I Tried It: House Party Fitness at Philly Dance Fitness

This past Monday, I let loose, house-party style. Wait, I should clarify. (Hi, mom!) I didn’t exactly go to a full-fledged, out-of-control house party, but I did go to House Party Fitness at Philly Dance Fitness—and that’s practically the same thing, right?

Nerd that I am, I haven’t had much experience raging out on a regular basis, so I did a little research to find out what to expect. The thing I saw on PDF’s website was this: “You know the type of party where the music is pumpin’, the base is pounding, and you don’t want the party to end?” Um, sure. “Well that’s what this class feels like.” Still a bit unsure about what exactly I was getting myself into, I convinced myself that I could totally do this. I mean, I am an avid Zumba-goer, so how different could this be?

The answer: a lot. When I got to the Performance Garage, where the class was held, my instructor, Brooke, welcomed me with open arms. Turns out, I wasn’t the only newbie in the class, so that made me feel a little better. Brooke told us that the class is loosely routine based and is more about following the rhythm of the music while you’re moving than mimicking steps. But as the rest of the class bobbed and weaved in perfect sync, I stumbled along awkwardly to the sounds of MJ, Skee-Lo and the Ying Yang Twins.

Much to my relief, the dance portion was broken up by strength-training sessions. We focused on arms by using resistance bands and punching along to the beat, before getting back to the dance moves. Then, I heard the familiar opening to one of my favorite jams, “Love on Top” by Beyoncé. Finally, I was able to let loose and really get into the music, making my so-called rhythm seem a lot smoother. Along with the cheers of the rest of the class, I finally stopped caring how awkward I looked and was able to really get into it. I had a blast!

We ended the class by doing some ab work with the resistance bands and a cool down. I thanked Brooke again, and left the Garage feeling totally confident to hit the house-party scene this weekend and show off my hottest moves. Alright, maaaaybe these moves be restricted to the privacy of my bedroom, but still, I had a ton of fun.

House Party Fitness takes place every Monday evening from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. at the Performance Garage (1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia). Classes are $10.