Socacize founder and instructor Ayanna Lee-Rivears leads a class at O.I.P. Dance Centre, in Toronto.
IAN WILLMS/TORONTO STARThe Caribana party never has to stop, thanks to a growing dance-inspired fitness movement.
Socacize, a hip-popping, booty-shaking workout including moves from calypso, souk, chutney and yes, soca, is capitalizing on the annual Caribana festival with special two-hour boot camp classes to help revelers prep for the July 31 parade — and any other activities you might get up to during the month-long event.
“The dance styles are the ones you’ll see on the road during the parade,” says Socacize creator Ayanna Lee-Rivears. Plus “you build up stamina and endurance.” Born in Trinidad and Tobago, the Toronto-based Lee-Rivears perfected Socacize during her 15 years as a dancer. Three years ago, she took Socacize to the public. Now the high-energy workout with an island flavour is starting to find its groove, says Lee-Rivears. She’s put out an exercise DVD and certifies licensed instructors to lead boot camps in Canada and the United States. This fall she’s planning to formally launch a junior version for kids aged 8 to 12.
Carol Allen has been going since the beginning and says Socacize is not your typical aerobics class. “This feels more like dancing because it infuses my Caribbean heritage.”
Socacize promises to make you sweat, which isn’t difficult with nearly 100 writhing bodies packed into a second-floor downtown Toronto studio on a recent July evening. But the booty-shaking moves and pulsating rhythms also bring up the heart rate in a hurry.
With the music blasting it’s impossible to hear instructions so following along is one part watching for Lee-Rivears’ hand signals and the rest a matter of following the leader. The class follows the typical structure of warm-up, workout and cool-down (with lots of water breaks) but changes things up with constant improvisation. Instructor and deejay (in this case DJ Doc, who spins for Kardinal Offishall) play off each other to keep the moves fresh and the participants guessing.
Classes during Caribana are not only longer (two hours versus one) they are also busier because many mas players are trying to fit into their sparkly costumes. Stefani Vescio shook, shimmied and swayed through her first Socacize class alongside her friend Janina Galeazza last week. She’ll be participating in the Caribana parade for the first time this year and wanted to get into the spirit of things — “and get familiar with the different kinds of music,” says Galeazza, a Socacize veteran with eight months’ experience.
“Whether you’re doing parade or just want something different in terms of exercise,” says Allen, “it’s a lot of fun.”
Socacize Caribana boot camps: Thursday 6:30-8:30 p.m.at Continental Soiree, 1957 Kennedy Rd.; Friday 6-8 p.m. at O.I.P. Dance Centre, 190 Richmond St. E.; and Saturday 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Brampton’s Terry Miller Rec Centre, 1295 Williams Pky. See Socacize.com for more details.
You're service is so well needed during caribana. That parade route is no joke
ReplyDeletewould love to link you to www.caribanafestival.com