Fitness for Pure Fun: Dance Trance

02/17/15-When I started to spend the winters in Florida, I was searching for a really energetic dance fitness class.   I had found zumba in Asheville.  But in Florida, I really hadn't found a zumba class that fit my expectations, or that had the "wow" fun factor.  When talking to a woman at my gym about my dilemma, she said "Try Dance Trance - trust me, you will like it".

I had never heard of Dance Trance.  This fitness program was started by Jay Handline and his wife, Beth.  The program is offered at a number of gyms mainly in Florida and the Southeast, but does include others around the country.  The idea behind it is to provide a varied, choreographed dance experience that is a break from the normal routine.  But the main difference between this and most dance fitness programs is that you are constantly learning new routines.  The number adds up so that there are actually several hundred dances in the Dance Trance library!

I still remember vividly my first Dance Trance class 3 years ago.  I stood boldly near the front of the class, like I always did in zumba.  Little did I know that the dancing was complicated and that I would be turning right when everyone else was turning left, or facing the front when I should have been facing the back of the class.  But I loved the music, which ranged from J Lo to Pink, Maroon 5, and an occasional MJ song!  So I attempted several other classes, but was still intimidated, both by the experienced class members and the beautiful instructors.  I really wanted to learn it, but didn't know what I needed to do to get better.  I learned that several times a week, they would break down the new routines, so I started going to these sessions, as well as going to regular class at least 3 times a week.  In several months, I was much better, and started to really have fun!

It is almost impossible to describe a Dance Trance class. I think it could be called a combination of cheerleader dancing and dirty dancing.  Participants are all ages, but are probably overall a younger aged group than zumba.  There is hip shaking, swaying, jumping, and gyrating, among numerous moves.  Because it takes a lot of commitment to learn the routines, you see the same people over and over.  I have met a lot of nice women as a result of the class.  In the class, we celebrate birthdays, (you get to choose your favorite dances on your birthday), dress up for holidays and even dress for Mardi Gras!  I have a great time at each class - it is almost like a dance party, and I laugh out loud at least once during every class!  What could be better than that?

I don't think Dance Trance is for everyone. Men, unfortunately, get intimidated, but do enjoy watching us from the window outside of the classroom!  The commitment to learning the dances is really important if you truly want to enjoy it.  I sometimes wonder if my Dance Trance weekly schedule is worth the effort.  I was hesitant last week about going to my usual Sunday class. That day, a class of 50 of us "shook it off" to Taylor Swift's "Shake it Off", and got to watch our male dance instructor expertly "out shake" all of us.  Is it worth the effort?  Oh yea!!!