Fit: Jazz Up Your Bod

ALTHOUGH AEROBIC DANCE may not boast its former cachet, a lot of ladies (and even some gentlemen) still prefer to get their sweat on by chasse-ing. Last year was the most profitable yet for the exercise program since dance teacher Judi Sheppard Missett tweaked her moves into a workout in 1969. There are now 6,800 instructors around the world teaching 30,000 classes per week.

That includes the gang at the Arlington Jazzercise Center (200 N. Glebe Road; 703-671-2055; Arlingtonjazz.com), which opened in November 2004 after years of operating out of church social halls. The main appeal to students like 31-year-old Lori Crandall, who came to her first class five months ago, is what made Jazzercise a hit in the first place: "I didn't want to join a gym. I wanted something like dance that has a little bit of gym in it, too."

In each hour-long session, an instructor leads the class in a slew of quickie dance routines. As each song starts, they learn a few simple steps, then repeat them to the beat to get heart rates racing.

Instructor Renee McDonald likens the flow of the class to a hill. "We'll stretch out the muscles for the warm-up, and by the third or fourth song, we're kicking," she says. If a student doesn't like a particular routine, it's over soon enough.

On the way back down to Earth, they tend to work on strengthening moves.

The formula has worked wonders for decades, but its longevity may also be due to how it's kept up with the times. Marcy McGinty, a six-year veteran of the program, can vouch for its modernity. "We don't have leg warmers," she notes. (The Jazzertogs fall 2007 catalog, available at Jazzertogs.com, backs up this assertion.) The only retro part? "I'm 38, but I look 28 because of Jazzercise," she says.

May Lee Eckley, 56, who's been Jazzercising for 15 years, appreciates that she's seen additions like bits from Pilates. "It's definitely harder now than when I started," she says. "There are more ways to work your muscles."

The program never forgets about strength training, often requiring weights, bands or balls for the end of class. And students such as 53-year-old Antoinette Allen acquire bulges they've never seen before. "I showed my husband my arm muscle last night, and he said, 'Where did you get that?'" she laughs. Just as core work has become all the rage in the fitness world, it's become a pillar here as well.

Jazzercise also tries to stay current by using recent Top-40 hits, like "Don't Cha," by the Pussycat Dolls, even though it appears that isn't the stuff to which many of the students usually listen. "Don't be rocking out like you're at a Yanni concert. Rock out like you're at ..." McDonald said last Tuesday, waiting for the class to fill in the blank. "Tony Bennett," one woman yelled back. That didn't stop them from shaking it like crazy, though.

To studio owner Jennifer Gilkey, the most important element of the classes is that they're welcoming and accessible to everyone. "So long as you can lift your feet, you can Jazzercise," she says. And it seems people will be doing it for decades to come.

» LET'S GET STARTED: A day pass at the Arlington Jazzercise Center is $10, but there are a variety of multi-class options available. The Easy Fitness Ticket is $39 for unlimited classes for the month. There are 32 classes per week, including traditional Jazzercise, Jazzercise Step and Jazzercise Personal Touch (small-group training with a focus on body sculpting that’s available for an additional fee).

Photo by Marge Ely/Express