Tap Dance Classes for Adults
Do you loathe dragging yourself to the gym just to punish yourself for an hour or two?
Is it a chore just to get out of the house?
If you find the gym is just not for you, yet you’d like to keep fit, I know how you feel! I’m not a gym lover either.
My favourite kind of exercise is dancing. And I get the most out of dancing in a class full of others interested in keeping fit and learning how to dance. That’s why I’d like to invite you to a new Adult Tap Class that The Academy is starting in September 2014.
So what are the benefits of Tap dance classes?
Tap dance in, its simplest form, is about transferring body weight between your legs… so is walking or running which we all know how to do. But what makes tap dancing more exciting is that you’ll also improve the fine motor skills in your feet by learning to strike the floor with different parts of your foot. This improves the dexterity of your feet.
Strikes are added in between beats of the music or counts which means you’ll learn to transfer your weight smoothly and quickly. Not only that but it’ll also engage your muscle groups; everything from your core muscles to glutes, quads, calves and hamstrings. It tones your legs and bum.
What about my fitness?
Well, the speed that comes with tap dancing encourages cardiovascular fitness and with practice stamina improves.
As you can see, tap dancing combines more than one body part being worked simultaneously therefore coordinating limbs and improving control and balance.
Another aspect I love about Tap is the versatility and variety of music that you can dance to from Frank Sinatra to John Legend.
So what should I expect at my first class?
You’ll start with a gentle warm up to get the blood pumping and wake up your legs. This will be followed with some technique, a break down of introductory steps and exercises such as the shuffle and the tap step ball change. These will then be put into a short routine which gives you something to go away and think about for the following week. Finally, there is a cool down to get you ready to head home.
What if I don’t remember all the steps or can’t transfer my weight smoothly?
Don’t worry, in time you’ll learn everything you need to. Tap dancing is about muscle memory which means a lot of repetition and practising with your feet under your desk at work or in the kitchen while doing chores! Like most skills it requires a level of commitment in order to improve to where you want to reach.
Ultimately this class is about the fun of dancing with other people, learning something new and enjoying an hour out of the house!
Details about the tap class
It runs on a Friday evening at 7:30pm at Milnsbridge Village Hall, Armitage Road, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, HD3 4JN
The cost is: £3 per session (paid in monthly installments)