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Oh Snap! Dancers Stay on Their Toes in Australia

TresSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0700

To celebrate its 35th anniversary, all-male ballet group Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, also known as "The Trocks," has taken a trip to Australia. The talented group, founded in New York City in 1974, performs parodies of classical ballet in drag. During their 35-year run, the dancers have put on productions around the world, even doing a show for Prince Charles. I'd love to see one!

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DVD Review: Nia Unplugged

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:00:52 -0700

If you're into dance, yoga, and martial arts, then Nia is right up your alley. If you can't get to a class, then check out Nia Unplugged ($15). I have to say I enjoyed the video much more than my first Nia class because this type of movement requires complete openness and the ability to let yourself go. It's much easier to flail your arms and yell "yes!" in the privacy of your own home, than with complete strangers in a class setting.

The live drumming in the video is amazing. It reminded me of the African dance classes I've taken. The deep, soulful beats inspire you to dance, and the instructors encourage you to move however your body feels it should. I also loved that this was basically a video of a live class, so you can feel the energy of the group, and be inspired by how everyone moves in their own creative ways. Everyone just seems so happy and into it, and it really motivated me to move more freely.

Not only is Nia an excellent cardio workout because you end up moving every part of your body in just about every direction, but it's also a way to express yourself through your body, so it's fun and a wonderful emotional release. After getting over feeling silly and embarrassed to be moving my body so expressively, I felt happy, confident, and stress-free during and after the video. If you're looking for something different when it comes to being active, I'd definitely check out this video.

See a clip of Nia Unplugged when you read more.

Get Your Groove On With Just Dance by Ubisoft

GeekSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:04:45 -0700

Whether it's a game, a movie, or a TV show, whenever I hear the word "dance," I instantly get excited. Details are still sparse, but Ubisoft has just announced a new game for the Wii called Just Dance. It appears to be quite the crowd-pleaser with real dance moves set to classic and modern songs like "U Can't Touch This" and "Groove Is in the Heart." I like to think of it as having your very own Paula Abdul choreographer right in the comfort of your living room. No word on a price or release date just yet.

DVD Review: 10-Minute Solutions Hip-Hop Dance Mix

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:30:32 -0700

I tend to avoid hip hop-based fitness videos, out of fear the instructors will be too perky for my taste. But since I like the 10-Minute Solution series, I leaped into 10-Minute Solution Hip-Hop Dance Mix DVD ($13.50) hoping for a good workout and some new moves for the dance floor.

Though most of the routines aren't very club-worthy, they make for a hearty, thorough, but not super-intense cardio workout. To really get your heart pumping, do all five 10-minute segments in quick succession. The instructor is perky but not annoying and very accessible; she assigns names to all the moves and calls them out clearly to help you can keep up.

If you're a beginner, I recommend starting with the first segment, hip-hop basics. It will help you get a feel for the steps and how the routines build on each other. As with most dance-based fitness videos, you learn the moves one by one and add more as you go to form longer combos. Some of the routines - particularly Edgy Grooves and Cardio Street Heat - are hard to follow on first viewing, but after a few tries, even beginners will find them manageable.

You don't have to have a dance background to do this video; just the patience to learn. My only complaint was the music: your typical Casio-esque fitness DVD beats. I think some actual hip hop would motivate me to move even more.

DVD Review: Dance and Be Fit - Abs Burn

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:41 -0700

The last DVD of the Dance and Be Fit video series, Abs Burn ($15), targets your middle without a single crunch in the entire 50-minute running time of the video.

The five-minute warm-up is followed by two 20-minute core-sculpting workouts. The first focuses on floor and standing exercises that strengthen and tone your abs and back muscles. Some exercises are pretty basic, like elbow plank, but the instructor builds up to some very unique fluid dance moves like hip pops and turns to add a little variety. All the moves isolate the core muscles, but you also end up working your shoulders, legs, and booty. The moves are a little repetitive, so I found myself looking at the clock, wondering when we'd get to the second section - not a good sign.

The second 20-minute workout begins with some more floor exercises that were very Pilates-like, but there weren't enough repetitions, so I found myself straying from the video and doing my own thing - another bad sign. Overall, I felt like other ab videos I've done have been more effective, such as Body Target - Abs and Shiva Rea - Creative Core Abs.

Feel free to make your own decision though. To see a video clip of this DVD, just read more.

Class Act: African Dance

FitSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:36:17 -0700

In the mood for something with a little more action than a chill jog in the park? Try out an African dance class. Classes are most often accompanied by live musicians, mostly drummers, so the energy practically busts through the roof. The drum beats are so contagious, you really can't help but kick your knees, flail your arms, and spin around. This type of movement feels exhilarating and freeing.

Don't worry if you have two left feet when it comes to dancing; start with a beginner class. There will be lines of people with an instructor in front leading you through a series of movements. I hung out in the last line my first few classes, and everyone was really supportive of the beginners. The trick is to not be embarrassed and just let yourself go, so you can have fun and burn more than 400 calories per hour.

Hopefully African dance classes are offered in your area because everyone should try it at least once. Wear comfortable clothes, bring water, and expect to pay about $10 to $20 for the class.

To see a video clip of class read more.

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Tracy Anderson's Web Workouts Raise Your Heart Rate and Malawi

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Gwyneth Paltrow knows those 10-day bikini exercise plans don't work, so she's turning to dance to help her get in shape for her bathing suit (not that she needs to). She's enlisted her trainer Tracy Anderson to design some dance cardio routines that get your heart pumping, work your muscles, and are fun enough to stick with so you really see results. Check out this free mini webisode I found on GOOP, Gwyneth's website.

If you loved this video, you can learn more dance moves from Tracy to incorporate in your workouts. To hear about how to get her other three webisodes read more.

Go to Tracy Anderson's website to purchase three more full webisode workouts. Not only will you get amazing dance routines, but 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward Raising Malawi, a foundation co-founded by Madonna. Young girls in the African country of Malawi are deprived of education and subjected to gender-based violence - life expectancy for a woman living there is only 35. When you purchase these webisodes, the money will go to help support the Girls Academy in Malawi, providing education to empower women, and give them the future they deserve.

DVD Review: Dance and Be Fit - Lower Body Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0700

When you just can't seem to dig up the motivation to get moving, the one thing that might give you a push is the possibility of having fun. Kimberly Miguel Mullen is all about putting joy into a workout with her Dance and Be Fit - Lower Body Burn DVD ($15), which consists of a five-minute warmup, two 20-minute sequences, and a five-minute cooldown.

It always throws me off when you're guided by a voice-over and not a speaking person, but once I got past that, I was able to enjoy this fun dance program. You can choose to do the two 20-minute sequences separately if you're pressed for time, but I did them together and felt a small glaze of sweat emerge at the video's halfway point.

The first sequence, Heavenly Hips, is easier than the second one, Lovely Legs, but they are both easy to follow. You're given basic steps and the choreography is layered on, and Kimberly goes through each dance set many times so you have plenty of opportunities to get the hang of it. While some other dance DVDs are confusing and leave a first-timer watching instead of doing, a novice would fall into step with this video.

With traditional dance basics like passe, attitude, plie, and gran plie, you're introduced to some of the fundamentals that create those gorgeous dancer legs. This is a pretty beginner workout and I wouldn't rely on it for toning my bottom half, but I'll keep it in my arsenal for those days when I want to increase my heart rate with a fun workout.

Dance Dance: The Power Evolution

GeekSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:00:58 -0700

I've been waiting to hear more about dancer-powered nightclubs since I heard about the one that opened in London this Summer, and it looks like one has opened in Rotterdam, and is now in business! When clubgoers hit the dance floor at Club Watt, the energy produced by their moving feet lights up the LED dance floor.

Other sustainable practices go on besides the booty shakin' as well, like using a rainwater catch system to use in the toilets.

You know what I'd like to see? A Dance Dance Revolution-like pad I can use in my house to party on and power my casa. My electric bill would disappear!

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DVD Review: Beautiful Belly With Hemalayaa

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:30:00 -0700

Remember Hemalayaa, the woman who did The Dance of the Kama Sutra DVD and Bollywood Burn? Well she's back with this Beautiful Belly ($15) workout. She begins with a 6-minute cardio warm-up that's refreshingly quick-paced to raise your heart rate up immediately. Then Hemalayaa moves on to three 12-minute dance workouts you can do all at once, or choose one if you're pressed for time. Since most ab work tends to involve staying in one place, I was pleasantly surprised that this video involved so much action, and I really felt it in my core.

What I loved most about this video is that it didn't feel like exercise, but that I was on stage as the star of a dance musical. She encourages you to smile, laugh, enjoy life, and be proud of your body. While Hemalayaa is slightly corny, her sweet and encouraging personality is so endearing that you can't help but dance with her. Don't worry about being bored since the movements are so swift and sexy; you're too busy kicking, bouncing, shimmying, and stretching to lose interest. Plus all this moving around also ends up working your thighs, booty, hamstrings, shoulders, and back, not just your belly.

To see a clip of The Ellen DeGeneres Show with Hemalayaa as a guest this past Monday read more.

And here's a clip of the DVD: