Fit Agoura: Jazzercise

When your alarm goes off in the morning, don't you wake up thinking, "jazz hands"? At least this is true for the 25 students who jump out of their beds to make it to Chris Spooner's 60-minute 9:15 a.m. Jazzercise class offered at California Dance Theater.

Chris Spooner, the adorable instructor, has been teaching the class for around 11 years and loves every minute of the routines. She leads the aerobics workout with flair, singing along energetically to the variety of music, from Donna Summers to Orianthi. Funk, Top 40, jazz, and rock are all incorporated into the Jazzercise soundtrack.

Jazzercise has been around in Agoura and nationally for over a decade. The circuit-style program merges resistance training with dance aerobics. Jazz, muscle-toning, isolations, stretching, weight-training, pilates, and yoga are all fused together to form an upbeat workout. 

From the moment Spooner's students step into class, they are ready to begin. The room at California Dance Theater has great lighting, a Marley floor (great for absorbing knee and joint stress), and all the necessary equipment—resistance bands, yoga mats, and hand weights. An added bonus for parents is minimal cost day care for kids.

The hour-long workout is comprised of dance intervals, ranging in intensity. The choreography switches with virtually every song, beginning with a warm-up and then alternating back and forth between high and low intensity aerobic routines and muscle isolation strength training with weights and bands. 

Changing intensity and muscle group with every song produces optimal results and does not allow for muscle memory to take over during the workout, Spooner says.

She counts 8 to 12 beats for each dance, making it easy to follow and keeping the environment fun. Incorporating some of the old jazz favorites, such as the "box step" or the "grapevine," also keeps the energy in the room lively.

Right before the cool down, she generously hands out cold towels to each student, aiding them in the process. The class finishes with leg lifts and a complete abdominal workout.

Jazzercise is geared for everyone, with higher or lower fitness options offered. Bonnie, one of the students, says she loves Jazzercise, because "it's a good time for all ages." The women and men who take this class range in age from 25 to 60.

For $15, the Jazzercise class is a great aerobic workout, very similar to those old Jane Fonda videos your mother used to pop into the VHS when you were a kid.

If you are looking for dance technique and dance-oriented curriculum, this is probably not your thing, but if you want to have fun, break a sweat, and get a full body workout, it is a great way to start your morning upbeat and energized.