On Monday, I went to Flowetic‘s VIP event and I was introduced to the world of dance fitness. Here’s what I thought of it.
Flowetic
Flowetic is a fitness class combining dance, toning and strengthening exercises alongside stretching and relaxation. Using flowy music, the class is split in two parts: the first one mixes different bits of ballet-style choreography with fitness exercises such as ab reps and lunges; the second one is about stretching and relaxing.
The idea behind Flowetic is that dance should be accessible to everyone. The founders, trained dancers Fiona and Dominique, aimed to teach it in an easy-to-follow way, so that it could appeal to everyone despite age or ability. Flowetic wants to challenge conventional dance teaching methods by removing that elitist, and often intimidating atmosphere that can prevent adults from participating in group taught dance classes.
The Flowetic VIP Event
A while back, Fiona sent a rather mysterious invite for a dance class in Islington’s Old Finsbury Town Hall. You all know I’m always down for a dance, and in this case a listed building and fresh juices where involved, so I didn’t think twice before accepting. Nonetheless, I must admit I had no idea what to expect from the evening, as my friend Ana (check her blog out at Faded Spring) and I made our way to Rosebery Avenue for the event.
It was a hot day (26 °C, strange even for London) and we got to the Old Finsbury Town Hall already breathless. Our breath was going to be challenged even more. Imagine a horde of Flowetic fans, journalists and bloggers, ready to experience the class in the gorgeous ballroom-looking venue… which, by the way, had huge windows and no air conditioning. Let’s just say that the cardio benefits of the class were heightened by the weather: Bikram Flowetic, anyone?
Luckily, the event was catered by Crussh, who provided fresh and zingy strawberry pressed juices and almond butter energy balls – much needed after breaking a sweat!
What To Expect from a Flowetic Class
Your opinion of the class is going to change depending on your favourite style of dance. If you are a very contemporary dancer or dance fan, or if you’ve always dreamed to be a ballerina as a child, this is the class for you. As someone who shakes her butt on the floor to heavy metal or Cardi B, I must say that the movements were a bit too flowy for my taste, and I would have loved to inject some more sass/silliness into the class.
However, the ethos of the class was confirmed and showcased during the event. I’m as flowy as an elephant, but I did not feel self-conscious or out of place during the Flowetic class. Fiona was very clear from the word go that Flowetic is not about getting the steps exactly right, but about having fun.
I enjoyed the second part of the class – the floor workout and relaxation – a lot more. Competing at Floorplay London has given me an unconditional love for floor routines, movements and leg switches, and some of those were included in the workout. The relaxation part, too, was fantastic, culminating with us lying down with our eyes closed yoga-style, as the team came over to give us a quick massage. Opening my eyes to the stunning ceiling at the Old Finsbury Town hall was a magic touch.
In the final Q&A, Fiona stressed that the majority of dance fitness features music with repetitive beats or really cheesy pop songs, while she wanted to create something flowier. Although I do prefer the former styles, she was right: the class is as flowy as it gets, without being intimidating, and although the moves are not the easiest, you will get them by the end and you won’t be the only one messing up.
The Founders
Fiona and Dominique met on their first day of The BRIT School 20 years ago. They went on to study dance at the prestigious London Studio Centre before becoming professional dancers. They also own Just Dance UK, through which they have hosted countless classes and events.
The Verdict
Although flowy movements are not my dance style of choice, I can see a lot of people enjoying this class and becoming addicted to it. You could already see it on everybody’s faces at the event – the hand claps, the laughs, showed that Flowetic already has a cult following.
Plus, if pole fitness is a thing, if Bollywood fitness is a thing, and if a variety of dance-based classes like Zumba are such a success, I can’t see why Flowetic’s approachable ballet style fitness shouldn’t be.
Flowetic classes are available in a variety of London locations. You can find them here by entering your location/postcode through the map.
Pictures: @marcelgphotography
