February/March 2015 71 COURTESY OF BARRE3; OPPOSITE: COURTESY OF NIA TECHNIQUE says Lauren Binkoski, a “cardio hip hop” instructor at Studio 10 Dance in San Jose. “I think that’s why it’s so appealing to people, because it’s music that’s out right now.” The “catchy beat” and street culture attract all sorts of exercisers to hip hop fitness classes, she notes. There is no universal definition of a hip hop fitness class—a general definition is the application of calisthenics to the genre’s dance moves—so while some instructors may play today’s hits, others incorporate a lot of popular old-school hits from the ’80s and ’90s, or a mixture of everything in between. And besides music, the combinations of dance moves are up to each instructor and his or her imagination. Local facilities like Studio 10 advertise the classes as fun, high energy and high calorie-burning. But don’t worry: If you’ve never tried breaking, popping or locking, you can still join in, since instructors make an effort to include all levels of skill and fitness. New routines are usually repeated a number of times to ease students into the groove. FIT TIP Because there are so many types of hip hop fitness classes, you may want to try more than one to find the best class for you. Wear loosefitting work-out gear and shoes, and bring a water bottle and small towel. HOT HULA FITNESS This isn’t the gentle, swaying hula you may have enjoyed at a tourist attraction in the Hawaiian Islands; it’s fast-paced, high-energy exercise using Polynesian dance moves in a one-hour total body workout. This fast-growing fitness program was created in 2009 and is spreading worldwide to studios, gyms and community centers through a raft of certified instructors. “You feel the island vibe while working out to the beat of the drums,” says Marie Manila of San Jose, an experienced hula and Tahitian dancer. Her goal, she says, is to teach traditional island dances, many from Samoa, while giving students a fun and rewarding workout. Besides using recorded Polynesian drumbeats and island music, Manila fires up students with popular songs like Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” to keep them moving and sweating. All the while, she calls out moves to cue the troops. “Tamau!” she yells, or “Farapu!” while pointing in the direction to dance across the floor. One move, the “Warrior,” looks as if students are lunging with spears. “Just keep moving,” she tells new students. “Smile and listen to the drum beats, they’ll get you into the aloha mode!” Manila wears a Tahitian hip hei, a belt made of silk tropical leaves, to accentuate her hip movements and give class participants a technique to emulate. She also wears a lava-lava, a Polynesian wrap skirt made of a rectangular piece of cloth tied at the hip, a style many students also wear. Squishy balls and floor mats are among equipment used by participants doing core work in a Barre3 session. “It’s just really fun,” one student says. “I don’t always get the moves, but I like the music, and I like the energy of it.” Another student-turned-instructor says she lost 40 pounds after a few months of Hot Hula. FIT TIP You only need comfortable workout clothes (most students do not wear shoes) and an openness to learn. Some students who make Hot Hula Fitness their regular exercise class get in the spirit by dressing in lavalava wraps, but it’s not required. U-JAM FITNESS To U-Jam Fitness co-creator Suzy C., U-Jam is more than a fitness program. It’s a movement, with a capital “M.” “It’s just a love for people, a love for music and a love for dance,” she says. For the uninitiated, she describes U-Jam as “a new dance fitness program; it’s urban based, it’s an easy program. You’re going to burn a lot of calories and work up a sweat, but most importantly you’re going to come and you’re going to be inspired—not only by the music and the dance, but by the movement of U-Jam, which is the community.” One student, San Jose resident Marty Shelton, 53, says he’s been coming back for four years because of the “nice camaraderie” he experiences at every class, along with the great workout that keeps him in shape. To nurture that culture, Suzy and her co-creator and husband Matt Marks encourage new instructors to do as the two of them do, which is to make sure veteran students reach out to new students with a meet and greet before class starts. She believes students come not only for health and fit- (continued on pg 104) SHE BELIEVES STUDENTS COME NOT ONLY FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS, BUT ALSO TO MEET NEW FRIENDS AND EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF BELONGING.
South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2015
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