JOPLIN, Mo. — Exercise used to be mostly a solo activity, focusing on individual ability. Even a family that goes to a gym together may split up, as each member concentrates on his or her own regimen.

That’s changing, and it’s giving families something to dance about.

Dancing is getting easier to do as a family activity. Classes such as Zumba let kids join in alongside, and couples can get a great joint workout during a ballroom session.

Many different styles of dance were highlighted Saturday during an event at Northpark Mall. Freeman Spirit of Women Day of Dance brought together four hours of assorted dance classes, partnered with health screenings.

According to a press release, the health benefits of dance are obvious: It helps work the body, increase heart rate and improves flexibility, strength and balance. All of those benefits help stave off coronary heart disease, which is the single leading cause of death for American women.

Now that families can get involved, getting a few steps in is easier than ever.

Zumba together?

Already catching like wildfire, Zumba is a style of dance exercise that is winning where other attempts at mixing dance and aerobics have failed.

Nikki Phillips, a licensed Zumba instructor for the Joplin Family Y, said that the class is drawing a variety of people.

“I’ve taught Zumba for five years, and I’m seeing 9-year-olds to 73-year-olds,” Phillips said. “We tried a hip-hop dance class, but we had only two classes. It didn’t take off. This is the first dance fitness class we’ve had that’s been successful for a variety of ages.”

A 50-minute Zumba routine has degrees of difficulty and flexibility built in, so that exercisers of varying skill can press as hard as they want, or back off, Phillips said.

That means that kids can dance right alongside their parents.

“That’s the thing about dance, you can take it up or down as needed,” Phillips said. “We show a variety of modifications so that we don’t have all one level all the time.”

Phillips said parents who want to bring their kids to a class need to keep an extra eye on them. They should make sure that a doctor thinks it’s a good idea and performs a physical on children. And during class, a parent should make sure that his or her child has water, appropriate clothes and shoes.

Also, Phillips said parents need to check their kids’ fatigue levels.

“Make sure their face isn’t red or their body isn’t slumped over,” Phillips said. “Kids can’t go for as long as an adult can.”

Ballroom dancing

Mike Betts, president of the Tanglefooters dance club, said his club offers a unique support group just for men.

Any guy who starts ballroom dancing, he jokes, will receive a special 1-800 number. That guy can call that number and hear someone who will swear to his buddies that he was absolutely, 100-percent watching football and drinking beer instead of dancing.

“Once a guy learns to check his pride at the door and just have fun, it’s a blast,” Betts said of the club’s classes. “That’s the hardest thing a guy has to do.”

Tanglefooters is a club where members learn ballroom steps similar to what is seen on “Dancing with the Stars.” Cha-chas, rhumbas, jives, all of them are covered in the classes.

And all of them pack a punch.

“Anyone who thinks that there is no exercise involved with dancing needs to dance a couple of cha-chas with us,” Betts said. “They can tell us that while they are sitting in the corner, huffing and puffing.”

While the dances are low-impact exercises, they provide great activity for all ages, Betts said. And while it doesn’t draw many younger participants, it’s something that couples can do together, he said.

“A lot of exercises outside of the home tend to be gender specific,” Betts said. “With dance, it’s a couples program. You’re hand in hand, arm in arm, exercising together.



Gotta dance?

Give yourself a try at a few steps:

Zumba at Joplin Family Y South: Classes are held at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Free for members, $8 for nonmembers. Details: 417-781-9622.

Zumba at Joplin Family Y Downtown: Classes are held at 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Free for members, $8 for nonmembers. Details: 417-623-4597.

Zumba at Memorial Hall: Classes are held from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday. Cost: $3 per class. Details: 417-623-3840.

If you have questions about ballroom dancing, Tanglefooters is holding a special spring dance at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Hall. The public is invited to watch for free.

Tanglefooters meets at 7 p.m. Mondays at the Joplin Senior Citizens Center, 22nd and Jackson.