strength, flexibility, co-ordination, memory, mental health (including lowering stress and releasing feel-good endorphins) and more!
As well as the many calories you burn dancing (especially when you add in props such as our top hats and feather boas), many people don’t take into consideration the amazing impact dancing can have on your mind. Dancing uses multiple brain functions at once including kinaesthetic awareness, musicality and emotional connections, among others. Using all of these at once, as you do when dancing, not only improves your memory, but it can also increase your neural activity significantly enough to highly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Take a look at our blog ‘5 amazing things that happen to your mind and body when you dance’ for more on this topic!
REALITY… Our classes are great for any level of fitness. While you do get a good workout, all of our routines vary a lot and although one routine may be high energy (like our Hairspray routine), your next one may be slower and more showgirly (like our Hello Dolly routine). They all challenge you in different ways, whether it be a calorie burner or a bit of a brain workout. As one of my client’s recently said, you’re having so much fun learning the steps and dancing with Top Hats/Feather Baos that you often forget you’re doing a ‘workout’!
We always give lots of opportunities for modifications so you can take it at a pace that feels great for you! It really is all about finding something you LOVE doing as a form of fitness. And what better way than dancing to show tunes?
I hope that’s helped put your mind at ease if you were thinking about joining us at an ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness taster class next month?
So many of these thoughts are transferable to almost any hobby you’re thinking about starting. Take a minute to really think about whether you are letting negative expectations (in other words, fear of the unknown) get in the way of you doing something fabulous. Take the leap of faith and trust the net will appear, you’ve totally got this!
Have a great week!
The ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness team xx
Ps… to join us at our next FREE ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness taster classes where you can learn to reveal your inner showgirl and dance like no one is watching, simply choose and click on a location below. Can’t wait to see you there!
