Jazzercise? Is this just a bunch of random people improvising random motions? Do they all show up and then five minutes later they all scat?
Does Jazzercise exist, elsewhere but on VHS tapes with severe tracking errors stuffed into cardboard boxes alongside moth-eaten leg warmers stashed in moldy attics?
It’s but one of life’s mysteries, which is the purpose of this thread.
I didn’t know you could dance to jazz music, I thought the music was free form by definition.
My wife does Jazzercise. She does not like traditional “aerobics” which involve too much jumping around for her, she prefers the more dancey movements of Jazzercise. There are centers all over the place, a lot of them in church basements and community centers and the like.
And it’s not jazz, anyway, it’s usually pretty bland pop music.
I went to a class a few times maybe 25 years ago; there was a leader and everyone would try to follow; if you knew you weren’t going to be able to keep up, you would probably migrate to the back of the room. The session was about an hour, and started with warming up activities, and ended with cooling down activities.
“Jazzercise” was, I think, a copyrighted name, but there were lots of imitators too.
Roddy
I’ll play.
What is Pilates?
I think it’s not open to Jews. Perhaps it’s where people go to be cross with one another.
And what’s the deal with pointilism?
I know, right? I can hardly see the point.
Okay, as an avid Jazzerciser, I guess I should speak up. It’s not what most people think of it as, which is middle and old age women jumping around to Neil Diamond in leotards and leg warmers. It’s for people of any age–I’d say most of the women who attend my center are in their twenties and thirties, with a few grandmas thrown in. And nobody wears leotards or leg warmers, except that one lady–but she’s just an eccentric. 
It’s fun. It’s 40 minutes of aerobic exercise, incorporating jazz dance, traditional aerobics, and tae bo. Yes, there is a warm up and a cool down, as any sensible exercise program should have. Then there is about 20 minutes of strength training using small hand weights, stretch tubes and yoga balls. This section is standard weight lifting with yoga and pilates thrown in.
This is all done to music including current pop music, country and western, hip hop, techno, and whatever else has a beat. The music is always changing. The instructors all choose their own routines (within certain guidelines), and they have an ample library to choose from, as an entire new set comes from Jazzercise headquarters about every six weeks. They can use stuff that’s as old as fifteen years, if they want to, but they are required to change every month or so so the routines and music don’t get stale.
My favorite thing about it is they provide free childcare, so it’s easy to fit it into my lifestyle. And it’s a very welcoming environment…they get all types: young and old, skinny and not so skinny, coordinated and clumsy. Nobody cares–just come, keep moving, and have fun.
The Jazzercise corporation is huge. Go to jazzercise.com, look up your city, and you’ll probably have a center near you.
Okay, lecture over.
But they need to be sure to wash their hands first.
I can’t remember the last time somebody missed the point of a thread by such a wide margin.
Speaking of which, did anybody mention pontillism yet? What’s up with that?
rereads thread
blushes hard
Ummm…okay. So maybe I get a little overenthused when I see the word “Jazzercise.” I’ll seek help tomorrow, I promise.
Carry on, nothing to see here…
(Although, I think this is my first official whoosh. Isn’t that one of the requirements to get into the SDMB popular clique? I’m on my way!)
Don’t apologize! Never apologize! 
Well, as long as they’re all disease-free, I suppose it’s okay. Definitely not my scene, though.
Scat! Ha!
Shooby doo wah.
The visual on this gave me a good laugh- thanks!
and which p.s. also reminded me of this.)