Ballroom Dance For The
Youthful And Athletic
The next workout outfit you buy may
look more like a tuxedo or gown than a sweat suit. That's because ballroom
dancing is catching on across the
How can dancing be good exercise?
Experts say the muscle exertion and breathing rates of ballroom dancers
performing in one dance competition are equivalent to those of Olympic-level
cyclists, swimmers and runners. As the phenomenon continues to catch on, the
dance style has become more accessible to people-with Americans across the
country signing up for ballroom classes.
Fortunately, you can still learn
about ballroom dancing, even if you have no room on your dance card for
lessons. For instance, the television show on TLC called "Ballroom Bootcamp" teaches everyday people the ins and outs of
ballroom dancing-but with a twist.
Participants are pulled from their comfort zone and subjected to a
scrupulous and intensive five-week training program in preparation for a
face-off in a professionally judged competition.
Each week, viewers can watch and
learn as master dance instructors Susannah Cuesta, Gocha Chertkoev and Christian
Perry attempt to give the participants the physical, mental and social tools
necessary for success. The dancers will learn five styles-the cha-cha, waltz,
tango, jive and
rumba. Then, each participant will pair up with a professional dancing
counterpart to take training to the next level-and to show off his or her newly
acquired skills.
Each participant must also juggle
his or her personal life and career during this short-yet-intense training
period. There will be emotional hurdles to overcome, conflicts to resolve,
ballroom blunders to fix and lives to change. Michelle
Yahn, one of the competitors, vents her frustration
as she cries, "It's like trying to learn French in three weeks. It's
impossible."
You can watch "Ballroom Bootcamp" on Fridays at
To learn more, visit www.tlc.com
.
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HealthNewsDigest.com