hether you’re already a dancer, want to become one or just love and appreciate the art of it, here are seven ways to add a little more dance to your life:
1. Take a dance class at your gym. From Zumba to WERQ to Pound, there’s a class for any kind of dance mood you’re in. If you’ve done a dance class at the gym before, try a new one! ‘Tis the season to start fresh, right?
2. See a live, local dance performance. The movies are old news. Live action is more exciting! Bring your special someone and make it a date night, or go with a BFF for a girls’ night out. Look for performance and tickets at local community centers, colleges and universities, arts centers and local dance companies.
3. Make a dance playlist. Whether you need some new choreography inspiration or just need some better tunes to keep you going on the treadmill, spend some time one day making a playlist—or a few—to keep you pumped up! Design one for each phase of your workout, or line up some new songs to pump you up during warm-ups.
4. De-stress like a dancer. Sometimes the hustle and bustle of everyday life can leave you feeling, unlike your normal, relaxed self. Set aside a day to de-stress like us Rockettes. Take a yoga class, spend some quiet time stretching out your muscles or just schedule some quality time with yourself to do whatever makes you feel happy (bring on the Netflix!).
5. Put together a dance-inspired outfit. First, decide your look: Keep it comfy with a ballet-inspired outfit of leggings, a wrap top, and a sock bun, or go a little glam with a tulle skirt. Next, clean out that closet to see what you already have. Missing a few pieces? Hit the mall or Amazon.com.
6. Whip up healthy food for your dance practices and workouts. Spend an afternoon making a few batches of healthy soup to freeze (perfect to grab for lunch on your way out the door), or hit the grocery store and stock up on healthy snacks for dance practices. You’ll be more likely to actually go to that dance class if you have a healthy meal or snack keeping you energized!
7. Work on your legs. Even if you can’t be in the dance studio as much as you’d like, you can still earn those iconic dancer legs—these four exercises don’t require any special equipment and are easy to do at home.