Dancer Kicks it up Zumba-style at Pilates Sports Center
BY JUDITH A. PROFFER
She busted out her best “Thriller” moves alongside Jennifer Garner in “Thirteen Going On Thirty” and was a hoofer on “Cedric the Entertainer Presents.” When she’s not dancing with the likes of Carmen Electra on the big screen or touring with 98 Degrees, professional dancer and Pilates instructor
Kadee Sweeney kicks up the octane to stratospheric heights with her twice weekly, high energy, sweat-inducing, rhythm fused (and did I mention wildly fun?) Zumba classes at Pilates Sports Center in Encino.
Kadee Sweeney
Zumba is a booty shaking, arms waving, cardio awakening hybrid of salsa, meringue and other Latin moves created in the mid 90s by Colombian native Beto Perez. Legend has it the celebrity trainer forgot his music as he was about to teach an aerobics class one day and grabbed the only CD he had handy – some Latin fusion tracks. The new moves caught on quickly and Perez soon became the dance darling of South America. Ten years ago Perez brought Zumba to the U.S., partnering with savvy entrepreneurs who hyped the workout with infomercials – today, Zumba classes are taught at over 40,000 locations in 75 countries.
Sweeney, a dancer since she was a little girl (“I would wear tap shoes when we would go out to dinner and would dance all over the place”), discovered Zumba through a friend and was attracted to the “open minded, non judgmental” nexus of the class.
Unlike the Fox Trot, Viennese Waltz and other perfect and perfunctory moves you might see on “Dancing With The Stars,” Sweeney’s Zumba is approachable (students range from 20 to 70), practical (no partner required) and flexible (don’t be self-conscious, just dance!). And in addition to the Latin music that is the core of Zumba, she incorporates hip hop, belly dancing and other fancy dances you might actually put to use at a party, wedding, club or bat mitzvah. (“If you can move your shoulders to the beat with a little attitude and a definite sense of rhythm, you’ll do just fine in a club” offers Sweeney.)
Off the charts music and cunning choreography is an essential part of what makes Sweeney’s class a standout. One minute you’re jumping and playing some radical air guitar along with Pink’s “So What,” another you’re channeling your inner diamond ring festooned Beyonce while strutting to “All The Single Ladies” before launching into a grinding “Womanizer” with Britney Spears. In between she’ll toss in some playful Cha Cha, whip up some meringue and serve up some sensual salsa before ripping it up with some Hip Hop and songs created especially for the Zumba craze.
Aretha and JLo are also on Sweeney’s playlist, and she’ll even consider requests from students. “I will only teach to music that moves and inspires me. Some of my students will bring me their choices of music and I will go through and listen to all of them and then choose which songs I am inspired to dance to. As a dancer, when you listen to the music the beat will get into your body …and it will just start to move. When I’m teaching is when the best choreography will come out.”
Sweeney wears her love of teaching on her sleeve and encourages her students to love themselves, love dance and love the music. She offers great assurance that her class is not a class just for dancers, walking newbies through more intricate moves with first baby steps care. “I invite people to come with a big smile and open attitude” she says of her classes. “And if you don’t have any of those when you come, hopefully you will leave the class with those qualities.”
Kadee Sweeney teaches Zumba at Pilates Sports Center in Encino Wednesday mornings at 9:30 and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. Classes are $18 each or $150 for ten. Pilates Sports Center is located at 16430 Ventura Blvd. #100, Encino, CA. (818) 788-8112; pilatessportscenter.com
Judith A. Proffer is Vice-Chair of entertainment/media company Meteor 17, where she oversees creative development for film, television & literary projects and charitable initiatives. Co-founder and former Executive Editor of Sun Community Newspapers, she was publisher of LA Weekly and OC Weekly and is currently writing “How to Love Your Dog: A Timeless Compendium of Information and Inspiration” for Huqua Press - a division of her publishing and consultancy company, Magpye Media.
http://www.pilatessportscenter.com is very informative. The article is very professionally written. I enjoy reading http://www.pilatessportscenter.com every day.
Wow! What a blog. You have a real knack for making a blog readable and easy on the eyes. Some sites look like train wrecks, but not this site – it’s a pleasure to read. I don’t have time to read all the articles here right now, I found this site when looking for something else on ask.com, but I’ve bookmarked your homepage and will visit again soon to see the latest. Beyonce is such an inspiration to me. She is so strong. I love reading websites my favorite performer, Beyonce. Please bookmark my website at http://www.Beyonceitis.com! Have a peaceful week!
My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that ‘achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.’
Safeguard the health both of body and soul.
I usually do not comment on blogs but thank you for your information. I enjoyed reading it.
I am not new to blogging and genuinely treasure your website. There is much premier content that peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking you out.
Beyonce is such an inspiration to me. She is such an amazing singer. Have you seen the latest from House of Dereon? Cool stuff. I love reading websites my favorite performer, Beyonce. Click here if you’d like to check out my site. There’s also a game there u can play – it’s here. Hope you enjoy it!
This is the first time I’ve ever visited your website and I think the information here is simply awesome!
I enjoy water aerobics and will preserve to go when I can. Although, I’m sticking more out of drawing and doing the elipitcal right now. I think it reckons on the teacher and how solid you work to see benefits. Some ladies are there just to socialize and move around which is great for them. When I was going 3 days a week, I could tell my body was in better shape! So aerobis exercise is good for health.
Hey! Thanks for the specifics ! I found it insightful with some research I’m doing right now. I’m going to bookmark this post and return. can you tell me where i can find more information on this? Keep it up!
I want to thank the blogger very much not only for this post but also for his all previous efforts. I found http://www.pilatessportscenter.com to be extremely interesting. I will be coming back to http://www.pilatessportscenter.com for more information.
It is useful to try everything in practise anyway and I like that here it’s always possible to find something new.
Great article, thank you. I signed up to your rss feed!
I have been doing pilates for about 3 years and can not get enough, especially since I got my new reformer.
Hey there! I have to say I rather enjoy Your blog, it makes for an awesome Read! I hope to see more stories from you soon! Thanks!
Hey, great stuff you’re posting here. I enjoy reading the site.
Great Web site! I wanted to ask if I would be able site some of your Dancer Kicks It Up Zumba Style! | Pilates Sports Center and use a couple of points for a term paper. Please let me know through email whether its ok or not. Thanks
That is nice to definitely find a site where the blogger knows what they are talking about.
Can anyone supply me with any more resources on this topic?
Extremely interesting post thanks for writing it I have added your blog to my bookmarks and will be back
By the way this is off topic but I really like your sites layout.
Ok, i think i will save this for thenext time I’ll have to argue with Frank (friend of mine) about it! I wasn’t wrong
Excellent Article! I personally really appreciate your post. This is a great website. I will make sure that I stop back again!.
Hi! I want to say thanks for an interesting site about a subject I have had an interest in for a long time now. I have been lurking and reading the posts avidly so just wanted to express my thanks for providing me with some very good reading material. I look forward to more, and taking a more active part in the discussions here.
Hey there! I have to say I rather enjoy Your blog, it makes for an awesome Read! I hope to see more stories from you soon! Thanks!
Always looking for something new to own. Looks like this might be it.
?Hey…thanks for that. Great idea. I’ll be coming back when I can for more news. Excellent!
Yes, i am sure many people will have the same comment.
The articles you have on your site are always so enjoyable to read. Good work and I bookmarked it.
Hrmm that was weird, my comment got eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it’s nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. Thanks.
Well, this is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the identical niche. Your blog provided us valuable info to work on. You have done a marvellous job!
Could not agree more with you. The same thing has happend to me.
Just found your blog on google and I believe it is a shame that you are not ranked higher since this is a great post. To change this I decided to save your site to my RSS reader and I will try to mention you in one of my posts because you truly deserv more readers when publishing content of this quality.