Dance is a great way of getting active and having some fun
Published: 21 December 2022
You don’t need to be a champion dancer to stay active and healthy – just let yourself go to the music.
That’s the message from Cllr Josie Parkhouse, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Physical Activity.
Cllr Parkhouse took part in the virtual Les Mills dance class Sh’bam at Exeter’s amazing new leisure centre St Sidwell’s Point. Sh’bam is a fun music and movement workout with no dance experience required.
The activity was the last in the year-long 12 Moves in 12 Months programme which ran throughout 2022.
It was designed to champion some of the amazing community groups and organisations in Exeter who are supporting people to be more active in their daily lives.
Cllr Parkhouse said: “It was great to take part in one of the virtual exercise classes at St Sidwell’s Point. Everyone can come along and be part of a group dancing along to a fantastic video.
“It’s not all about dancing – there are loads of virtual classes available and they are great way of staying active while having some fun.
“It’s not about being the best dancer, it’s about being the best version of yourself, being a bit more active and weaving that activity into your day to day.”
She added: “Activity is great for our physical and mental health. Coming together and increasing our heart rate is so important to us and extends our life expectancy.
“12 Moves in 12 Moves was designed to spotlight some of the fantastic groups across the city who are encouraging people to get more active. It has been really great to meet some of those groups and look at some of the options out there for people to get more physically active while having fun and just enjoying themselves.”
Lisa Bristowe, Activity Programme Coordinator for Exeter Leisure, said she would encourage anyone who is considering a class to get in touch and discuss what will work best for them.
She said: “Josie took part in Sh’bam by the Les Mills group, the biggest provider of exercise classes in the world. This is a great starting point for anyone who hasn’t done any classes before.
“There are loads of different options and all the information is available by downloading the Exeter Leisure app or by visiting our website.”
Foe membership details download the Exeter Leisure app at the AppStore or Google Play