Hot Hula Fitness – a newer trend in dance-exercise – Daily Herald

Studio 3 of Legacy Dance Studio in Orem was so packed Wednesday night, it was hip-shaking room only.

Adorned in a colorful mix of workout clothes and tropical prints, the women trying out Hot Hula Fitness were all sweat and smiles at the end of their session, and that’s exactly how instructor Megan Ewell hoped it would be. Ewell’s free Hot Hula class brought out women of all ages, shapes, and sizes — but all with the same hope: to enjoy a workout based on the traditional Polynesian island dances.

Hot Hula was invented in 2009 by Anna-Rita Sloss. Sloss grew up in Western Samoan family in New Zealand, and she wanted to create a workout movement based on traditional hula dances with a bit of reggae and pop thrown in. Ewell, an American Fork resident, first found Hot Hula during a Zumba event at Utah Valley University in 2012, and soon after trained under Sloss.

Though it’s been around for a while, the workout style is lesser-known here in Utah County. But Ewell and a few other local instructors are hoping to change that.

“There are classes in Salt Lake, but it hasn’t been very active in Utah County. I’m hoping it will pick up again,” Ewell said.

Because Hot Hula participants consistently bend their knees while rotating their hips, it’s a great workout for those looking to strengthen their glutes, quads and abs. But it is low impact — there is no jumping as with Zumba — so it is great for anyone, Ewell said.

Everyone in Ewell’s class Wednesday was fairly new to the movement, so she started with slow, simple hip rotations set to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” By the end of the song, though, the hip shaking had sped up, and many dancers were already working up a sweat.

All of the movements in class were centered on hip shaking, with changes in speed or direction, so it was quick to pick up and follow. Because the base movement in fairly uncomplicated, even the newest or most uncoordinated dancer caught on quickly as Ewell added arm movements and direction changes.

“If you feel a burn in your quads, that means you’re doing it right,” Ewell called out during one song.

Sam Smart was an Orem resident who came to try out the class. She said that while the focus is on moving the lower body, Hot Hula really is a full-body workout.

“I used to hula dance, but I haven’t done it in a long time. I thought it would be fun to come back and do it again,” she said of Wednesday’s class.

Ewell’s mother, Nickee Ewell, has participated in her 22-year-old daughter’s classes since the beginning, and was right in front of the class again Wednesday.

“It’s just so fun, it doesn’t feel like you’re exercising,” she said.

Ewell is the organizer of the Utah County Hot Hula Fitness Facebook page, and keeps a running list of class times and places. Ewell will continue her classes at Legacy Dance on Monday and Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. Classes are $5 each, or participants can purchase an eight-class punch pass for $32. There are also classes at 10 a.m. every Saturday, taught by other certified Hot Hula instructors, at the American Fork Fitness Center.

Karissa Neely reports on Business & Community events, and can be reached at (801) 344-2537 or kneely@heraldextra.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DHKarissaNeely

from myhealtyze http://www.myhealtyze.tk/hot-hula-fitness-a-newer-trend-in-dance-exercise-daily-herald/