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| Photo: Steve Vaccariello |
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Just Dance
After fighting fat for years, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, human resources director was sure surgery was her only option. The doctor refused, though, telling her she wouldn’t get the results she wanted unless she first lost weight. Nazario began an exercise and lifestyle program called BodyQuest. “Dancing got me through the weight training and more difficult aspects,” she says. More and more people are discovering the benefits of dance. It burns as many calories as walking, swimming, or bicycling. “It’s low or no impact, so it’s easy on bones and joints, and it’s great for circulation,” says Norris Tomlinson, senior director of group exercise for Bally Total Fitness. And according to Mayo Clinic researchers, dancing improves energy, muscle tone, and coordination. So it’s not surprising that more gyms and fitness programs are offering dance—especially the Latin beat, from salsa aerobics to boneco capoeira. Tomlinson says more than a quarter of the attendees are older than 45, and 95 percent are women, although the Latino men who participate seem more comfortable dancing than their non-Hispanic counterparts. “It’s a part of [Latino] culture and lifestyle,” he explains.
Campaigns to raise awareness about the prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and heart attacks among Latinos are driving older Hispanics to the gym and leading to fitness programs designed specifically for Hispanics, many based on music and dance. “Latinos are often intimidated by gyms and structured fitness programs, which haven’t traditionally been part of our culture,” says Univision’s Despierta América fitness consultant Luis Pérez, who created BodyQuest. He sees dance as a convergence of Latin and American cultures. It’s common to hear dancers speak of benefits beyond the physical. Margarita Peña, 71, started taking salsa classes two years ago as part of Un Corazón Saludable, a health education program sponsored by the Women’s Center of Congreso de Latinos Unidos in Philadelphia. Her husband had just died, and going to dance classes three days a week helped her cope. “I feel happier and stronger now,” she says. A significant number of the participants improve emotionally and mentally, according to Tina Harralson, a senior scientist at the Center for Urban Health Policy and Research at Albert Einstein Medical Center. After completing a study of the 16-week program, she found that fewer women felt depressed, lonely, and stressed. “When the program was over, many of the women continued the dance classes on their own,” Harralson adds. Peña plans on dancing for years to come: “I always wanted to be a dancer, but I didn’t have the support to make it happen. Now I’m doing it and I feel great!” See Tina Ramirez demonstrate 4 beneficial stretching exercises step by step. |
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