Dance & Dance fitness

Dance is a really fun way  to be more active. It’s great for a number of reasons - it gives your whole body a great workout, you can do it alone or in a group and it’s a great way to relax and work off stress.

There are lots of community classes across the city to join in with. Dance and Dance Fitness include some of the most culturally diverse  styles ranging from street dance to salsa and Bollywood to ballroom. 

You’ll meet great new people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels who love to shake and shimmy their stresses away. Not only that, in just a 30-minute class you can burn between 130 and 250 calories.

Even if you have two left feet, dance and dance fitness suits people of all shapes, sizes and ability levels. It’s also a fantastic way to help manage medical conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes. You can do the activities at your own pace.  However if you have a physical injury it may be best to let it heal before you start looking for classes. 

If you’re fairly new to dancing or just don’t feel very confident, try looking specifically for beginners classes to ease yourself into it. Intensity will vary with each style of dancing, some classes will be fairly easy with lots of breaks, whereas others may include dancing for longer periods of time and be much more intense. If you’re not sure, speak to the class leader to see if their class is the right fit for you.

Dancing is great way to keep fit during pregnancy too, especially if you liked dancing before getting pregnant. You should be careful with your balance during the second and third trimester, when pregnancy can add stress to your back. Trying some pelvic floor exercises will help improve abs, lower back, and hip strength, complementing your dance training. Click here to find out more about being active while pregnant.

Dancing can help you be more active and social. It’s a full body workout that’s lots of fun and keeps us feeling young. It has so many great benefits including:

  • Give you more energy
  • Boost your confidence
  • Help you sleep
  • Improve your mood
  • Reduce stress
  • Help you manage/lose weight
  • Fight aging by strengthening bones/muscles and improving balance and coordination
  • Lower the risk of Alzheimer’s
  • Help manage long term conditions like diabetes and COPD
  • Have fun with friends
  • Feel good about yourself
  • Reduce the risk of serious illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke

Dancing can be completely free in the comfort of your own home. All you need is some music. Of course, if you prefer to attend a class, it can typically cost less than £5 for a session.

If you’re already a member of a local gym, some dance fitness classes may be included in your membership fee. It’s worth asking them for a timetable to see if they’re available and included in your membership fee.

here are plenty of classes all over Liverpool. This may be at your local community centre, gym, primary/secondary schools or privately run dance schools.

Click here to find a centre near you that offers dance classes.

Just press play and boogie! You could either buy a dance DVD to try in your home, or attend a local class. Lots are really friendly and inclusive, welcoming beginners and people with additional needs. If you don’t feel confident why not take a friend with you?

It’s best to start by getting some comfy clothing that lets you move around freely. For some styles of dance you may need specific footwear after your first few sessions for example jazz and ballet dancing. It’s also best to take out any jewellery that may get caught while you’re dancing. You can ask your class leader if you’re not sure.

Some classes are fairly easy whereas others are faster and more intense, but they’re all great ways to be more active. If your first try at a dance class doesn’t feel quite right, don’t be too disappointed. You may have to try a few styles of dance before you find the right one for you.

Why not give dancing a go and remember there are plenty of other activities throughout Liverpool to fit your needs . Click here to visit our activities page.