“New year, new you” and that all starts with making and committing to healthy habits! Get ready to shimmy, shake, and sweat your way to a sculpted body with these dynamic dance workouts that not only elevate your heart rate, but also infuse your fitness routine with the spirit of Reggae, Afrobeats, Soca and Dancehall. Fitness can be a fun activity as you make your way to a healthier you.
You can find all of these Caribbean dance workouts and more on our YouTube playlist HERE.
Reggaeton
Built for new moms, or anyone low on time, this two part, 20-minute Reggaeton vs Soca workout from fitness influencers Grow with Jo and Tara’s Body is perfect for those looking for low-impact but high energy fun with zero equipment required. Feel good in your own skin while burning up to 200 calories dancing along to music from Puerto Rican rapper Farruko and Trinidadian soca artist Machel Montano.
The trick is to keep your heart rate up to burn fat easily with simple full-body movements that keep you in constant motion. And if you’re worried you can’t keep up, don’t sweat it. Both Johanna and Tara are there to keep you motivated and focused on the real goal: to have fun and move your body!
From mastering body rolls and footwork to stomps and spins, Laurel Card of The Mom Edit teaches this intermediate class all set to the infectious beats of Reggaeton and Latin hip-hop. This class offers the flexibility to choose your preferred level of difficulty, as each move comes with layers, allowing you to start at a complete beginner level and progressively build up the complexity and intensity of the routine. Once you master the steps, dance it out in full swing alongside Card in the part two video!
Afrobeats
Only have 10 minutes? No problem. In this POPSUGAR Fitness video, host and choreographer Kaleila Jordan guides you with a step-by-step Afrobeats dance workout. Joined by the dynamic duo Galit Friedlander and Claudine Pierre-Louis, this leg and hip-focused workout is fully guided and includes a slowed down, step-by-step instruction for all of the moves, so you can be sure to hit your mark. Look forward to winding and shaking your booty among more traditional African dance moves — and get in a great stretch for the cool down at the end.
If you’re looking to get energized, take this class from Hélio Faria, the creator of DanceFunFitness. Catered to both men and women, follow along with the instructors for 25 minutes of authentic African, Dancehall and Soca moves to the beat of a playlist staked with great artists, like Wizkid, Kevin Lyttle and Sean Paul. Each dance segment is split up by song, so pick your favorite, or set yourself the challenge to do them all!
Soca
Antiguan dance fitness instructor Selena Watkins of Socanomics leads this dynamic Caribbean workout that focuses on breathwork, hip mobility, full body cardio and, of course, fun! For 30 minutes you’ll be body rolling, winding, hopping, shimmying, hip thrusting and more, learning moves often seen at Carnival. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or a beginner, Watkins’ expert instruction allows you to infuse your personality and make each move your own. So, even if you’re not in the mood to work out, simply let the music take over!
Looking for something even more challenging? Take this class from Paige Romans of Soca Fitness that incorporates weight lifting into the workout. Jump along to music from Trinidadian soca group Kes, Machel Montano, Lyrikal and more as you wave your flag, dance to the beat and tone up your arms with bicep curls, front raises, overhead extensions, bent over rows and other variations of upper body training. Roman’s advice — “bring water and a rag in preparation fi deh sweat.”
Dancehall
15 minutes is all you need to sweat it out in this Jamaican dancehall-inspired workout. Hosted by fan-favorite instructor Brandon from 305 Fitness, prepare to wind your hips, pop your booty and drop it low. The video is complete will full instructions on each move, so you know exactly what to do and how to do it before combining everything into a full dance. This high-energy, full-body workout will leave you feeling like a dancehall queen, so skip your boring treadmill-based cardio and get your heart rate up with non-stop dancing!
Not a fan of the gym? No problem. Workout from the comfort of your home with this 25-minute dance from Dom and Danielle of and8 Fitness. The playlist includes hits like Dutty Wine by Tony Matterhorn, Run Wid It by Mr. Killa and Get Busy by Sean Paul, so prepare to be jamming along the whole time as you jump, wine, back it up and more. Though challenging, this workout is doable for any level of fitness, and any age! If you’re getting tired or just not feeling the moves (though we doubt it!), you can never go wrong with stepping it out or a quick booty shake. Prepare to get sweaty!
