Who said workouts have to be boring? Wellness enthusiasts are now switching and mixing up their routines to include activities they love. So music or movement lovers can now give their calories the treat they truly deserve with dance fitness.
Fitness is a very important aspect of life for Anthea Gardner, who combines dancing with going to the gym at least three times per week.
“I try to be consistent because maintaining a healthy lifestyle reaps so many benefits, for instance, an improved mood, better overall health and well-being,” she told Living.
UNIQUE VIBE
Dancing since she was a toddler, she spent her formative years gathering cousins to choreograph dance performances, much to the merriment of the parents. She carried that energy through each stage of her academics, all the way to university.
After developing her own fitness routine of working up a sweat via YouTube videos and attending dance-inspired classes, the thought crossed her mind of bringing her unique vibe to classes as the teacher.
Seeing the life-changing impact it had on her own life also swayed her decision in this enlightening direction, especially since reaching and maintaining her weight goals following the birth of her little princess, Gardner was excited to impart that wisdom and passion to others.
When asked how dance fitness compares to gym, the creator, instructor and creative director of Bruk Weh Dance Fitness explained the fun factor and cardio booster definitely stood out as positives. “With dance fitness, it’s more of a full body workout versus focusing on certain areas each session at the gym,” she said, adding that dance fitness not only burns fat but builds stamina as well.
Gym, on the other hand, remains in the physical and mental realm, while dance fitness explores the physical, emotional, mental and creative elements, easing stress and giving an enjoyable experience, as opposed to delivering difficult tasks. “I wanted to create a space where persons can freely come and express themselves with no judgement, only encouragement. I know persons tend to be shy, especially if they aren’t seasoned dancers, so I went along with ‘bruk weh’ just to make it known that it’s fine to come in and just let go, express yourself and ‘hold a vibes’. I always tell participants it doesn’t matter if you think you’re wrong, just be wrong and strong,” she shared.
BRUK WEH
An added motivator came when Gardner posted a video on TikTok of herself in a dance competition she entered at the RIU Hotel Montego Bay. ‘Bruk weh’ on full and fabulous display, the video garnered over 600,00 views on the social media platform. Many followers and fans asked if she could teach them to dance like her, so she followed through in the request.
Since then, students have loved the energy, the laughter and excitement of each class, and they feel accomplished when they nail a dance routine. And with genres like soca, dancehall, hip hop, R&B and Afrobeats, what’s not to love?
“Being able to expose persons to dance fitness and knowing the positive impact that it has on their emotional, social, physical, and mental well-being is just mind-blowing to me. Pushing and encouraging them the entire time, you’d be surprised how just being able to successfully learn some new steps can work wonders for a person’s confidence.”
Teaching twice a week, she has her plate full working with her family business while raising a toddler who is currently in the ‘terrible twos’ stage. Her aim is to share her combined love for dance and fitness with the world while motivating persons to adapt and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Instagram: @brukwehdancefitness for more information
