Dancercise your way to fitness

ABU DHABI: If common exercises bore the wits out of you, here is a fun alternative. Universal Hospital, located on Old Airport Road Abu Dhabi, has introduced an eclectic combination of dances from around the world to help women beat the monotony of a workout regime.

Called Dancercise, the workshops feature popular dance forms like the Colombian Zumba, Indian Bhangda and Arabic belly dance. The one-hour sessions are held three days a week.

“Dancercise combines the benefits of exercise with the thrill of dancing,” said Dr Jipna Jaleel, head of business development and corporate health service at the hospital.

Multiple benefits

Experts in each dance form have been roped in to conduct the classes. Those attending the sessions can also consult a dietician and get a general health check-up.

Dr Jaleel said her choice of dance forms was determined by their fitness quotient. “Just an hour of Zumba can help burn 600 to 1,000 calories. It targets a lot of muscle groups at once for total body toning. It also boosts heart health. Similarly, Bhangda serves as an aerobic workout and is good for cardiovascular health and weight loss. It also helps avoid chronic ailments like hypertension and stroke.”

The benefits of belly dancing are plenty. “The graceful hip drops, rolls and pivots utilise muscle groups in the abdomen, pelvis, spine and neck,” said Dr Jaleel. Dr Shabeer Nellikode, founder and managing director of Universal Hospital, said, “Connecting people to dance helps them attain high self-esteem, self-confidence and develop a positive outlook towards life.”

Each session costs Dh35. The monthly package comes for Dh250.

Age: 13 onwards (women only)

Fee: Dh35 per session or Dh250 per month

YOUSPEAK

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