About a year ago, I was in a major exercise slump. I had been jogging for a while, but as cold, dreary Winter evenings drew in, I lacked the motivation to even get my trainers on. Joining the gym was an option I considered, but the repetitive nature of most workouts left me uninspired.

Then, I stumbled across the timetable of classes at my local leisure centre. The words ‘dance aerobics’ immediately caught my eye. I loved to dance (in my room, by myself, with the curtains drawn!) but had never considered how it could improve my fitness.

Dance for fitness basically does what it says on the tin, but there are a broad array of classes with each putting a slightly different spin on it. You follow dance routines varying from ballet to jive (depending on the type of class), often with additional moves that make it more sweaty!

I signed up for dance aerobics and Zumba classes and I haven’t looked back since. It’s refreshing to have finally found a fitness activity so enjoyable it doesn’t even feel like exercise!

If you like the sound of dance for fitness but aren’t sure if it’s for you, I have dispelled some common myths about the classes below.

1.      You have to be coordinated.

I cannot emphasise this enough: if I can do it, with my notorious lack of rhythm and clumsy feet, you most definitely can too! 

To be completely honest, I did find it difficult to follow the routines at first. However, like any form of exercise, you get better with practice. Also, I find the challenge of keeping up quite therapeutic. It’s impossible to focus on your worries when you’re trying to get to grips with a box step!

2.      The class will be full of perfectly-toned young women.

In the classes I attend, we have a cross-section of dancers of all shapes and sizes, ranging from teens to retirees! Our instructors are also fantastic at promoting body positivity, so I’ve never felt uncomfortable letting go and having a bit of a wiggle.

3.      You’ll feel self-conscious.

The opposite is more likely to be true, as studies have shown that dance can improve body image and self-esteem. [1] You can always hide at the back in the beginning, but you’ll soon relinquish this position to another newbie who needs the feeling of security more than you do!

It’s liberating once you realise that everyone is concentrating far too hard to notice your confused improvisation. Nobody is going to pick on you for getting it wrong either. The main idea is to just keep moving!

4.      It’s not ‘real’ exercise.

Why are so many of us convinced that, if we’re enjoying a workout, we’re not pushing ourselves hard enough? 

Dance may be something we do for fun, but the physical benefits are plentiful too. Improved cardiovascular fitness, increased aerobic capacity and maintenance of a healthy body weight are all proven benefits, to name just a few! [2]

5.      You need to go with a friend/partner.

One of the great things about dance for fitness is that you dance alone, no partner required. It can be fun to go with a friend, but lots of people turn up by themselves so you won’t feel left out. For us shy women, it’s great to learn the basics of dance without anxiety-inducing interactions with strangers!

Physical benefits? Check. Improved mental wellbeing? Check. Light comic relief? That too, probably! What more reason could you need to get your dancing shoes on?

Written by Florence Edwards

[1] Agnes Tihanyi Hos, ‘The effects of guided systematic aerobic dance programme on the self-esteem of adults’, Kinesiology 37.2 (2005), p. 1

[2] Mary Luettgen et al., ‘’Zumba®: Is the “Fitness-Party” a Good Workout?’, Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 11.2 (2012), pp. 357-358