Shake Your Booty And Get Fit

We all spend a lot of time in sedentary jobs, tapping away at computers and working at desks. Our social lives also often involve a lot of sitting around too. So much so that it can become a bad habit to roll from an inactive job to an inactive nightlife. Wouldn't it help if we could just start moving a little more? How easy would it be to get the heart beating a little faster? Imagine yourself in one of the South American countries where heat and passion are part of every day life. Surrounded by color and vibrancy it's a natural state that makes you want to move and celebrate life. In some places it's even like an antidote to the drabness of a dusty desert and the sun bleached buildings. The music and the surroundings all help to create an irresistible compulsion to get up and take part. When we think of dancing in a formal context, like ballroom, then we often think of dancing with someone. That doesn't have to be the case at all. Particularly when you find a dance like Samba that lets you engage with the music any way you want. In its solo form its usually impromptu and it's guaranteed to be a whole lot of fun.

If you've ever seen Strictly Come Dancing then you'll be aware of the overwhelming variety of dances out there. Some are more suited to shaking your booty than others and some are easier to pick up than others. Salsa will give you a great workout if you're in to partner dancing but I have to tell you it's not actually Brazilian and whilst your hips will go crazy you'll have your work cut out shaking your booty. Lambada is another great active dance and this one is from Brazil. If you want to dance with a partner then it's a great dance to do but it's certainly not easy to learn. When it comes to shaking your booty and dancing alone then Samba is really the only dance in the competition. The music will make you come alive and there are moves that will make your pulse race - and probably anyone who is watching! Forget those old disco moves you used to do... You'll be on fire!

If you watched the video you'll have a pretty good idea of what's possible with Samba. It's not only your booty that does the shaking but the hips get going too. It takes loads of energy to do this dance but there are ways of learning. All you need is a small space and a mirror to check yourself out. A massive part of the dance is the music and carnival atmosphere. Just moving as if you're there in Rio will give you a taste of the joy anyone can experience through dance. Although it seems like a lot of women are featured in footage of the dance, it's actually a pretty common thing that most dance classes struggle to get men. There are a few videos on YouTube and in this one you get a real feel for the atmosphere and get to see some guys strutting their stuff too! This is high octane dancing...

If this has fired your enthusiasm for Brazilian dance of any sort then that's great. I got inspired enough to travel to Buenos Aires in 2010 and there I spent a glorious five weeks dancing Tango. The bits I love the most, however, were the changeover songs that were usually fast jive songs that I could really show off to. Perhaps you're like me and the prospect of getting out onto the dance floor only appeals once you're sure about what you're doing. In that case there are things you can do, especially if you're nervous about shaking your booty in public. How about learning at home with a video? All you need is a small room and a long mirror to check your progress. At Losing Weight by Dancing Theresa Stevens will guide you through the process. Before you buy anything you can sign up to an email newsletter and even get hints and tips on making feeling good with dance a habit. Above all just get out there and be proud of how you move. It doesn't matter if you do it at home alone or out at a party - it's how it makes you feel that's important. And, anyway, if the others aren't doing it then they're probably just jealous anyway! Have fun and enjoy it.