People Swear by This “Dance Funk” Workout for Joint-Friendly Cardio: “No More Painful Workouts”
As a former professional dancer turned teacher and certified personal trainer, I’m always seeking new workouts that allow me to share my passion for dance with others. I’m not a fan of high-impact workouts because I want to protect my joints so that I can dance into my later years. I’ve found that low-impact exercises can still be high-intensity and deliver incredible results while being less jarring to the joints.
Technical dance classes, like ballet, tap, and jazz, are generally considered low-impact in nature. This is not always true in dance fitness classes, however. There are varying types of dance fitness classes, and some of them have a higher impact on the joints than others. This is due to differences in goals and philosophies for each of the classes.
We learn and practice technique and choreography, timed with music in technical dance classes. The goals of technical classes are many and may include refining technique, learning choreography quickly, practicing self-expression, and learning about dance history and traditions.
In dance fitness classes, the goal is often burning calories and improving cardiovascular health. While there are choreographed moves in fitness classes, the class generally follows simple movements in real-time with the instructor instead of learning about each move separately.
Enter dance funk.
What is Dance Funk?
Dance funk is a fusion of dance styles. Moves may be incorporated from jazz and hip-hop. The moves are rhythmic and some will be sharp and hard-hitting, contrasted with smooth movements. These moves are set to fun songs to increase the energy and enthusiasm in the room.
