Have you ever watched street dancers, whirling, spinning, jumping, and swaying? Next time you see some downtown or on television, notice how they are sweating. Notice also that they seem to be having such a great time that they don’t realize that they are exercising. How long has it been since you’ve looked forward to exercising simply for fun? Ever? Perhaps the street dancers are onto something. Maybe you should be dancing at the gym.

People dance for fun. It’s great to feel a rhythm, move to a beat, and become absorbed in the physical interpretation of good piece of music. It doesn’t sound like exercise, but it is becoming most popular with fitness experts. It’s a great way to lose weight and keep in shape while having fun. The following dances are a few of the most popular in fitness circles.

Aerobic Dance: These dances will get your cardio-vascular system in peak running shape. Often used with an aerobic step box, you work your legs, derriere, and heart by performing vigorous aerobics routines. This dance exercise takes on a more fluid pace when Latin rhythms like the Cumbia are used. Step aerobics is demanding, but when choreographed as a group dance, it can be fun.

Zumba: This dance in a popular mix of Latin styles such as salsa and meringue. Dancing to these pulse-rate beats can turn an exercise session into an exciting experience. With all of the twisting, twirling, and kicking involved, calories rapidly burn off and fat melts away.

Ballroom Dance: Ballroom dancing is no longer the slow, tedious minuet style formality of the last two centuries. Newer dance styles are replete with deep swaying, rapid spins, exciting throws, and challenging dips. It’s great for both aerobic training and honing muscle tone. Have you ever seen an out of shape professional dancer?

Couples Dancing: This provides a great opportunity for couples to get in shape, stay in shape, and solidify their relationship. You not only get to participate in an excellent form of exercise, you learn hoofer skills that you can show off with at the next class reunion or wedding. You can try fox trots, waltzes, ballroom style, or freestyle. Convince some of your friends to go with you. You’ll enjoy yourself, improve your social life, and exercise effortlessly.

Hip Hop: This form of dancing is arguably one of the most physically demanding. If you’ve watch young girls hip-hop dancing on stage or on television, you’ll understand the body tone needed to maintain balance and grace during some of the hip‑hop moves. Practice this form of dancing for a time, and you’ll be in super shape.

Dancing is an excellent exercise It works. The greatest advantage to dancing your way to fitness is you’ll have fun doing it. You won’t think of it as exercise. You’ll use muscles you never knew you had, you’ll impress the opposite sex at parties, and you’ll end up in great shape.