9 Ways to Unleash Your Inner Dancing Queen

By , Alicia Capetillo
Shakira didn’t get those world famous abs without dance, which, on its own, is enough to sell us on dancing our way to fitness. Whether it’s Zumba, belly dance or just getting down at a wedding, dancing is a legitimate aerobic exercise that burns major calories. You’ll work muscles you didn’t know you had and get your blood flowing, while simultaneously reducing stress and improving your posture. Still on the fence? Consider this: 
  • A dance step counts toward your daily step count
  • Dancing is good for your heart
  • You could burn as many calories as popular forms of exercise, including swimming or riding a bicycle.
To get you started and to celebrate National Dance Day (the last Saturday in July), we've compiled some of our favorite articles and videos that showcase the benefits of adding dancing to your workout schedule. Put on some Britney, Beyoncé, a Bollywood beat, Blondie or whatever it is that gets you moving, and start dancing your way to a healthier you today.

The Most Fun You’ll Ever Have Burning Fat Before you get started, educate yourself on the many benefits of kicking up your dancing shoes. You might be surprised by how much your body appreciates a good dance party.
 
14-Minute Cardio Dance Workout If your only taste of Bollywood and Indian dance is the credits sequence of Slumdog Millionaire, you are truly missing out on a colorful and fun tradition. Familiarize yourself with the high-energy dance form with this intense—but so fun!—cardio workout.
 
16-Minute Bollywood Cardio Workout If every form of exercise was this much fun, we would have no problem working out every day! Work your hips, abs and more in this enjoyable workout led by fitness star Hemalayaa.
 
All About Zumba For many people, Zumba, the popular Latin-inspired exercise class, put dance fitness on the map. Your muscles aren’t the only thing that will be sore after hitting a Zumba class—chances are your cheeks will get a workout from smiling as you dance the hour away.
 
5 Dance Moves Anyone Can Do Even if you swear you’ve been cursed with two left feet, you’ll still be able to master these dance moves. Get an introduction to the vibrancy of Cuban Mambo as internationally acclaimed choreographer Kimberly Miguel Mullen leads you through five basic moves.
 
Proof You Can Be a Talented Dancer at Any Size If the thought of dancing makes you cringe with embarrassment, here’s a fun reminder that you don’t have to be a stick-thin principal ballet dancer to twirl your way around the dance floor.

Like us, our friends at Acacia are also dance fitness advocates and have the high-energy workouts to prove it. Check out some of their online exercise videos and DVDs for more dancing that will challenge your muscles and your stamina.
 
AcaciaTV Everyone can be a part of National Dance Day, right in their own living room, thanks to AcaciaTV’s large selection of dance workouts. For a fun sweat that will never be boring, check out the Dance and Be Fit series, which includes Latin-inspired moves, hip hop cardio and more.
 
Shazzy Fitness DVDs Inspirational music fuses with hip-hop beats in two new DVDs from Shazzy Fitness, A Time to Dance and In the Beginning. Led by professional dancers, including two former NBA Atlanta Hawks A-Town Dancers, the DVDs include multiple 10-minute workouts that allow you to mix and match each day. Stream the workouts at home for a family-friendly dance workout that will energize the body and elevate the spirit.
 
Suzanne Bowen Fitness Fitness and lifestyle expert Suzanne Bowen takes the ballet-inspired barre workout to the next level with her BarreAmped DVD series. Combining dance, Pilates, yoga and her own training methods, Suzanne’s unique style and challenging sequences offer a full-body workout for anyone, including pregnant moms. In addition to BarreAmped Sleek & Toned Prenatal Workout for pre- and post-natal fitness, dance fans can also purchase BarreAmped BOOT CAMP, the original BarreAmped, BarreAmped Cardio Fat Burn or stream workouts online.
 
Feeling ready to get down? Tell us: Which dance exercise do you love? Or, which ones would you like to try?

AcaciaTV is a leading subscription-based streaming fitness service easily accessible on a variety of platforms/devices. Members have complete access to more than 100 workouts in a diverse range of disciplines which they can stream anywhere at any time. AcaciaTV now features new themed 20-minute workouts each month from trainers Kristin McGee, Amanda Young, Deazie Gibson, Gerren Liles and Liz LeFrois. Consumers can visit Acacia TV at US.Acacia.TV and easily try out the service with its 10-day free trial. The channel is for all fitness levels, offering workouts from beginners through advanced. Subscription to the service includes access to AcaciaTV’s Facebook fitness community which offers additional support and a group forum for all members.SparkPeople members can receive 25% off any membership for a year with the code ACACIASPARK.