I Tried It: Cardio Line Dancing

If you’re anything like me, your favorite form of cardio involves a choreographed routine and a “five, six, seven, eight!” So I was looking forward to trying Cardio Line Dancing at The Sporting Club. Never mind that my knowledge of country music barely goes beyond “Cotton Eye Joe.”

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Our teacher, Justine Green, is a former member of the Detroit Dance Collective and one of the most popular instructors at The Sporting Club. Cardio Line Dancing is one of her babies.

The studio is a dream: three walls of mirrors, no pillars to run into, and so large that the people with two left feet don’t bump into you when they’re slow to change direction.

Going in, my impression of line dancing is grapevining, pivot-turning, and toe-heel-tapping. But this has skipping and hopping added in, to bring up your heart rate. In other words, both feet will be off the floor at the same time. Bigger strides, higher jumps.

Justine had loads of energy and style. There was the requisite heel-tapping and thigh-slapping, but also some turns and deep squats. And yes, there was “Cotton Eye Joe.”

On the sweat spectrum, it was more Jazzercise than Zumba, but once I get the hang of the steps, I’ll be able to increase intensity. Yee-haw!

I Tried It: Cardio Line Dancing

Photo by Robert Benson