Is It Time to Give Jazzercise Another Shot?
Before There Was Zumba or SoulCycle There Was Jazzercise
Is it time to give this iconic workout another shot
J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post via Getty Images One of my most vivid memories of growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s involves an unwavering dedication to at-home workout videos. In the spare bedroom of our suburban home, I'd pop a tape in the VHS machine and do whatever my shiny tights-clad mentors Tamilee Webb, Denise Austin and, occasionally, Jane Fonda told me to do. Pelvic circles? Yes, ma'am. Grapevines? Done. Thighs squeezes? Yeah, baby. If the cassette cover showed a smiling woman with bangs and a terry cloth sweatband either a) playfully tearing a hole in her leotard, exposing her toned tummy or b) sitting on the floor with one or both of her legs pulled up mere inches from her face, I was in. As the years went on, I graduated from workout videos to , gym memberships and, later, boutique Bikram classes. Now, my COVID-19 exercise schedule hinges on an elliptical and some barbells in our basement, plus streaming yoga videos that help me feel, even if only for 60 minutes, like the world is not, in fact, imploding all around me. (I also get in about 3,000 steps a day by walking around my house collecting half-filled water bottles and empty nut bar wrappers.) So when an email appeared in my inbox reading, “Classic Workouts Making a Huge Comeback — ,” I was intrigued. It seems that not only is Jazzercise still a thing, it's a big thing at that. Since Judi Sheppard Missett founded Jazzercise in 1969, effectively spearheading the group aerobics movement, it has shoulder rolled and jazz-ball-changed itself into a global fitness empire, with nearly 9,000 franchises in 25 countries offering classes like Dance Mixx (40 minutes of high-intensity, dance-based cardio plus 20 minutes of strength training and stretching) and Flip Fusion (mainly intense strength work with cardio bursts sprinkled in). With most storefront businesses still closed, they're livestreaming . Jazzercise recognizes that some people think it went the way of the ThighMaster, Cabbage Patch Kids and Love's Baby Soft. (On their website, they write, “When you hear Jazzercise you think leg warmers and leotards, right? Or a workout for your Mom but not for you?") But when I had the chance to interview Jazzercise President (and daughter of the founder) Shanna Missett Nelson, I learned just how much the workout has evolved. Here's what Nelson, a 51-year-old mother of two with abs of steel and 10K followers , had to say about the at-home workout we Gen X women didn't realize we needed. Do you think that most people know that Jazzercise still exists
I think it's all across the board and it depends on what Jazzercise's presence is like in their community. I live in Southern California and we have two really big studios here with almost 50 instructors and women of all ages take classes. I can teach a class with women in their 20s and women in their 70s. But I also think there's a group of women who don't even know what it is, or who only know it as something their mom or grandmother did. I will say that since we've been on quarantine, there's been a resurgence of interest, especially because we have Jazzercise on Demand. People are finding us who haven't found us before, or they're finding us again. What is a typical class like
The essence of what we do is based in dance — we'll never stray from that. But the program has changed, because to be a successful company for 51 years, you need to change and adapt. Decades ago we integrated strength training, and now it's a fusion of kickboxing, Pilates and dance cardio. We've added in lots of core-based training, HIIT, mini resistance bands. The music is modern, whatever you'd hear on the radio: Beyoncé, Pitbull, J. Lo. One of my favorite parts of boutique exercise classes is taking them with girlfriends Is Jazzercise the same way — do friends tend to come together
Absolutely! We've been doing community since before community was a thing. Everyone wants to feel like they're part of a group, like they belong somewhere, and we create a space where [it doesn't] matter what your age is, or your fitness ability. You can be a 39-year-old new mom dancing next to a 65-year-old and have a great time and create this bond. In quarantine, people are creating those bonds digitally, taking local streaming classes through Facebook. Jazzercise is fun, and sometimes people think if it's fun, it isn't as effective. But it's both, and when it's fun, it becomes part of our routine, and you don't want to miss that workout because you don't want to miss time with your friends. Research shows that dance helps relieve stress What do you have to say about that
Dancing as exercise is definitely a stress reliever, and it's proven! It releases endorphins and stabilizes serotonin, your feel-good chemicals. We know that dancing also improves mood, elevates energy levels and keeps your heart healthy. Focusing on specific movements keeps the brain from wandering to less-uplifting thoughts. After a class, my cobwebs are cleared. I feel energetic, like I can take on whatever comes my way. Not only does exercise make you strong, but the mood boost can't be beat, especially during these tough times. What is your mom up to these days
She still teaches and does some choreography. She's a super agile 76 years old. My dad is a triathlete, 75, who competes internationally and always qualifies in his age group. I always say sweat is the fountain of youth. More Disrupt Aging
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