How to get started at Dallas Dance Fitness

ZERO! You do not need to have dance experience or dance training to take class with DDF. If you’re not a dancer when you start, you will be before your first class is over. And if you once loved tap, jazz, ballet, drill team and hip-hop dance, we help you reconnect with the dancer in you. We love having dancers of all backgrounds in our classes and try to have a mix of difficulty in our choreographed routines. Give yourself a few classes to get the basics and then start adding your own flair!

Anything breathable and comfortable for women and men. Most of our female dancers wear leggings and a tank top so that our clothing doesn’t restrict our movement. Oh and a very supportive sports bra! Men who take Dallas Dance Fitness classes often wear athletic shorts or sweat pants and tank tops or t-shirts.

We recommend dance sneakers or cross-trainers with good lateral (side-to-side) support. Running shoes usually do not provide enough lateral stability. As for the tread, generally you will want a smoother tread to allow you to turn. If you plan to attend a Dallas Dance Fitness class in-studio at Preston Center Dance, we recommend Soles 2 Dance (available on Amazon). These semi-permanent suede stick-on soles will turn any athletic shoe into a dance shoe. They last about six months and make your dance experience on the grippier marley floors absolutely amazing!

DDF Signature classes will stop for a choreography breakdown or two. Generally, the choreography routines are a little more challenging than the follow-along cardio dance routines. DDF Pure Cardio classes are non-stop - no breaks for choreography to maximize your calorie burn. We encourage our dancers to do both types of classes to optimize cardio fitness and brain health.

Once you have your DDF membership, you can sign up for your classes on the Zen Planner member app or on the “schedule” page of dallasdancefitness.com. Select your class and reserve it by 10PM the night before to receive an email link the morning of your class. If you want to attend at the last minute, please reserve the class in the app or website and click into your reservation to access the virtual link. Check in for your classes on the app to receive attendance credit.

In person classes have limited attendance to allow for physical distancing Dancers must reserve classes in advance. Temperature taken at studio entrance with contactless thermometer Masks are required in all common areas and until class begins. Masks may be removed during class as we are working at high rates of exertion. Self check in on Zen Planner app with your own device (no more community ipads) Thorough studio cleaning protocols including ultraviolet light sterilization

Yes, we have a couple of spots that are out of the camera frame. Please let us know if you need one of these spots in advance via email, so we can let you know if they’re available.

In a typical class, we will do between 16 and 19 routines including a warm up and cool down. Our classes are team taught, and the instructors alternate teaching every other song, typically with no breaks in the music. This keeps the energy high and gives you a variety of dance styles. Most of the routines are follow-along and are verbally and physically cued by the instructors. Each song has its own unique choreography, and after you’ve done a routine a few times, you’ll really be able to dance it full out and add your own style! In DDF Signature classes we do stop the class once or twice to break down some more challenging choreography.

We love to listen to today’s hit music and throw in some favorites from the ’80s, ’90s and last decade. Our secret: we’re listening for music that has about 120-130 beats per minute to keep our hearts pumping. That means we might change the tempo of a song or two with a little software magic so you’ll always get a heart-pumping dance workout, because baby, this is what you came for.

It’s super easy to access the livestream class. You’ll get a link to the livestream after you sign up for class. When you click the link, it will take you to a private YouTube page where you’ll see the class. If you have a Google account or Gmail address, be sure to log in so you can participate in the group chat on the right hand side of the screen.

Yes, we currently offer livestream PiYo Stretch and Barre classes (via YouTube), and offer Stretch classes on demand. These modalities are an excellent complement to dance fitness, and ensure you can get a complete fitness experience with DDF (cardio, strength and flexibility).

The most popular (especially during COVID) is our monthly unlimited membership. It’s $109 plus tax per month and you get unlimited YouTube livestream and on demand classes. You also have the option to attend a limited number of our livestream classes in person if you happen to be in Dallas. Our other monthly memberships are for 1, 2 or 3 classes per week. All monthly memberships automatically renew on the same day of the month. Cancel or change with 15 days notice by email. We also offer class packages for 1, 5 and 10 classes. These packages do not renew and expire after 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively.

Definitely your water bottle and a sweat towel! You may also want a hair tie, headband and/or hat to keep your hair out of your eyes. And if you’re coming to class in person, you will need your mask.