It's tempting to stand around with friends at a dance, sipping your drink and chatting, but you could be burning calories and having fun doing it. Don't worry about getting sweaty or dirtying your clothes. Exercise is all about getting your heart rate up and staying in motion. A dance is the perfect place to get in a workout and feel even better at the end of the night.
Party Games
Keep the music going while you and some friends get some exercise. Divide your friends into two teams and have a nonplayer make a list of items each team has to find at the dance. You'll burn calories running around looking for each item. Or make a dance obstacle course and compete with your friends. Set up regular intervals on the dance floor and have volunteers stand at each. At every obstacle, players have to do a certain kind of dance with the volunteer for a set length of time; for example, waltz or do the jitterbug for 10 seconds.
Constant Motion
Avoid standing around. Every bit of motion counts and burns calories, so keep moving. Get a friend and walk around the perimeter of the dance floor. Volunteer to assist with setup or bring refreshments in and out of the kitchen. If you stop to talk with someone, tone your calves: Use the balls of your feet to press your body upward. Tighten your calves and hold for five seconds, then release and repeat. Accept every offer to dance. You don't have to be a good dancer. Just moving to the music counts as exercise.
Competitions
Organize and participate in a dance-off during the dance. Incorporate different styles of dancing, such as hip-hop and swing. You can even re-create the hand-jive dance-off in the film "Grease" if your dance is themed. Or have a group dance competition. Have small groups sign up and create their own dance to their own music. Join a team and work hard. A private competition is another option. Challenge your friends to see who can dance with the most partners in an hour. The more you dance, the more calories you'll burn.
Aerobic Dance
You can use many trendy aerobic dance moves on the dance floor. If you like pole dancing, wait for sensual music to play and create your own impromptu dance routine. If you're into high-impact aerobics, incorporate side lunges and small kicks into your dancing. Or slow it down and inject some Capoeira-style moves. These moves can help you tone muscle, ease muscle tension and relieve stress, all while you enjoy your night out.
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