(Published in the Observer on Sunday, 10 June, 2012)
http://www.compasscayman.com/observer/2012/06/10/Chairlesque-offers-a-flirty-way-to-get-fit/
Inspired by the popular Christina Aguilera movie Burlesque, Quinn McCrimmon, a professional dancer and fitness coach, has bought the art of chairlesque to Cayman.
This innovate fitness craze combines authentic burlesque dancing with a thoroughly modern twist for an energetic all over body workout.
Chairlesque essentially converts a simple chair into a workout tool, with class members learning a burlesque inspired dance with the chair as a prop.
Quinn, who originally hails from Canada, has been dancing since the tender age of three. She said that not only is chairlesque a great way to lose weight, but it’s also a fun way to introduce dance into a fitness routine. “I like to use my dance background to give people a fun and simple workout. Chairlesque is all about feeling sexy and flirty, while exercising too.”
The one-hour classes are held at the Life Extensions studio in the Park Plaza on Seven Mile Beach and all start out with gentle warm up exercises and stretches.
Class members are then taught a host of dance steps bit-by-bit, from quick transitions round the chair to slow lingering shimmies. The steps are slowly pieced together throughout the class, eventually leading up to a whole routine – if you can remember all the steps that is!
“A lot of class members used to dance and are looking for a fun way to bring dance back into their lives,” Quinn said. “Others are simply looking to try something new.”
Quinn teaches up to 12 in a class, with each class open to all levels as new sequences and routines are taught on a regular basis. And, just in case you are wondering, there’s no stripping involved. “Chairlesque is all about learning to move in a fun and sexy way, while getting a fabulous workout at the same time.”
Joanna Lewis 