Learn to dance and get fit with jazz and tap classes
Work on your pins, achieve a toned physique and learn to dance like Savion Glover with these dance classes. Ready? Two, three, four—jazz hands!
Tue Sep 11 2012
Fans of classic jazz and golden-era Hollywood musicals will want to work out while practicing their Buffalo steps. Learn to dance with these jazz and tap classes at places like the American Tap Dance Foundation.
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Absolute Beginner Tap Dance at American Tap Dance Foundation
Hop into a pair of metal-soled shoes and prepare to be schooled in the shuffles, flaps and heel-toes of this classic American style. You’ll learn basic foot movements and a brief combination while moving all over the dance floor in this carefree hour-long class. The instructors may not turn you into Savion Glover overnight, but she’ll help boost your balance and leg strength while working your calves. • 154 Christopher St between Greenwich and Washington Sts, suite 2B (646-230-9564, atdf.org) Schedule varies; visit website for details. Trial class $8, single class $16, eight classes $112 (shoes available to borrow).
Cardio Jazz at Liberated Movement
This upbeat workout incorporates basic jazz-dance steps with intense core and flexibility training to help give you a toned dancer’s physique. You’ll begin with a 20-minute stretch-and-conditioning session before learning the steps to a short original routine. Peppy instructor Bridgette Catino insists that her class welcomes all skill levels and “doesn’t leave anybody out”—a philosophy that applies to both students and muscle groups. The class runs solely on donations, making it accessible to all and a great low-budget workout. • Battery Dance Studios, 380 Broadway at White St, fifth floor (liberatedmovement.com). Schedule varies; visit website for details. Free; donations recommended.
Beginner Tap Dance at Queens Dance Project
Join a small group of between five and ten novice dancers for an hour-long introduction to the world of tap. You’ll start off the class with a warm-up that includes rudimentary steps, shuffles and flap variations (heels, cramp rolls, basic time steps) before segueing into cross-floor drills, including Maxie Ford turns, shuffle hops and Buffalo steps. Once you’ve got the moves down, you’ll tackle a music-driven combination that incorporates them all in order to work on rhythm and timing. As you learn to ace the choreography, you’ll notice your quads, glutes, calves and ankles growing stronger. • 214-26 41st Ave between 214th Pl and Bell Blvd, Bayside, Queens (718-229-1133, queensdanceproject.com) Mon 7–8pm; single class $12, ten classes $90.
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