So You Think You Can Dance?

Dance cardio is making a coordinated resurgence on New York City’s fitness scene. In the past year, four new highly regarded studios have opened. Purported fitness deity, Tracy Anderson, has made a home in Tribeca, and her former disciples Simone De La Rue and Anna Kaiser have opened Body by Simone and AKT, respectively. The latter counts Kelly Ripa and Shakira as clients. Justin Gelband’s ModelFIT — whose studio claims responsbility for several Victoria’s Secret Angel bodies — has added a dance cardio class to its programming.

Because I once memorized a dance sequence from Honey and can practice The Worm, I decided to investigate, starting with Tracy Anderson. But a customer service rep revealed that the classes were for members only. How does one join the movement? A $1,500 initiation fee followed by a monthly $900. That conversation ended as it began.

So I took my talent elsewhere — to ModelFIT, AKT and KP Dance Fitness. And you better believe I put my best foot — and pun — forward.

ModelFIT Dance Cardio 

212 Bowery, 2nd fl, New York, NY 

The sun-soaked space was almost enough to make me forget I had to climb two very steep flights of stairs into Terry Richardson’s former studio before the supposed cardio even started. According to ModelFIT’s website, T Magazine dubbed Gelband “The Model Whisperer,” and so I assumed it was all part of the process.

The class was taught by Javier Perez, a kind and patient man who is not at fault for my inability to distinguish between right and left. Leandra and I were the only two in the class, which was fortunate, because the routine involved a lot of spinning with your arms in the air and consequently, banging heads with neighbors. The class is split between a dance cardio routine involving grapevines, hip thrusts, jumping jacks and a 15 minute mat segment aimed at targeting smaller muscles in slow increments.

By the end of the 50-minute class, I was not entirely exhausted nor was I sweating like a peach in the sun. I did however, feel some slight soreness in my glutes the next morning.

KP Dance Body 

380 Broadway, 5th fl, New York, NY 

WHAT IS WITH THE STAIRS, MAN.

Katia Pryce is a former dancer and Tracy Anderson trainee, but her patience knows no bounds. Her method is a combination of athletic movements like planks, lunges, push-ups, light weight training and rudimentary dance moves which, incidentally, involve a lot of grapevines. Leandra commented that she “never felt so white” and Amelia hoped for a more crunk-hip-hop focused routine. I agreed with them both.

By the end of the 60-minute session, I felt sweaty, slightly dizzy, and a little worse for wear, which I suspect is how one should feel after an effective workout.

AKT in Motion 

244 E 84th st, 4th fl, New York, NY

I visited AKT’s Soho pop-up location for their signature Happy Hour class. The session was taught by Ioana Alfonso, who has a body like chiseled steel and enough pep in her step to excite a nesting sea turtle. The class, like the others, involved spinning, jumping and side-stepping. At first you may feel clumsy, but the routine is repeated throughout the class so eventually, you get the swing of it. (Get it?)

This class was the toughest of all three. The arm sequence was ten minutes of grueling bicep and tricep curls using a band and a pair of light weights. Alfonso’s enthusiasm was admirable, but I was too busy protecting my face from my neighbor’s flailing arm to fully engage.

And I suppose that’s the rule — not the exception — of dance cardio class. If you enjoy watching yourself in a full length mirror trip over your own two feet while simultaneously trying to keep the beat, then dance cardio is for you. Go crazy, unearth your mother’s old leg warmers, channel your inner 80’s Fonda and let go. If you don’t, should we talk about Pilates?