What is Dance Fitness? Everything you Need to Know for 2023

What is dance fitness, and how can it transform your exercise routine and relationship with fitness? This article will explore the benefits and types of dance fitness to help you embark on your new fitness journey while having a good time.

The truth is, it can be hard to get motivated. An estimated 260,000,000 Americans don’t get enough exercise to keep their bodies and minds strong and in shape. A significant issue keeping people from working out more often is a lack of fun. When exercise feels more like a chore than a healthy, invigorating activity, getting an adequate full-body workout is impossible. 

A straightforward solution to start enjoying exercise is taking up dance fitness classes to lose weight, improve flexibility, and strengthen your body while having fun exploring different dance styles.

Let’s get started!

What is Dance Fitness? 

So, what is dance fitness? While you might assume it’s as simple as spinning and jumping around, there’s an art to dance fitness that makes it a popular activity for many fitness lovers.

Dance fitness doesn’t focus on choreography or precise dance routines as you would anticipate from professional dancing–instead, dance fitness is a workout routine that incorporates dance led by an instructor to get a full-body exercise. 

Dance fitness encompasses several exercises and activities while incorporating various dance styles to appeal to people of all ages and skill levels. These dance workouts are perfect for those who want to incorporate fun into their workout routines with like-minded people. 

What are Examples of Dance Fitness? 

Dance fitness can benefit you in several ways, from less-intensive workouts to ballroom dance and a full-body style of dance to get your heart rate up. But what are some examples of dance fitness you’ll encounter when you begin your journey ahead? 

You can find dance fitness classes in many gyms and athletic centers. While these classes are the best way to incorporate effective dancing techniques into your workout routine, there are several examples of dance fitness you might forget to consider. Beyond traditional dance classes, you can practice dance fitness through some of the following examples: 

• Curating a playlist to create your own at-home dance fitness routine when you can’t make it to the gym 
• Playing interactive dance video games with your friends or family to practice dance fitness while having fun 
• Taking time to incorporate dance breaks into your daily routine to boost your heart rate, improve your mood, and inject some fun into your day 

What are Different Styles and Types of Dance Fitness? 

You'll find plenty of unique dance styles when looking for dance fitness courses. Dance encompasses a massive range of movements that target different body parts, meaning that some styles will appeal to you more than others. But what are the types of dance fitness? Below are just a few. 

1. Barre dance fitness: Barre dance tones, strengthens, and elongates the muscles through ballet-inspired movements. Barre dance is perfect for toning and balancing your entire body because it focuses on moderate-intensive, fat-burning workouts and resistance exercises. Barre classes are repetitive, meaning you perform several ballet movements repeatedly throughout the lesson. Barre also incorporates Pilates techniques to maximize strength and endurance in isolated body areas.
   
   
2. Cardio dance fitness: Cardio dance classes are prevalent among fitness enthusiasts who incorporate dance into their scheduled workout routine. Cardio classes encompass several dance styles and are what most people think of when they hear about dancing classes. Cardio dance fitness aims to improve cardiovascular health through instructor-led courses and styles such as the popular Les Mills BODYJAM class. These courses also focus on strength training and toning. 
   
   
3. Hip-hop dance fitness: Many specialty dance classes focus on hip-hop techniques for a unique, thorough workout routine. These courses are ideal for burning calories while learning about a popular dance style in its simplest form. Hip-hop dance fitness includes low-impact exercises designed to help you shed extra calories while having a fun time expressing yourself through movement. 
   
   
4. Mind-body dance fitness: mind-body dance workouts are inspired by techniques pulled from yoga, martial arts, and tai chi for relaxing, low to moderate-intensity exercise. This routine takes inspiration from the styles previously mentioned and puts these movements into a simple, flowing routine to help you connect with and move the entire body. Mind-body dance workouts improve flexibility and heart health while lowering stress that harms your mind and body. 

What are the Benefits of Dance Fitness?

Now, let’s get to one of the questions that got you here in the first place: what are the actual, proven benefits of dance fitness? Dance workout classes can unlock many health benefits to take your fitness journey to the next level. Below is a breakdown of some notable health benefits of dance fitness: 

• Weight loss: increasing your movement and exercise frequency through dance fitness techniques is the perfect way to begin your weight loss journey and get your body looking how you want it. Because of the several body parts targeted in different dance styles, dancing is an excellent way to engage different areas where you want to lose weight by burning calories. 
   
• Muscle strength and toning: dance fitness incorporates several body movements to engage different muscle groups, leading to increased muscle strength, endurance, and toning when you practice dance fitness regularly. 
   
• Engages your mind: there are several ways that dance can improve your brain health and engage your mind. Studies have shown that older people with mild cognitive impairment improve their thinking and memory capabilities through dance fitness classes, making these lessons an incredible way to balance mind and body health. 
   

• Lowers stress levels: body movement is crucial to getting rid of stress in the body and mind, and dance fitness lessons release endorphins that not only alleviate stress and anxiety but enhance your mood entirely. Dance fitness classes offer a positive, uplifting environment surrounded by a community of people similar to you. Combined with exercise, these classes are the perfect recipe to meet your mind and body fitness goals. 
   
• Boosts your self-esteem: along with improvements to your mood, you can expect a positive self-esteem boost when you take dance fitness classes. Research has found that regular dance can improve your sense of self and give you more confidence, promoting a better fitness journey overall. 
   
• Gives you energy: regular exercise can improve your energy levels in various ways. Cellular changes during exercise can produce more mitochondria, improving your body’s total energy supply. Additionally, dance fitness and exercise improve your body’s oxygen circulation, allowing you to use energy efficiently. Exercise also promotes better sleep health to help you rest and feel energetic in the morning. 
  
  

What to Expect From a Dance Fitness Class

Joining an exercise class is an excellent way to get in shape while having fun–but what should you expect from your dance class? One concern you might have is your experience level and whether you need to know how to dance to succeed in a dance fitness class. Luckily, fitness classes are available for people of all skill levels, and you can easily find a beginner’s course to ease your way into fitness dancing. 

Your dance class will typically begin with a warm-up session to prepare your mind and body for the workout routine. This process involves light aerobic exercises, stretches, and other mobility exercises to increase blood flow, loosen your muscles, and improve your flexibility before you start dancing. 

Depending on the type of fitness dance, your instructor will guide you through different dance routines for most of the class. These moves are designed to be engaging, fun, and suitable for different fitness levels. 

Another aspect to look forward to is the music–dance classes are typically accompanied by lively, upbeat music to boost your heart rate and excite you about the dance routine. Instructors select songs that align with the type of dance you’re learning to create an enjoyable atmosphere and help you stay in sync with your exercise routine. 

As the course continues, your instructor will likely modify and progress the dance to cater to different abilities and allow participants to adjust the intensity of the workout based on their comfort level. You can stay at a low-intensity workout or challenge your body with moderate-intensive practices. Above all, expect to have fun: these courses have a unique approach to fostering a welcoming environment and encouraging participants to enjoy exercise. 

What is the Difference Between Dance Fitness and Zumba? 

Though the practices are similar, dance fitness differs from Zumba in critical ways. While aerobic dance fitness courses encompass a range of fitness activities that include dance, Zumba s a challenging, intensive dance-based workout incorporating several Latin dancing styles more suitable for experienced practitioners. 

Dance fitness focuses on different athletic gestures and movements, while Zumba is closer to the dancing you’d expect to see on a stage. While dance fitness is any exercise incorporating dance movements, Zumba only encompasses particular dance elements. 

Get Started with Chicago Athletic Clubs 

Accessing the health benefits of dancing is possible when you take dance fitness classes like the ones offered by Chicago Athletic Clubs. Our high-quality dance fitness classes provide thorough workouts in a welcoming environment where people of all skill levels can enjoy staying active. 

Getting started on your fitness journey is easy. Become a Chicago Athletic Clubs member today to dance your way to fitness.