J'AIME JANUARY 2019

H E A LT H
Pure dance addiction
IF YOUR AIM FOR THE NEW YEAR IS TO GET FIT, HAVE FUN AND LEARN SOMETHING
NEW, IT COULD BE AS EASY AS 5, 6, 7, 8, AS AMY NORBURY DISCOVERS
PHOTO BY TEL JENKINS
As a nation we’ve been gripped with Strictly fever;
the feel-good ballroom bonanza has resoundly
trumped its noisy X Factor rival in the ratings war to
waltz off with the Saturday night telly crown.
And it seems that watching our favourite celebrities
and dance pros twirl their way around the floor is
inspiring more and more of us to give dance a try for
ourselves.
The good news is that, according to myriad studies
on the effects and benefits of dancing on your overall
health, it seems that hitting the dance floor for a
shimmy or two is one of the most effective forms of
exercise for mind, body and soul.
Whether you like to jump or jive, tap or tango, shake
your hips or your booty, dancing is one of the most
enjoyable ways to get moving.
The NHS says that regular dancing is great for
losing weight, maintaining strong bones, improving
posture and muscle strength, increasing balance and
coordination and beating stress.
But where do you start?
Ceroc Addiction runs Ceroc partner dance classes
around the Midlands and North West. Helmed by
Maja Kocanova and her dedicated team of talented
teachers and crew volunteers, Ceroc Addiction have
hundreds of dancers coming through the doors each
week. With a new class night starting at Brownhills
Memorial Hall this month, it’s the perfect chance to
grab your dance shoes, put your best foot forward
and shake your groove thing on the dance floor.
Ceroc is another name for modern jive, one of the
simplest forms of partner dance to learn. A fusion of
a wide range of different dance styles, it is sociable
and fun, and can be danced to any music with a
regular beat from the latest chart hits to golden
oldies. With very little footwork involved, you’ll be
spinning and turning with ease after your very first
half-hour beginners class.
I was first introduced to Ceroc some three years ago
by a friend. A huge Strictly fan, I’d always fancied
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