8 Dance-Inspired Workouts That Don’t Even Feel Like Exercise
Updated: Jul. 29, 2022
Why spend your time doing something you hate when you can exercise and have fun at the same time?
Break a sweat and bust a move
Don’t force yourself to do a workout you hate. It’s much more productive to opt for something you enjoy that also moves your body—and dancing is one of the best workouts for people who hate exercise. Don’t worry, you won’t even need to leave the comfort of your home for any of the following dance workouts.
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Just Dance
If you like the idea of working out with other people, you’ll enjoy Just Dance Now, the app-version of the popular video game Just Dance. In this version, you use your smartphone as a controller, and with Wifi, you connect the app to a device (an Apple TV or an iPad) to use as your screen for an upbeat dance workout. This app includes over 200 modern-day hits with moves to dance along to, and any number of players can join in to dance at the same time. The app is free, but you have to make in-app purchases to get the full experience and access to all the songs. Don’t know how to get started? Here are 11 tricks to get you off the sofa and moving.
Pocket Salsa
If you want to get your hips moving to Latin-inspired beats, download Pocket Salsa ASAP. You can practice finding your rhythm with tracks meant to help you find the beat or watch salsa videos for a little inspiration to get your feet stepping and hips swinging. For $9.99 on iOS and $4.99 on Google Play, you get more than 120 video dance lessons so you feel confident and ready to take on your next Salsa night. Dancing is one activity that finally made this woman love exercise.
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iDance
If you want to really improve your dance moves and get more intricate instructions, you’ll want to try out iDance, an iPhone and iPad app that helps work your body using routines that range from in style, from Club Freestyle and Disco to Burlesque and Hip Hop and even to Swing. Although the app costs $3.99 to download, you’ll get your money’s worth. iDance comes with 225 individual dance animations with detailed instructions on footwork as well as 40 preset classes that combined these movement patterns into full dance routines. You can also use the steps from the app to create your own sequences and save them for later.
Barre3
Ballet-inspired barre classes are popular with those looking to strengthen their core. But if you can’t make it to a studio, you can join Barre3 online and work out from the comfort of your own home. This full-body dance workout incorporates low-impact movements designed to build strength and tone your muscles, increase your flexibility, and improve your posture. An online subscription costs $29 a month and comes with access to a video library with more than 500 workouts, including new 30-minute workouts released weekly, and on-demand instructor advice.
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TAPfit
This combination of tap-dancing, cardio, resistance training, and body sculpting is meant to work out those abs. The TAPfit dance workouts are 20- to 30-minutes long, and they include styles such as Street, Funk, Broadway, Latin, and more. With a $147 purchase, you receive six workout DVDs, patented tap attachments, a workout floor, workout guides, and online access to training videos and support. In addition to ditching breaking a sweat and strengthening the body, TAPfit has a unique twist: It is designed to work your brain, using aerobic exercise and complex activity to keep your mind sharp. Find out exactly how exercise makes your brain healthier.
Bombay Jam
Inspired by Bollywood music and Top 40 tracks, Bombay Jam offers a total-body dance workout that incorporates both cardio and a toning segment—they even claim you can burn up to 800 calories doing an hour-long class. In addition to free short YouTube video routines, Bombay Jam also offers a DVD for $19.99, which includes one-hour workouts set to top hits from Bollywood movies. The custom music mixes are created by Bombay’s top DJs, so you know the dances are going to be high-energy.
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Dance Party
If your idea of a fun time dancing involves battling with your friends, then you’ll want to download Dance Party onto your iPhone. You will need an Apple TV or computer to connect to, but with a screen, and your phone as the controller, you can have a dance off with your friends or choose to play in single-player mode. To do the workout, you mimic the moves on the screen, and you’ll be surprised to find how quickly you break into a sweat. The app is free, and up to 4 iOS devices can connect at a time, which means you can have a fun night with your friends or family while burning calories at the same time. Want to shed even more pounds? These are the workouts that burn the most calories.
Buti Yoga
Yoga and dancing seem like two totally separate activities, but Buti Yoga manages to seamlessly combine both. A mix of power yoga and intensive tribal dance, these innovative dance workouts—designed specifically for females—are meant to sculpt and tone your muscles. An online subscription to Buti Yoga is $40, and it comes with more than 250 full-length workouts, live classes from instructors around the world, and new workouts added each week. Standard yoga poses are included, but Buti Yoga attempts to break free from the traditional asanas and includes squatting, bouncing, hip rotations and more, all set to tribal dance music.
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