7 Healthcast: New fitness craze “La blast”

Check out Gene in the green pants at 81-years-old. She's fantastically fit and has the fancy footwork to match!

"I really like cha cha and I like rhumba,” said Gene.

It's those dances that get the senior moving to the beat and get her heart beating faster. It's called the “La blast” class and it's offered at the Avalon Ballroom Dance Studio.

“It’s 50 percent dance 50 percent fitness,” said Beth Canuel, dancer instructor.

“I like quick step. I like all the smooth dances,” said Gene.

"We go through and teach you some of the basic steps of ballroom

Dancing that we do here at the studio,” said Canuel.

The goal for participants to use ballroom dancing steps to blast away the calories.

"It’s an interval program so…the heart rate goes up and we bring it back down. The heart rate goes up and we bring it back down,” said Canuel.

Canuel says it's the only class of its kind in Massachusetts and the steps always stay the same, so it’s easy to catch on and build on what you've learned.

But don't worry! you don't have to be as coordinated as the pro-dancers and its far more fun than just hitting the gym.

"It beats just running on a treadmill being bored by yourself," said Canuel.

I never liked the treadmill. I used to have one and I gave it to my daughter in law," said Gene.

Gene says the “La blast” class is proof you can dance your way to health and happiness!

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