This cross-cardio dance class gives the observant a safe spot to sweat
Religious law and mainstream fitness classes don’t always mix. So Rachel Victor decided to create her own workout.
Her cross-cardio dance sessions cater exclusively to fellow Orthodox Jewish women, giving observant students a safe spot to sweat. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy: Victor’s hour-long routines unfold with lightning speed, leaving newbies tripping to catch up. The Zumba-inspired choreography incorporates steps, jumps, twists and kicks. The twice-weekly class tests coordination as much as stamina, but the community support and pounding pop beats make it easier to power through.
Aura
The class meets at a second-floor dance studio in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood. Most attendees seem to know each other, but are welcoming to newcomers. Some don modest head scarves or long sleeves and skirts from their daily lives, but others opt for more mainstream workout gear in this private setting. Students range from younger teens to perhaps mid-50s, and more experienced dancers who know the steps from previous weeks volunteer to form a front row that might otherwise intimidate beginners. Victor weaves between rows during longer sequences for demos.
Effort
Victor adds new bits to an existing sequence each week, so regulars are rewarded for their persistence. Mastering the steps makes it easier to pack in the full range of movement, which means it’s harder to break a sweat early on. As a particularly lousy dancer, I had to concentrate hard to follow along, but the vibe was too positive to feel self-conscious. There was a range of abilities in the class, encouraging each woman to do whatever she could.
Style
By day, Victor also works as a “bat mitzvah motivator” who is hired by parents to get the dance floor started. One suspects she must be great at it -- she’s a bundle of energy, and every student I chatted with after class gushed about how much they enjoy dancing with her. The dance moves are set to secular pop and hip-hop, but Victor tries to stick with less vulgar selections.
Cost
$13 for a drop-in class, $10 per class with a monthly commitment. Email rachelvictor.com for details.
READ ON!
Caring for cuts, burns and scrapes: The rules have changed
4 L.A.-area running clubs that are way more than just running clubs
Zendaya explains why ‘fearless’ is the best compliment you can pay her
