As the winter chill creeps in and before those kilos start piling on, now is the perfect time to find a fresh and invigorating exercise routine.
A brand new approach to fitness with a high-energy South American edge was launched this month in Rosebank in Johannesburg.
Called Adrélatin Dance Fitness Fusion (a combination of adrenalin and Latin), this new “dancercise” is the creation of multitalented Peruvian singer, composer, songwriter, musician, choreographer and dance instructor César Alvarado, who once fronted popular Peruvian techno-cumbia boy band Zona Franca.
César describes the fitness concept as a “Latin adrenalin rush” and, after being guided through some steps with him – at first slowly, then two, then four times as fast – there is no doubt about it!
It is an exhilarating full-body workout to punchy South American beats: you are guaranteed to feel muscles working that you never knew existed.
César, who has been living in South Africa for four years, says he wanted to launch the Adrélatin concept in South Africa for a number of reasons, but most importantly because of the links between Latin American music and African rhythms.
“Latin rhythms have a lot of African influences. They first spread out from Cuba, where there is the biggest concentration of people descended from African slaves. These slaves brought with them a rich history of drumming,” he explains.
“I love the energy of Joburg. It’s cosmopolitan and people here are fitness-conscious and open to new things.”
When he was 10 years old, César’s mother recognised his potential and enrolled him in a ballet class.
“As a child, I was very artistic. I used to sing and dance a lot at school and was known as a performer,” he laughs. “Ballet helped me with my posture. In order to do certain Peruvian dances, it is very important to have a good posture: your spine must be straight and you must be very elegant.”
Ballet, and especially solo dances, gave the young César confidence and increased his motivation to dance. One dance in particular that attracted him was the graceful, romantic and energetic Marinera Norteña, a northern Peruvian traditional dance with strong Creole and Spanish influences.
In 1998, César was crowned the national champion for this dance. This catapulted him into international performances with his own dance group, followed by his role as lead singer in Zona Franca. He also began teaching Peruvian folk dances to kindergartens, schoolchildren and at universities.
César came to South Africa for the first time in 2006 after having been put in touch with someone who was looking for a Latin-themed entertainer.
In 2007, he returned to South Africa as the lead vocalist for a Latin band at a popular entertainment venue. He also launched his Rhythm Revolution show at Montecasino, introducing people to a variety of Latin rhythms and dance styles. He began performing at various corporate functions and weddings, and by the end of each event, he normally had all the guests on their feet, dancing.
“It started catching on. People in South Africa can be very shy to dance at first, but after teaching them the basic steps I can get the whole audience involved – from a 16-year-old-boy to a grandmother.
“This is how the concept of Adrélatin was born: a fusion of dance and fitness.”
One-hour Adrélatin classes will be conducted for beginners, intermediate and advanced, depending on people’s abilities. Anyone 16 years and older can join the classes.
“Adrélatin is very good for toning and calorie-burning, but it is not only physical: it offers a mental challenge too. The foot and hand work is fast and it requires a lot of concentration to master the sequence of steps.
“The class is designed and structured to allow anyone to participate, from the fitness fanatic to someone who just wants to tone or lose weight, from the advanced dancer to someone who has never danced before.
“Little by little, South Africa is waking up to Latin rhythms… the samba beats of Brazil, the reggaeton pulse from Puerto Rico. With Adrélatin, people learn to dance to Latin rhythms, but also get a whole-body, cardio workout at the same time, through working their core muscle groups. It’s a great way to have a nice time. I make each workout a fiesta!” - The Star
* For more information, call Zana on 072 650 1442 or e-mail [email protected]