Plunged into darkness, clutching at two frenetically flashing glow sticks, I’m equipped with my sweatbands and sports bra — although I’m not sure they’ll help me now.
It’s my first Glow Motion dance class and, as the regulars start to limber up around me, I realise I haven’t taken this seriously enough.
Every Thursday evening, choreographer Missie Frank and her band of glow-getters meet at Dance Attic in Fulham for a sweat-filled, high-energy dance session in a room lit only by the psychedelic gleam of glow sticks.
Having heard about the success of Missie’s Rebounce trampolining dance class, I felt it was high time I jumped on this alternative exercise bandwagon and check out her latest concept.
Perhaps underestimating the intensity of the exercise involved, I arrived post a two-course dinner, with a full face of makeup and immaculately pinned hair.
The music kicked in and this week’s soundtrack came straight out of Michael Jackson’s legendary back catalogue.
The stretching kicked off as MJ melodically inquired if we wanted to be starting something. Missie’s shrill instructions rang above the music guiding us through a lively warm-up routine.
The class was uncharacteristically quiet with only six participants, but I was grateful of the additional space to accommodate my uncoordinated and flailing limbs.
GLOW-GETTERS UNITE: Combining fitness and fun
I employed my usual tactic of placing myself directly behind the instructor, in the hope our bodies would align and, like perfectly harmonised swans, we would glide through the class with ease and grace.
Unfortunately, it was more like Mr Bean shadowing Darcy Bussell.
By the time the King of Pop was crooning about pretty young things, I wasn’t feeling my most attractive with sweat sweeping away my mascara as it beaded down my face during a series tricky kick-ball changes.
With more cheer than a pep rally Missie took us through a series of jumps and springs designed to work each part of the body, all the while brandishing the luminous glow sticks.
Just as MJ reassured us that it didn’t matter if we were black or white, we rounded off an intensive abs set and I suddenly realised the two-course meal had been a bad idea.
I mustered up the last dregs of energy I had and made it through the finale. With all the agility of a baby elephant I performed the final warm-down stretches all the while comforted by MJ’s promise that he would be there, along with the rest of Jackson 5.
Despite my ineptitude, the class offered a fun alternative to my usual 30 minutes of morning spinning and it was a welcome and engaging change.
Missie’s charm and enthusiasm kept her class both motivated and entertained, ensuring comfort throughout — even refusing to switch on the main light at the end of class to avoid the embarrassment of exposing red puffy cheeks and running mascara. For that Missie, I thank you.
Classes are held every Thursday in Fulham and need to be booked in advance.
