Mum-friendly Dance Classes | Adelaide | Review

Skip the boring workouts and join a dance fitness class (or three) that’ll have you smiling as you sweat.

Review by Carla Caruso

I was never a dance kid. My parents clearly weren’t too keen on spending half their week chauffeuring me to dance classes.

So, school netball was my only claim to movement. But I’ve always felt I missed out on the things dance can offer—like good posture, core strength, and that effortless grace.

Lately, I’ve felt a growing urge to make up for those gaps. And maybe I’m not the only one. Adult dance classes seem to be popping up everywhere.

So, in the spirit of journalistic curiosity, I decided to slip on my dance shoes and give a few a whirl. Here’s what I tried—and how it all went.

Broadway Burn

Musical fan? Then this is the class for you. As the slogan goes, Broadway Burn is “where musical theatre and fitness meet centre-stage”.

I joined a class at the Goodwood Community Centre with a touch of trepidation. To my surprise, the room was buzzing—it was a Monday night, and at least 30 women had shown up. They were of all ages and skill levels too. (Phew!)

Classes are also held, at other times, in Leabrook, Beverley, Norwood, Lower Mitcham, Mawson Lakes, and Holden Hill.

After a warm-up, the upbeat instructor led us through a few dance routines. The musical numbers covered everything from Legally Blonde to Footloose and Hairspray. (A woman behind me sang along to almost every tune, knowing all the words.)

There were a few quirky moves thrown in—one that felt like we were washing a car, and another that had us punching the air as we marched forward.

Did I get every move right? No. Did I have a bunch of fun and get my heart rate up? A huge yes!

​​Physie

Did you know that calisthenics is more a thing in South Australia and Victoria—and that, in New South Wales and Queensland, it’s all about Physie (or ‘Physical Culture’)?

I hadn’t heard much about the other dance form until I saw East Adelaide Physie Club promoting a ladies class at Edwardstown Primary School on Thursday nights.

East Adelaide founder Belinda Passaris describes Physie as “a dance sport that is quite similar to calisthenics but without all the fuss. No props, no costumes, no footwear—just good, old exercise.”

I signed up for a free trial class, figuring I had nothing to lose. The class I attended was smaller and more intimate than Broadway Burn, but once again, the women taking part were of all ages and skill levels, as well as super-friendly.

The class followed a similar structure to Broadway Burn, beginning with a warm-up before moving into basic dance routines.

The routines were often slowed down and practised without music at first, to help everyone get the steps right (or at least try to).

I appreciated the constant reminders to keep my shoulders back and engage my core, and all the pliés and pointed toes made me feel like a grown-up version of the dance kid I never was.

The class also gave me a real sense of how much effort and skill performers put into creating choreography. I’ll never experience a concert the same way again.

No Lights No Lycra

Okay, this is actually a dance session I’d tried a few times previously, but I thought it was worth a mention.

No Lights No Lycra grew from a small gathering in Melbourne in 2009 and now runs dance nights throughout Australia and the world.

As it says on its website, it’s for “anyone who wants to dance without limits or judgements … the original dance-in-the-dark movement, proven to make you feel better”.

My local No Lights No Lycra venue—also at the Goodwood Community Centre—recently celebrated eight years of its Thursday night dance sessions.

So, what happens? They dim the lights, turn up the music, and let you shake off the stresses of the day and your inhibitions, all while you’re completely sober.

You can even send the organisers song requests beforehand.

The first time I tried it, I felt a bit silly dancing in the dimly lit space. But before long, I became as free as I do when I’m in my own lounge room. Probably even freer! Swaying in the dark, you can easily imagine yourself as Beyoncé.

If you’re not in the mood to learn complicated steps after a long day but still want to feel like you’re back at a nightclub, these sessions will be right in your groove.

Over to you for your turn at a dance fitness class!

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For more information and all enquiries, please visit the following websites: Broadway Burn, East Adelaide Physie Club, and No Lights No Lycra Goodwood. 

All photos by Carla Caruso for Play & Go Adelaide or supplied. 

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. 

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