Zumba- workout or dance?

With the new dance craze sweeping the country, all thanks to reality tv shows such as Dancing with the Stars, it has infected everything from individuals to exercise. Zumba, although in existence before the dance craze began, has spiked in popularity and interest.

Zumba is a cardio fitness class usually hosted at a gym or physical fitness center that incorporates dance moves into a fast paced fitness routine. Should you be familiar with this Latin types of dance you will notice as the instructor goes through the steps that most of the moves are based out of Salsa, Merengue or even Cha Cha.

The classes incorporate Latin and International music to help generate a high-octane beat so that participants aren't bored or unenthusiastic about joining in and lasting through the class.

As of July 2009 it was reported to be taught in more than 50,000 locations in more than 75 countries.

While you may have heard of this program before, maybe you didn't know it, but it was created by accident.

Celebrity "Beto" Perez was preparing to teach a fitness class in his native town of Cali, Colombia, and realized that he forgot his music. He grabbed his tapes from his backpack and voila! Zumba was born.

Since the discovery of Zumba in 1998, there are now several different difficulty levels, a senior's gold program, an aquatics session, as well as a toning and kids Zumba program.

Even if your local gym or fitness center doesn't offer this course, Zumba now has a set of instructional DVD's that you can use at home.

I personally love these classes just because I use the Latin dances that I know and get a great cardio workout at the same time. Even if you don't know Latin dance, it can be a great way to familiarize yourself and get ready for the high speed dances of the Latin community with a cardio workout.

Not Ballroom, but who cares?

Great news for all the Irish dance fans; The Lord of the Dance, Michael Flatley, will return for a victory lap tour in Europe this year featuring his mastermind program Lord of the Dance. He retired as Lord of the Dance in 1998 after illness forced him to retire his dancing shoes for a temporary time.

Flatley said that he is excited to return as Lord of the Dance. "This tour is like a victory lap and is mainly for fans who have been supporting me from the beginning."

Flatley, a boxer from Chicago, started Riverdance in the mid '90s and rapidly rose to popularity and fame a few years after his initial performance. After the popularity of Riverdance, Flately created Feet of Fire and Celtic Tiger shows with more dancers and more theatrics. However, his Feet of Fire performances were such a major success that they forced him to take his tour worldwide. He has performed for more than 60 million people in more than 60 different countries.

Check out the article at michaelflatley.com for more information about his return to dance.

It takes two to Tango

The Tango is one of my absolute favorite dances. It is known for being one of the most sensual and romantic forms of dance. Most often it has the look and feel of being predatory; it is very sexual and almost hypnotic to watch. This is not a dance that can be mastered in a day. It takes months of hard work, dedication, a lack for the need of personal space and, most importantly, a willingness to express your emotions.

Tango is popular everywhere today. I've heard that the reason for its popularity is the wide leg movements, which seem to gracefully draw shapes as the dancers move across the floor.Maybe it’s the slow, sensual movements. I tend to believe that it's the passion that is on display that each individual can feel and want to express themselves. Whatever the reason, it is something that anyone and everyone can enjoy.
It is fun and the steps are fairly easily learned. However, learning and mastering are two different things. The beauty of tango dancing, though, is that each couple can interpret the dance in whatever way they want to.
It is a great tension and stress relieving activity. It’s all about expressing yourself and letting the music and the moment flow through you.

The Tango is a passionate, romantic and sensual dance of love. It evokes feelings in people that do it or see it done that can’t be put into words properly. So, if you want to learn tango dancing on your own, be prepared to put all of your passion into it.

Blisters, sores and more

We've all heard that good footwear is essential to our posture and overall health, but did you know that wearing improper footwear can impact how and what you dance? There are several different selections for dancers than there have been before. There are sneakers, heels, flats, and all of them have different criteria depending on your dance.

All shoes should be chosen not by appearance but for comfort, support, performance, and protection. Some ballroom dance shoes are built poorly and can cause injury. Specifically look out for sharp edges near your ankle and for interior seams that will rub on your foot and cause blisters.

Some women prefer closed-toed dance shoes because they offer more protection than open-toed shoes do. The close-toed shoes protect the toenails from getting smashed or ripped off by a partner's shoes. A woman's Latin dance shoe tend to have a higher, slimmer heel and a softer, more flexible sole than do those sold for formal ballroom dancing.

As a side note: Ladies if high heels hurt, adding gel inserts or arch supports can help, or try wearing flats. Any orthopedist will tell you that high heels are not the best for your feet.

Depending on which dance you like, depends on which shoe you want to buy. Different dances require different type soles. The performance of a shoe depends primarily on its sole. New or well-brushed suede (chrome leather) soles are generally the best because they tend to offer just the right degree of traction on a polished wooden dance floor. Purchasing a cheaper dance shoe with a more-slippery smooth-leather sole can be dangerous as those type soles don't hold traction very well and can cause a dancer to fall or slide.

When purchasing a dance shoe, don't be shocked at the expense. The more expensive they are, they typically are better quality. While this is not always the case, most often expensive shoes are more durable and fit better.

At all costs, avoid any shoe with a rubber sole. These grip the floor and don't allow turns or movement very easily.

The types of shoes (heights and price ranges) are as follows: Flats for men and women have 1 or 1.5 inch heels and generally cost $40-120, although there are some cheaper domestic models. Ladies' high-heeled shoes typically have 2 to 3 inch heels and run about $40-150. There are also dance sneakers for men which I have been told are great for practice or non-competition dancing. These tend to run about $ 40 - 80 depending on brand.

Which to choose?

For the ladies heels are always ideal to use. They aid in weight shifts, turns and quick steps more than you realize. The 1 to 1.5 inch heel is good for ballroom dances such as Tango, Waltz and Rumba. With your weight placed more central and closer to the floor, it makes sudden moves, twists and foot action easier for those types of dances.

The high-heeled shoes with a typical 2 to 3 inch heel are great for swing and Latin type dances. These dances require that your weight be placed more on the balls of your feet rather than the whole foot. With the weight distributed such, you can make weight shifts faster, turn easier (on the balls of your feet) and as in swing be able to kick and jump around easier.

For men there are actually differences in shoes. There are different heel choices to pick from, Cuban heel or standard dance shoe. The Cuban heel sounds just like the dance you would use it for; Latin dances. It gives a slight weight push to the balls of the feet allowing for the faster weight changes. This isn't necessary unless you are aiming for performance or competition dances. A standard shoe will work just fine.

Sneakers are for both men and women. As I mentioned above, great for practicing or non-competition dances, such as clubs or parties.

Good luck finding that perfect fit for your foot and dance!