friday, September 25, 1931
Jazzercise coach:
Exercise classes
aid mental health
By Chelli Perrella
What possesses 105 women of all ages and sizes to come
together from one to five times a week to exercise?
Why are the participants smiling and looking as though
they are enjoying themselves if this is an exercise program?
The exercise program is called Jazzercise and it's sweep
ing the country.
Jazzercise was started in 1972 by Judi Sheppard Missett
Conditioning comes gradually as participants move through
choreographed routines. The routines are composed of
dance movements set to music.
All Jazzercise routines are choreographed by Missett.
daily nebraskan
page 9
In every state
Jazzercise has instructors in every state and seven for
eign countries.
Jazzercise was started in Nebraska in 1980 by Candy
Shaw. Her first class consisted of only four students. To
day there are 29 certified Jazzercise instructors in Nebras
ka and classes are given throughout the state. There are
about 73 Jazzercise classes taught weekly in Lincoln alone.
This includes six classes of Junior Jazzercisers.
In December 1980 the first Jazzercise Center was open
ed. This is unique because there are only five or six other
Jazzercise centers in the entire country, said Shaw, founder
of the center. Most Jazzercise classes in the country are
taught in other facilities. The Lincoln Center has been so
successful that a second center will open next week.
Aids mental health
Shaw said the mental health side of the Jazzercise pro
gram is what sets it apart from other programs.
4
. T .
- -
"The participants can be anything they want to be dur
ing class. Its a release that is very healthy in developing '
self esteem Shaw said.
"Making people feel good about themselves andgood
about their bodies - that's the key."
Each Jazzercise session lasts one hour. The first ten
minutes is spent on warm-up and stretching movements.
The next 12 minutes are devoted to cardio-vascular rou
tines, followed by a cooling down routine where the par
ticipants dance to a lying position.
While still on the floor the class does routines to devel
op different areas of the body. This is followed by danc
ing back to a standing position and a lively routine so the
session can end on an up beat, Shaw said.
Each selection of music used during a class has a spe
cific routine that accompanies it.
"The program is designed to make fitness a part of your
life,' Shaw said, "to make exercise fun and easy. Instead
of becoming tired of Jazzercise participants become ad
dicted to it."
Jazzercise is not a program restricted to women. Some
men are enrolled in classes.
"It's an excellent program for men," Shaw said. "It im
proves men's flexibility."
"Jazzercize helps people to get in tune with theii bod
ies. It helps them to become less inhibited with their bod
ies and feeling good about them," Shaw said.
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