Want to improve balance, aerobic fitness, or technique? Use this guide to find the right Equinox dance class for you and your goals.
Dance nourishes both body and mind.
It’s been shown to enhance balance and postural control, improve cardiovascular fitness, and relieve physical tension. Notably, dance appears to be a promising treatment for depression, with larger effects than other movement methods such as walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training, according to a meta-analysis of 218 studies published in BMJ.
To unlock those benefits, add one — or all — of the four dance formats available at Equinox to your schedule. Here’s how to choose the best dance workout for your goals
RELATED: Dance for Your Mental Health
Meet the Equinox Dance Workout Classes
Explore the four main dance formats on the Equinox Group Fitness class roster.
All classes are full-body workouts, and many are open to beginners and experienced dancers alike. If you’re unsure about the skill level required for a specific format (especially Studio Dance), chat with the instructor before class.
Cardio Dance
A nonstop dance workout combining a variety of styles, rhythmic moves, and easy-to-follow combinations. Increase cardio endurance as you let the rhythm be your guide.
Best For: Improving aerobic fitness, mobility, and body composition.
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous. Expect to sweat and elevate your heart rate.
Ballet by Equinox x ABT
Created in exclusive partnership with American Ballet Theatre, this class incorporates fundamentals of ballet with an exhilarating series of turns, jumps, combinations, and Thera-band sequences.
Best For: Improving balance and posture.
Intensity: Low to moderate. Greater focus on technique and choreography than cardio work.
Cardio Dance: Zumba®
A dance fitness program with Latin, International, and popular music. Learn easy-to-follow routines and improve cardiovascular fitness.
Best For: Improving aerobic fitness and mobility.
Intensity: Moderate to vigorous. Expect to sweat and elevate your heart rate.
Studio Dance
Equinox Studio Dance puts the spotlight on choreography. Structured yet expressive, each class is built around a specific sequence of movement that members learn and develop throughout the experience. Instructors bring a wide range of styles and influences — from jazz and hip-hop to contemporary and beyond — along with their own distinct creative perspective. Expect a different dance style and instructor approach at each Club.
Best For: Improving dance technique.
Intensity: Varies — dependent on instructor and dance style.
The Best Dance Workout Class for Your Goals
Dance on its own won’t build strength (you’ll need a progressive resistance training program for that), but it will get all of your muscles moving while challenging balance and coordination.
Certain formats may be better suited to your specific goals, too.
Your Goal: Train Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Equinox’s Cardio Dance or Cardio Dance: Zumba® will get your heart racing. Both of the formats keep you moving quickly and continuously, with only momentary breaks between tracks. In turn, your heart and breathing rate remain elevated, sending oxygen-rich blood to your working muscles. The result: improved respiratory function and aerobic capacity.
The main difference between the classes is the music selection and style of movements. Opt for classic Cardio Dance to move to a variety of genres; choose the Zumba® option to dance primarily to Latin tracks.
Your Goal: Improve Balance and Posture
Practicing leaps and turns in Ballet by Equinox x ABT can help you become more stable and grounded outside of the Club.
Ballet dancers have been shown to have increased proprioceptive sensitivity, meaning they have a better sense of where their body is in space and how it’s moving. Proprioception is key to regulating balance and being able to move precisely. Research backs up this connection: Classical ballet training has been found to enhance balance in both beginner dancers and older adults. In fact, a long-term ballet practice could help prevent falls in elderly people.
Bonus: The dance format may improve posture and muscular coordination over time.
Your Goal: Change Body Composition
Dance as a whole has been found to improve body composition — specifically, reduce body fat percentage and mass — in people with overweight and obesity.
Cardio Dance offerings may be particularly effective. Research suggests that a regular Zumba® routine can significantly improve body composition. Interested in burning calories? In some aerobic dance classes, participants expend nearly 400 calories, on average, in a 55-minute session. (Note: Weight loss is not as simple as “calories in versus calories out.” Genetics, insulin sensitivity, hormonal responses, metabolism, lifestyle, and environment all play a role.)
Your Goal: Become a Better Dancer
Your Club’s Studio Dance offerings will help you become a better dancer. Led by expert instructors, many of whom have been professional dancers, Studio Dance classes allow you to fine-tune your technique, whether you enjoy Latin ballroom or jazz funk styles. Instructors often repeat the same choreography in multiple classes, giving you time to master the movements and then add your own flair. Note: Each Studio Dance class has a different recommended skill level, so check with the instructor before signing up.
Your Goal: Enhance Mobility
Any dance class that allows you to move your joints through their full range of motion will support mobility. Still, Cardio Dance and Cardio Dance: Zumba® are great classes to start with.
You’ll move your body in multiple planes of motion — twisting, moving from side to side, stepping forward and backward — while performing Zumba®’s merengue, salsa, bachata, and hip-hop choreography. Over time, you might be able to rotate through your thoracic spine farther or reach your arms a little higher toward the ceiling.
The same goes for the classic Cardio Dance class. The kicks, cross-body punches, and overhead reaches all translate to improved mobility over time.
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How to Choose a Dance Workout When You Have More Than 1 Goal
You don’t have to settle on just one dance workout. Many formats offer the same benefits — balance, coordination, and cardiorespiratory conditioning, for instance — so they easily complement one another.
Choose one class as your “anchor” format, and schedule one to two workouts in that category each week. Then, spice up your routine with the format that satisfies your other goal. For example: You might do two Cardio Dance classes each week if your main goal is to improve endurance, then one Studio Dance class to help you fulfill your dream of becoming a more technical dancer.
Regularly check in with yourself: Have your goals changed? Are you enjoying the classes you’re taking and their frequency? Adjust your schedule and class format as needed.
Can You Take a Dance Workout Class as a Beginner?
Many Equinox dance classes are open to all skill levels, including people with zero experience. Cardio Dance and Cardio Dance: Zumba® are the most beginner-friendly formats due to their repetition and easy-to-follow combos, and some Studio Dance classes welcome participants of any background.
Chat with the instructor about your experience level before class begins and consider a spot at the front of the room, where you’ll be able to see yourself well in the mirror. Make the workout a priority in your routine; the more often you take class and repeat the choreography, the more you’ll remember the moves.
FAQs
Can I switch dance formats every week, or should I stick with one?
It depends on your goals. If you’re simply looking to move your body, there’s no harm in changing up your dance format weekly. However, if you are hoping to excel in one specific style of dance, whether that’s ballet or a Studio Dance jazz format, make it a priority in your routine. That way, you’ll sharpen your technique more quickly than if you were to switch it up. Practice makes progress.
Do I need special shoes for dance-based classes?
No special shoes required. Generally, wear a cross-training sneaker with some ankle support for lateral movement, a grippy sole that allows you to pivot, and enough cushioning to absorb impact. Avoid running shoes with ultra-squishy soles, which will make you unstable as you turn and shuffle.
In Ballet by Equinox x ABT, you’ll take off your shoes and wear grippy socks throughout class for a more ballet-like experience.
Will dance cardio replace my running or cycling training?
Again, it depends. If you are training for an event, like a 5K, half marathon, or triathlon, dance is not a good replacement for running or cycling. Your training should be specific to your goal.
However, dance cardio can fill in for (or complement) running or cycling if you’re hoping to improve your cardiorespiratory fitness or meet your weekly aerobic activity goals. Dancing has been shown to expend enough energy to “count” toward the aerobic activity recommendations set in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, each week).
How many dance classes a week are enough to see a change?
It doesn’t take long to reap the benefits of dance. In one small study, doing three 60-minute aerobic dance sessions a week for six weeks was enough to enhance cardiovascular fitness.
Similarly, doing hour-long Zumba® sessions three times a week for eight weeks was shown to significantly improve respiratory function and body composition in a study involving inactive women.
Is cardio dance safe if I have knee or joint issues?
Yes, cardio dance can be safe if you have joint issues. Lateral jumps can be scaled back to small steps. Stomps can be modified to toe taps. Always speak to the instructor about your concerns before class and ask for low-impact modifications.
Ready to incorporate dance workouts into your fitness routine? Book an in-person dance class at your Equinox Club.