Air Date: Monday, May 12, 2008
Parent to Parent: Hip-hop kids
One in 3 children are overweight in this country, and nearly 17 percent are considered obese. With summer vacation right around the corner, they will have even more time on their hands, but 7's Byron Barnett shows you how to get your kids off the couch with a fun new alternative in "Parent to Parent."
These kids are not only getting into the groove, they're getting fit!
Jaclyn Colucci, hip-hop dance teacher
"You know you will stick them in ballet and its very structured, but you come into hip hop and throw all of that out the window."
At the Transformations Movement Company in Dorchester, the hip-hop dance class gets kids off the couch, and up and moving.
Jeanne Edwards, mom
"They get silly and don't even realize its exercise."
Jeanne is hoping her 10-year-old daughter Rachael picks up some confidence, along with some cool moves.
Jeanne Edwards, mom
"So with the hip hop I am trying to get her to learn the dances for school so she can go to the dances and say, oh well I can do this."
And Rachael loves the social side.
Jaclyn Colucci, hip-hop dance teacher
"Because you meet different people from different schools and you get exercise and its really fun."
Parents say the hip hop class is more in tune with what's hot with the kids right now.
Peggy Smith, mom
"I guess it's more with the times, with what the kids are listening to and into."
Peggy's 10-year-old daughter Samantha is down with that.
Jaclyn Colucci, hip-hop dance teacher
"Like ballet, is not active, well its active but just not like this and getting up and jumping around."
And mom says the class helps her daughter in many ways.
Peggy Smith, mom
"Self esteem, I think because they are kind of shy, so I think its brought something out of Samantha definitely."
And getting kids up and exercising is a way to start them on a lifetime of healthy fitness.
Jaclyn Colucci, hip-hop dance teacher
"Getting active and being active at this young age will hopefully carry them through their adult life to carry on this active lifestyle."
(Copyright 2008 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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