by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

Salsa Dance classes are very popular in India these days and at least three of my close friends have been taking Salsa dance lessons and are enjoying them too. Their dance class is something that they look forward to as great and fun workout, a stress buster and just some place to meet interesting and likeminded people. Good for them!

If one did a poll, one would find that while not everyone would enjoy a grueling, repetitive exercise session, nearly everyone would enjoy dancing. Latin dances like the Salsa are becoming hugely popular and so is something called cardio salsa, which makes an already fast and vigorous dance into a proper work out, making Salsa cross over from the night clubs to the health clubs!

This NY Times article talks about video games that involve dancing which are being used by schools for physical education classes. This is a video game with a difference; it’s called Dance Dance Revolution, involves a lot of dancing and is as good a workout as it is popular with the kids who find this a great activity for PR class.

Something that is gaining popularity even among the not so young is Zumba, a fitness program inspired by Latin dance, which combines Latin rhythms with cardiovascular exercise to create an aerobic routine that is fun and easy to follow. The name Zumba is derived from a Colombian word meaning to move fast and have fun. More than 3 million DVDs have been sold in over 30 countries. According to the Zumba website, the routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you’ve got ZUMBA!

Other even more interesting dance workouts are the erotic workouts that are more suited to the privacy of the home which can be performed with or for that special someone: Pole dancing and lap dancing can be very good workouts too. Pole dancing develops good upper body and core strength; one arm is supporting most of your weight as you try to propel yourself into a move or two. This can be quite a good aerobic workout, what with all that swinging off the pole! For a hint of what a good workout a lap dance can be, look here.

Dancing can be a great way to keep fit and stay young both mentally and physically!