Fancy feet {+ a new Zumba video}
Hiiiii 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying the week so far! Livi and I had a great day yesterday and last night, I met some friends for yoga. It had been forever since I’ve taken a class, and mannnn, did I need it. My tight hips and quads were crying a little, but some namaste time has them feeling so much better today. Plus, girls’ night is always a good idea 🙂
So, I can’t get Sunday night’s flamenco performance out of my brain.
For starters, the food at Casa Vicente was out.of.this.world. Like I said, it gave me hope that food can still taste good after Italy. So we were all very happy campers eating until the performance started, and it only got better from there. Going out to eat has become easy again with my Oliv -she loves to dine out and is usually fantastic, but went through a thing where she hated the high chair– and I wasn’t sure if the show would hold her attention for longer than a few minutes. Also, we were on the side in the very front, so if she decided to throw a tantrum, we’d get the stink eye from about a hundred people around us. Thankfully, she loved it as much as I hoped she would. She watched intently, clapped and cheered in between bites of her food. We didn’t stay for the entire two-hour show, but made it for over an hour, which in toddler land = an eternity.
And the dancers….
Oh em geeeeeee.
I’m not sure if I’ve talked about this much on the blog, but I grew up dancing folklorico, which is the traditional dance of Mexico.
(Yep, I had the dresses, fake braids, the whole enchilada. It was so much fun.)
The amount of differences and similarities between flamenco and folklorico are fairly equal. In folklorico, we used our skirts often and would perform dances from different regions of Mexico. In flamenco, there are more aspects to the art: the singing, the dancing and the clapping. I did folklorico from when I was 4 until I was 13, when the gears switched over to primarily jazz, tap, hip hop, Irish step, and later, a little ballet sprinkled in. As you can see, I’ve always been a little all over the place 😉
While watching the flamenco performance, I couldn’t help but think “I want to do that!”
It’s in my before-30 bucket list, so maybe I’ll try out a class or two when it works with my schedule– maybe after the half marathon?
In the meantime, I’ll keep dance cardio-ing and Zumba-ing.
Speaking of Zumba, here’s a new video I filmed in our garage. We’re trying to transform one of the car areas into a clean, workout-friendly space so I can easily take pics and videos to share. As you can see, it still needs some work, but I was too excited to get started.
This is one of my current favorite songs, mostly because Marc Anthony’s voice sets my soul free.
This salsa has more complex footwork, so I tried to show some options to make it more challenging, play with direction changes, or simplify based on your needs.
Hope you enjoy!
xoxo
Gina
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I think that’s so neat that you used to dance folklorico. I always wish I grew up dancing so maybe I was a bit more coordinated with my feet, but sadly that’s not the case.
And I also love the fact that you had a girls night doing yoga – so need to do that with my friends soon.
I love flamenco! It’s so awesome to watch and of course, their dresses are always gorgeous! Enjoyed the new Zumba video!
Gina, you’re getting so creative with the Zumba videos! Love it! I’ll definitely be incorporating this into my Solibeat workout…which is amazeballs, btw! I may have gone a little nuts during the freestyle. lol. 🙂
I wish I could dance I’m missing the groove thang gene!
I love that you are converting part of your garage into your ‘fitness filming studio’. Looks like a great start.
thank you! 🙂
I have a HUGE respect for flamenco dancers, I’ve taken a few classes here and there and it seriously blows my mind, there are so many things going on at once!
ah! You rock it. Love the video 🙂
thank you, lovely friend!
Love the video!! Cant wait to get home tonight and test it out! I’ve been sticking to low impact cardio for the past few weeks following doctors orders so dance has been a fabulous option and I’m loving the new change!
let me know how it goes 🙂
Hey, I’ve been trying to have a afternoon snack (( Since I eat breakfest/lunch so early, it’s a good 4-5 hours before dinner.)) and for the past few weeks I’ve been eating 1-2 carrots with 1.5tbs (( aka a blob from a spoon)) of natural peanut butter. Is that a bad thing to have for a snack?.. as in, is it too much for a snack? I generally eat Big breakfasts (( 300-360cls is big for me ha.)) and have a salad with some carrots and celery for lunch/and dinner, so I like to eat small things inbetween meals, but I worry that maybe Peanut butter isn’t a good thing for a constant snack?..
// I workout about 45-55 minutes per-day with running and cardio if that helps.
that’s definitely a good snack! it actually sounds like you might need to up your fuel intake if you’re having a light salad for lunch and dinner and working out so much
xo
LOVED the video! I can’t wait to do it later today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also can’t wait until I get my solibeat video!
wahoooooo! hope it gets there soon 🙂 will email you back tonight too!
Wait, I love the beginning of your video!!!! That’s new! So cool. Did you film yourself doing that!?! Love it. Totally would love to try flamenco. Although I’m not a huge fan of the flamenco tracks from Zumba, I think this would be a little different (especially if I have a skirt!).
thank you!! no, i ordered it. i can send you the info if you’d like 🙂
xoxo
I love folk dancing of any kind. It sort of takes my mind back to that time before movies, malls, and modern entertainment where that WAS what you did to celebrate. It’s on my bucket list to take more social dance classes so I can grab more dancing opportunities when they come up.
when i lived in spain i saw a few flamenco shows — so exciting! so much passion! love the zumba video, great “studio” 😉
now i’m dying to go to spain! haha
Great video! You can definitely see that you have a dance background 🙂
I love watching flamenco!! The dancers just make it look so easy, I feel like I could just jump on stage and twirl around with them! Which is most def not reality haha I would have to take a dance class (or a hundred) to get up to speed 😉
hahah seriously! i wouldn’t even know where to start
I think this is amazing! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I wish I had your talent when it came to dancing! Thats why I stick to running haha
Ohhhh that’s so cool that you’re turning your garage into a filming area! You will have less awkward looks from other gym goers 🙂
exactly 🙂
Excited for this video! Salsa is my favorite footwork in Zumba! Thanks Gina! 🙂
let me know how it goes 🙂
I could not dance like that in a million years! I can barley tie my shoes I’m so uncoordinated 🙂 Love the video though! Maybe hidden away in my basement I’ll give it a go ;)!
dooooooooo it
Awesome moves on the new Zumba video! BTW, my copy of Soli Beat arrived yesterday and while I haven’t had a chance to actually do the workout, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Ay, ay, ay…you and Sasha are amazing dancers!!! I can’t wait for Friday (my cardio day) to “virtually” workout with you rockstars 🙂
ohhhh yeahhhh! i’m so excited! let me know what you think when you give it a try 🙂
You’re so cute! You make it look SO easy! I’d be stumbling all over myself. 😉
SUPER vid gina! i have been loving that song since summer and although i generally don’t lead salsa routines in my class, i think i will just because i love this song AND your routine.
thank you!! hope your class loves it 🙂
you are so talented! i wish i had moves like you. thanks for sharing this video 🙂
The dancing looks fun and like something worth trying at least once on your life. I bet food is harder to eat now that your back in the states.
This came at such a hilarious time. I work nights in a medical lab, and basically last night I was falling asleep, so I needed something to wake me up. I stumble upon the “Hot Miami Nights” station on Songza (imagine EDM + PitBull), and basically had a Zumba party at my workstation. Of course, no one understood why I was shaking my butt all night, because I was listening to headphones, but it definitely kept me awake!
hahaha YES! i love it 🙂
Gina,
Omg! I love it! I love watching your dance videos and OMG you are amazing, beautiful and inspiring. Dancing is one workout that I am most afraid of and during our lululemon challenge it was definitely once class “to scare myself daily” I have walked out of countless dance classes, in my life. It is just not for me but watching your videos, I so wish I had it in me 🙂 However, get me to yoga and I can bend, twish, stretch and contour myself anyway. You are a beauty!
Hey silly question, does Livi ever dance to your videos? My daughter always runs to my ipad when I play one of your videos and tries to mimic your moves, so we have little dance parties. she only 17 months but does pretty well. maybe one of these days i’ll record her and send you a clip. it’s too cute.
The girl can MOVE!!!
It’s so awesome to watch you shake, grapevine, salsa, etc. You have such fluid movements but they look very sharp! I’ll never forget trying to keep up with you in Zumba at CR!
xoxo
aww, thank you jac! come back soon 🙂 xo
Just wanted to share that I love your dance instruction videos! You are a talented dancer. More dance vids please!
I can do them in the privacy of my own home, so I don’t have to feel like a klutz tripping all over myself in a class. It’s so much fun 🙂 Thanks!
thank you so much, emily! i’m so happy to hear you like them
xoxo
Love the zumba video!!!!! The garage is looking good my friend!
wish YOU were in this video with me 🙂 xo
Your new video space looks great! And awesome song choice– I looove salsa even though I’ve always had two left feet.
thank you! 🙂
Love the Marc anthony song and your video! Been doing this dance on repeat as I’ve made chili for tonight!
I wish I had any kind of dance experience. Every time I watch anything dance related I just think “I would look like a fool if I did that!”. All your videos really make me want to give it a go though!
What a great idea about your garage! It’s looking very good! I can’t wait for more videos!
I am totally a lurker – I read every post of yours, but never comment (sorry about that). But, I watched your zumba video and I LOVE this song. Seriously. I have been playing it nonstop since yesterday and even told my friend who studied abroad in the DR about it. I totally trust your taste in music now 😉
What shoes are you wearing in the Zumba video? Love ’em!
This post brought back sweet memories of folklorico practice and our fun trips dancing together! I love reading your blog and keeping up with you after all these years! Your family is beautiful!
Xoxo Cande
Love the choreo! I have been teaching zumba for 3 years and I’m always on the hunt for a great salsa song that is easy to follow and lots of fun. This looks like a great one! I’m excited to try it. Thank you for sharing!
I studied on exchange in Spain for 6 months, and I took flamenco lessons. I am NOT a dancer by any stretch of the imagination, but I loved it so much! It is such a fun dance, and the music and culture surrounding it is so amazing. Just walking down the street in Seville and Granada, the teenage girls play it on the ipods and are clapping away with rhythms! You should totally do it!