{"id":102274,"date":"2018-07-02T16:54:02","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T20:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=102274\/"},"modified":"2019-06-27T10:47:42","modified_gmt":"2019-06-27T14:47:42","slug":"dance-fitness-turning-wallflowers-wildflowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/es\/journal\/dance-fitness-turning-wallflowers-wildflowers\/","title":{"rendered":"Dance Fitness: Turning Wallflowers into Wildflowers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking for more places to let loose and unleash your inner wildflower? Rise with the sun and join DJ Drez, Jeremy Sole, and Marques Wyatt for an early-morning freeform dance jam at Wanderlust Squaw Valley<\/a>! For tickets and more information, click here.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Glitter poured from the bar as a Parisian DJ spun Euro vibes. The mob was decked out in funkadelic outfits, and it could have been a scene straight out of Ibiza, except that the only substances being served were Chameleon Cold Brew and kombucha. I, like many of my fellow party-goers, had only been up for two hours\u2014and it was 7am. The early morning adrenaline zapped through my bloodstream and I melted into the music, sober, wide awake, and with my senses on fire. This might be my new morning routine.<\/p>\n

What was this magical place?! Welcome to Daybreaker, one of the events in the world of dance fitness, or the new age of working out.\u00a0Cocktails have been replaced by cold brew coffee and fresh pressed juices. We\u2019ve ditched the stilettos for sneakers. Instead of partying ‘til the break of dawn, we’re partying at<\/em> the break of dawn.<\/p>\n

From choreography spin classes like SoulCycle to Daybreaker\u2019s sober dance parties<\/a>, barre\u2019s modern take on ballet and the hip hop zumba revolution\u2014people want to sweat it out to the beat, and it\u2019s not hard to see why. <\/span><\/p>\n

Humans have been dancing since the beginning of time. It\u2019s instinctual. And studies show rhythmic movement to have powerful healing effects. No longer do we have to punish our bodies to see results. Instead, dance fitness is turning the workout world on its head by dimming the lights, turning up the music and bringing on the party. For the first time people are realizing they can have a serious, kick-you-in-the ass workout, while also having fun. Here\u2019s why: \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It does something to the brain. <\/b><\/h3>\n

Healthy doesn\u2019t necessarily look like a thigh gap and pack of chiseled abs. \u201cHealthy<\/a>\u201d is less about looks and more about how you <\/span>feel<\/span><\/i>. So w<\/span>hy does cycling, moving and dancing to a beat make us feel so good? Dr. Judith Hanna, PHD wrote in the Journal of Healing and Complementary Medicine<\/a>, \u201c<\/span>The literature on dance and healing suggests that through dance, with its physical, emotional, cognitive and cultural dimensions, a person may gain a sense of control related to stress and pain.<\/span>\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Science shows meditation can literally rewire people\u2019s brains<\/a>. Similarly, dance has shown to have powerful effects. <\/span>By nature, dance is a multi-sensory experience. You\u2019ve got music, movement and creative expression, all of which profoundly influence the mind. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe intricate combination of movement, rhythm and music involves simultaneous right and left brain usage in the complex process of self-expression,\u201d explains Hanna. So not only are you keeping your core tight, but also your brain sharp. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Power of the Pack <\/b><\/h3>\n

“There\u2019s something about vibing with a pack of people that yields a powerful sense of community. Hanna explains, <\/span>\u201c …in group dancing there are positive interpersonal dynamics that provide what may essentially be a support group.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

SoulCycle preaches about \u201cpack mentality.\u201d <\/span>The energy is palpable when a like-minded tribe comes together, rinsing away fear and insecurities, helping push each other past walls and into unchartered territory. It\u2019s primal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inhibitions drip away right along with the sweat; the endorphins wringing themselves out. You drink in the music and feel it in your bones. Melody Afkami, founder of Austin-based <\/span>Melody DanceFit<\/span><\/a>, says, \u201c[Dance fitness] is less about competition and more about a collaborative community. In general, people are yearning for more meaning in every facet of their life and fitness is no exception to this.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s something deeply personal about dance. <\/b><\/h3>\n

In the ever-connected, anxious, \u201calways on\u201d world we live in, working out is the one place we can drop the selfie sticks and self-consciousness and just dance it out. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even though you\u2019ve got your crew to lift you up and hold you accountable, there\u2019s also something deeply personal about dancing<\/a>. After all, the old adage \u201cdance like no one\u2019s looking\u201d came from somewhere. I\u2019m not sure at what age we moved from rocking out at recess to death gripping the gym wall at the middle school dance, but somewhere along the way dancing stopped feeling natural and started feeling awkward. The stakes of nearly certain embarrassment too high to risk.<\/span><\/p>\n