Top 10 Dance Fitness Moves to Get Your Heart Pumping

Top 10 Dance Fitness Moves to Get Your Heart Pumping

Jazzercise FitPro Emily Newlands explains that, "the best way to get the most out of dance fitness is to let yourself let loose! The more you get lost in the experience, the stronger and more confident you’ll feel. Remember not to take yourself too seriously! Dance is all about moving your body to music and it doesn’t have to be perfect. If you focus on having a good time, all the other benefits will follow!"

Below, learn about the best dance workout steps to boost your heart rate for a body-rocking sweat sesh. If you’re anything like us, you’ll be counting the minutes until your next workout!

Importance of Dance Workouts for Heart Health

Dance fitness moves offer many health benefits — and not just for your heart! Dance cardio workouts can boost mood, improve mental focus, and even draw you into a new lifestyle and community.

While ALL forms of dance can benefit your health, some types are better than others at getting your heart rate up. For example, ballroom dance is beautiful and so much fun, but salsa and merengue moves are more effective a heart-pumping, calorie-blasting workout!

If you’re unsure about your moves, don’t sweat it! Check out Jazzercise on Demand for private practice, or go freestyle at home with some good dance music. Soon enough, you’ll be ready for a group class!

Some amazing health benefits of dance fitness moves include:  

• • Boosts heart rate: Dance cardio exercises elevate your heart rate, which is a REALLY good thing! And it’s also good for your heart, lungs, and entire circulatory system! 
• • Burns calories: When performing dance workout steps, you burn lots of calories. Many dance cardio workouts (including ours!) burn hundreds of calories in a single hour! You can even try dance cardio exercises to burn fat! 
• • Builds strength: Dance fitness moves build muscle AND bone, making daily activities easier and safer. Win-win! 
• • Supports weight management: Maintaining a healthy weight through dance cardio workouts can actually protect your heart from preventable diseases. Wow!
• • Improves flexibility: There’s nothing like daily dance workout steps to keep you limber! Remember to stretch before AND after a workout sesh.
• • Raises self-confidence: Exercise boosts self-confidence — and this is especially true with dance! You’ll feel leaner, stronger, and better after dance cardio workouts.
• • Releases endorphins: Your physical health won’t be the only thing to benefit from workout dance moves. Dance cardio exercises release endorphins, also known as happy hormones. That’s right, dance literally makes you healthier and happier! 
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Top 10 Dance Fitness Moves for Your Heart Health

Here are some of our favorite high-energy workout dance moves: 

Chassés

A chassé is a traditional ballet movement that literally translates “to chase.” This dance workout step work can move side to side, up and back, or on the diagonal, so squeeze those inner thigh muscles and travel!

Skips

Skips are not just for kids! These high-intensity workout dance moves are easy to learn and fun to do. Make sure to point those toes and get your knees as high as possible for maximum effectiveness – and don’t forget to pump your arms!

Mambos

Latin dance fitness moves are wildly popular these days — and for good reason! Add a hip push to your mambo to add a little extra muscle work and style. Your heart is gonna LOVE it!

High Knee Jogs

Speed your heart rate with some high knee jogs! These modern dance fitness moves tone muscles, build strength, and offer LOTS of cardiovascular action. Looking for lower impact? Marches are a great substitute for jogs at Jazzercise!

Hip Shakes

Who doesn’t LOVE a good hip shake?! These versatile dance fitness moves can be done high or low impact and are the perfect way to let loose to your favorite hit songs.

Latin Walks

Isn’t Latin music the BEST?! You’ll have the Latin Walk down in no time — and this one’s a real ab burner! Start slowly with just your feet, then add your hips and ribs for a full-on dance party!

Pliés

Another classical movement borrowed from ballet, these dance workout moves are basically the pretty version of a squat! Meaning “to fold” or “to bend,” pliés are most effective when you get as low as possible. So bend those knees and crush your fitness goals!

Jumping Jacks

These fun dance fitness moves will make you feel like your most powerful, confident self while providing some serious cardio! Make sure your arms go all the way up AND down with each set and take some deep breaths while you work it.

Rib Pops

There’s no shortage of energetic dance workout steps to get your heart pumping. Rib pops are another fun move you’ll often see in dance cardio classes. FitPro tip: Don’t let your arms do all the work here; make sure the move comes from the core!

Shimmies

How fast can you shake those shoulders?! The classic shimmy will challenge you to move quickly — but you’ll have a blast doing it! Don’t be shy… show off your own unique flair for a heart-raising experience and full-body workout. You’ve got this!

Implementing Dance Moves into Your Exercise Routine

Ready to try some dance fitness moves to improve your heart health? We’ve gotcha! There are SO many ways to explore your inner cha-cha-cha!

• • Take a dance cardio workout class: Jazzercise is the ULTIMATE dance party! Head to your nearest studio to learn the latest dance fitness moves while improving fitness, making friends, and having FUN! 
• • Explore dance cardio exercises online: Whether you’re unsure about busting a move in public or prefer the convenience of working out at home, Jazzercise On Demand can help you nail our dance fitness moves!
• • Throw a dance party in your living room: The best thing about workout dance moves is that you can do them anywhere, anytime! So put on your favorite playlist and get ready to sweat it out!

Note: While dance cardio exercises are often high intensity, they don’t have to be high impact. It’s NOT required to jump, skip, and hop to get your heart rate up! Ask your FitPro for low-impact variations of popular dance fitness moves — or look for low-impact dance cardio workout classes! 

As you become more familiar with dance fitness moves, you may feel ready to take them out into the real world. Go for it! You’ll also soon develop the stamina to make it through multiple dance cardio classes — so challenge yourself to a double workout! 

Get Your Heart Pumping at Jazzercise!

At Jazzercise, you’ll learn the latest dance fitness moves while enjoying hit music, challenging your fitness level, and having the time of your life! Our positive, non-competitive studio environment means that there are NEVER any mistakes … only accidental solos! 

We look forward to seeing you in class! For more exercise routine tips, just reach out to us online.