#WhyNotWednesday: National Women’s Health and Fitness Day
September 30, 2015

Why walk when you can Prancercise?

For this week’s version of #WhyNotWednesday, we’re celebrating National Women’s Health and Fitness Day. (Did you know that’s today? I, for one, did not. Google helps those who help themselves.) Let’s take a quick video tour of dance-related fitness—because we all know dance is mega-athletic, don’t we?

First, a flashback to Misty Copeland’s awesomely inspiring ad (“I WILL WHAT I WANT”) for Under Armour. Today might be #nationalwomenshealthandfitness day, but I’m calling 2015 The Year of Misty Copeland.

We definitely can’t forget Prancercise, a “springy, rhythmic way of moving forward, similar to a horse’s gait and…ideally induced by elation.” As dance teachers, you’ll definitely be able to get the mechanics of Prancercise down in three shakes of a (prancing) lamb’s tail. Plus, you will definitely be ogled by your neighbors.

Okay, admit it. You spend way longer than you should in your dance clothes. We all understand—sometimes it’s easier to keep the studio gear on than it is to take it off and change outfits. These ladies (members of the Australian comedy troupe Skit Box) have a slightly different problem—they wear their activewear to do everything but exercise.

Alright, enough silly stuff. Know someone who’s skeptical about just how athletic dance is? Show him or her this video, of the 2015 Batsheva Ensemble performing artistic director Ohad Naharin’s Decadance. I saw this show last night at The Joyce Theater in New York City and was blown away by the skill, endurance and total fierceness of every woman (and man) onstage.

 

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