Hip Hop Dance??!

I only took one photo... and it is NOT pretty!  Ha! 

I was trying to look cool... instead I look like I am picking my nose while having to pee!  

At least you get to see how nice the space was! 

Activity: Hip Hop Dance Class with Aubine


When:  Wednesdays 6:30 - 7:15 (there is a similar class on Fridays at 5:30)

Location/Address: YMCA Portland (70 Forest Ave)


Cost: $10 drop in fee


Parking:  Well... it's downtown Portland... we were lucky to get a spot in the Y's parking Lot


FMI: Visit the Y's website


Notes: As part of my swimming program I am very fortunate to have FREE access to the YMCA's in southern Maine.  I have been trying to take advantage of this, but mostly I have been practicing my swimming.

However, this week, a friend of mine whose initials are NO and whose new hip hop dance name is NObody's Business!  (Apparently I like to give people nicknames!)  She in turn gave me my own hip hop dance name... Bennett Senate... so that I can say, when dancing, "Bennett's Senate is now in session!  What's YOUR hip hop nickname??

Anyway... Nobody's business and I got to the Y in Portland.. I have to say it is an impressive building... it is old, for sure, but holy moly there is A LOT in there!  It was school vacation week and there were a lot of kids there.  I hope that there are a lot of kids there on weeks where it is not school vacation as well.

We got there early and got to check it out.  There are TWO pools... one for lap swimming and a smaller one for exercise classes... as well as two locker rooms...  If you go here, take time to walk around.  It could be confusing, but worth checking out!

Our class was upstairs, in studio A... it was a pretty room with hardwood floors  I will say the room was pretty warm... definitely bring plenty of water!

The class was good.  In my head I hoped it was a class where you would learn a hip hop routine for a  song... that it would take the full class to learn the moves and at the end you perform it... This was not that... BUT it was fun. I would say that it was kind of like a zumba class with hip hop music... I was hoping to feel like a hip hop dancer.... I didn't... in a couple of moments I felt like I was dancing and not stepping to an aerobics class... but I also feel that way when I first go to Zumba after a long hiatus... just like anything else... the more you do it the more you learn the choreography and can get into it more.  There was another woman in the class who had obviously been to the class before and knew many of the moves!

The instructor was great!  She was super friendly and laid back.  It was obvious she loves dancing and she can move her body in ways I don't think mine will ever move!  (but that doesn't mean I won't try!)

During the class I reminded myself of the mantra they have at Zumba... there are no mistakes, only solos!  Well...let's say I did some solos Wednesday night!  Ha!

We worked up a sweat!  We shimmied, and shook, and looked like we were starting a lawn mower at one point.... but most importantly... we had fun!

An interesting note - the class had a lot of different people in it, ranging in age and ability... it was very cool! While I would describe the class more as an aerobics class with some hip hop flare... I am glad I gave it a shot!

I am not sure I will get the opportunity to do this class again while I have this free membership... due to scheduling conflicts, but it would be fun to try again!

Trying new things is not always easy, but I can pretty much guarantee if you go in with a good attitude, you will find some things you like and will definitely find some opportunities to laugh out loud!