Here are 5 tips for fun dance fitness classes
Many instructors of group exercise don’t realize how much they can influence their students. Sometimes, their class can be the most enjoyable part of their day. But why? A group exercise class can make that 30 or 60 minute period into the highlight of your day. This is especially true if the experience is enjoyable.
This experience is about how you as an instructor can make participants feel and think. This is not the drill or choreography that you have worked so hard to master. Maybe it’s the fact that they remembered your name or the song you played to them.
Part of teaching dance fitness classes is creating an environment in which the participants don’t feel self-conscious about dancing. So that our students want to come back time and again, we should create fun experiences. So, how do we create fun experiences for our students and not become a strict instructor of dance?
5 Fun D.A.N.C.E. Tips
Here are five tips that will make your next class of fitness dancing a memorable one.
D Direct Introductions
You don’t want to be the secret DJ at the back. When people come in, be sure to introduce yourself and to try to learn a little bit about them. They might be new to the city, have been with a regular participant, were a professional dancer or have two left feet. You can make them feel like they have a friend. This will ease some nerves, and help the participant relax a little more.
A Activities to partner or small groups
Even if it’s as simple as giving a high five to the person next you at the beginning of a song, get your participants to interact with one another. Partner games and activities can create a sense of community and a sense of belonging. What song is your class a fan of? Let the class first dance it together, then break into small groups to have them move in a circle with their faces towards each other. The laughter and giggles are bound to be plentiful, but is that not the point?
N Navigate The Room
There is no reason to dance at the back of the class. Although the women in the back row may not be interested in being front and center, they will certainly get to dance with you at least once. It is best to stay in front of the group, but it is okay to move around the crowd when you have the chance.
C Coach, but not Star
You are not the star of the show, even if you teach a class. There are no talent agents or spotlights. Instead, you should be focusing on your own abilities. Even though we can sometimes get lost in the music or movement, it is important to keep your class focused on your participants. Are they having fun? Is it possible to help them with their struggles with certain movements?
E Exceptional playlist
As an instructor, there are many music services and apps that you can use. You will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. You can create the perfect playlist for your class using everything from Spotify to Tempo Magic Pro. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a boring routine. Be creative, mix it up, look for remixes and mash-ups.
These are four tips for creating dance fitness choreography
There are many dance styles available in group exercise. You have the option to choreograph your own moves to add to your class. This is a great option for instructors who love creativity, are not very good at memorizing material, or have no dance background. Sometimes, however, instructors become too creative and create choreographies that are too difficult for their participants. So, how do you make sure your freestyle choreography is appropriate for the average general population?
Repetition
In strength-based fitness classes we believe that repetition builds strength. It is okay to repeat the same dumbbell exercise or body-weight movement for eight+ repetitions. Where was the last class where you said “ok, just one bicep curl.” It’s okay, let us move on.
While dance fitness and dance classes are very similar, there are some differences. One thing they have in common is the repetition per “dance tune.” You may get bored teaching a dance fitness move, but your audience will still be learning the moves. If you think that your class can master every move in one lesson, you’re lying. Our bodies need repetition to learn a movement. Dance fitness classes that are pre-choreographed have a lot of repetition in their movements. To make it easier for the participants to practice, the choreography is limited per song.
When creating your masterpieces, keep this in mind. You can do more than one dance move. The chorus choreography can be repeated for each chorus. Sometimes, it is easier to have less choreography in your dance fitness class.
Do Not Use This Technique
However, technique is not essential for a dance fitness class. We do want people to perform the movement correctly. But it is far more important to let them have fun while moving. You don’t need to drill dancers about every part of your body. This isn’t the place for you to do that. Relax and let dance fitness participants move. No one cares if they’re on the left or the right. What does it matter if their arm or pinkies are slightly bent? Are they moving? Smiling? Grooving? Keep going. You are doing an excellent job.
Keep It Simple
Everybody experiences creative blocks from time to time. There will be days when choreography is not possible. It happens. What can you do to prevent it? Keep it simple. You can dance steps like walking, squatting, or lunging. !
Start with fitness basics. You’ll find a lot of useful terminology in the terminology bank. Although the choreography is simple, it will still be useful for your class. You should not overwhelm them with unfamiliar dance movements. While some dance songs are essential to keep their bodies moving, others can be simplified so that their brains can work more efficiently.
Freestyle choreography brings out your personality and is very popular. Do not be afraid of creating your own content. You should make sure that your content is accessible to the entire class. This is dance fitness.
Videotape Your Choreography
These great tips will help you improve your retention and identify coaching weaknesses. They will also give you a choreography library that makes more than what you wrote on a piece of paper. It will allow your participants to “perform” by repeating the same song/dance routine, which will give them something that they feel comfortable with and let them have fun.