Equipment-Free Dance Workout
The Equipment-Free Dance Workout You'll Want to Do Again and Again
Let's be real: these days, accomplishment looks a little less like tackling that long list of chores and more like learning a dance routine from start to finish. We blame TikTok! Whether you need a mood boost, want to show off your new skills on social, or simply want to get moving, a dance routine is one of the easiest ways to have fun and feel that cardio burn at home.
To help get us into a groove, we tapped Sammi Lee Jayne, a professional dancer with a background in hip hop and commercial styles, to teach a quick and easy dance routine you can do right in your living room, no matter your age or physical abilities. "I find dance to be a great form of exercise that not only releases endorphins to make you feel good, but also is a source of creativity, escapism, emotional and physical release, and most importantly, fun! This routine is simple with repetitions in the movements so you can pick up the choreography and feel comfortable getting that emotional and physical release."
And, if you happen to be on your period, Sammi actually loves dancing as a way to shake off those period feels. "We all get those dips in energy during our period, but dancing is a great way to boost your mood and make you feel good," she said. Plus, with the right products, like Tampax Pearl Compak tampons, which contain MotionFit protection so the tampon gently expands to fit your body, you can do everything and feel nothing.
Just follow the steps in the video tutorials ahead to learn the full routine!
If you're familiar with dance, you'll know that most routines revolve around counts of eight (and if not, you'll get the hang of it in no time). Here, Sammi eases us into the first three counts of eight with simple, repetitive moves.
"I started the choreography off slowly with easy grooves that work the hips to get into the swing of it," she said. "Then I introduced a couple of moves where you touch your shoulders and hips to help feel more comfortable with moving your body. There are also a few moves which I threw in for fun, such as 'the shimmy' and [the] grapevine-style move."
Now that you've learned the first part, let's move on to the second part with three more counts of eight.
"This section is a bit more free and loose, as hopefully everyone is now in the dancing mood and can really let go and make it their own! There are also some low-impact side-to-side jumps and steps that I added in here to get the endorphins going as you're dancing along."
Put those six counts of eight together and you've got a full routine! As you become more familiar with the moves, don't be afraid to put your personality into it.