Staying fit with School of Dance & Fitness
Keeping healthy while moving your feet
Two dancing instructors who both have to the rare combination of loving children and loving dance as well, show the children of Namibia how to stay healthy and also have fun at the same time
Anna Jorge and her dancing partner, Daniel Acosta have a dance background that ranges from latin, ballroom, hip hop and other fitness styles as well.
“I am Portuguese, Angolan and Namibian so I grew up a little bit everywhere. Daniel Acosta is Ecuadorian and I believe he is a child of the world,” says Jorge.
Their dancing studio has existed for over 10 years, but Jorge and Acosta Daniel only added the fitness part to their programme approximately 2 years ago. “We wanted to also bring in a variety of dances classes and styles. A lot of children hate sports and exercising so we needed to find a way to teach them in a style that fun for them,” says Acosta.
They teach children dance classes such as hip hop and the most popular Zumba classes which are exclusive in Namibia developed by the two. “It is a weight management fitness program which has become popular in demand and very effective. We also have the Z Plus, which is a combination of cardio, toning and eating plans. We like to keep track of our clients’ progress so we also do measurements with full follow-ups and we also offer moral support as well as we are working with young children,” says Jorge.
Jorge and Acosta have always been interested in dancing as it their passion and not to mention it is in their blood as they are Latinos. “The passion to teach and to have our own space where we can not only do what we love, but also share the experience with others has motivated us to open our dance study. We want to inspire and to be a role model especially for the youth on how to follow your dreams and live a healthy lifestyle,” says Acosta.
Children can enroll in different classes like Latin passion, Salsa Fusion, Kizomba, Capoeira and other fitness packages like Kids Fit, Bully Proof Kids and MixFit. “Our teaching style is very different so we have specialized Namibian teachers for Ballet, Funk Off and Salsa that are currently part of our team,” saysAcosta.
School of Dance and Fitness currently have 3 studios, one in Walvis Bay and two in Swakopmund. “We are currently working on our brand new studio going that has been open for about 3 months now and we are very excited on interacting with our client base in the capital. “The parents as well as kids love our classes and usually once they have signed up, they tend to stay and be a part of our venture,” says Jorge. The youngest enrolled student at their academy is three years old while their oldest is currently 87. Acosta and Jorge are trying to make parents and children see dancing as a fitness option and making having a healthy lifestyle a priority as it important that children keep healthy from a very young age.
“In this day and age, anything that can give our kids of today a purpose and a reason to stay off the streets is always a win and in the process we pride ourselves in teaching them more than just dance. It comes with responsibility, accountability, mannerism, punctuality and much more. To be a dancer you have to have traits such as discipline, team work ethic and patience,” says Jorge.
The two have also had many shows and dances in different countries and have shared many stages as well. “Our biggest highlight is definitely owning our spaces such as our studios and having our students and our dancing worlds grow around us. That is gratifying more than anything else.”
You can find School of Dance & Fitness on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
Anna Jorge and her dancing partner, Daniel Acosta have a dance background that ranges from latin, ballroom, hip hop and other fitness styles as well.
“I am Portuguese, Angolan and Namibian so I grew up a little bit everywhere. Daniel Acosta is Ecuadorian and I believe he is a child of the world,” says Jorge.
Their dancing studio has existed for over 10 years, but Jorge and Acosta Daniel only added the fitness part to their programme approximately 2 years ago. “We wanted to also bring in a variety of dances classes and styles. A lot of children hate sports and exercising so we needed to find a way to teach them in a style that fun for them,” says Acosta.
They teach children dance classes such as hip hop and the most popular Zumba classes which are exclusive in Namibia developed by the two. “It is a weight management fitness program which has become popular in demand and very effective. We also have the Z Plus, which is a combination of cardio, toning and eating plans. We like to keep track of our clients’ progress so we also do measurements with full follow-ups and we also offer moral support as well as we are working with young children,” says Jorge.
Jorge and Acosta have always been interested in dancing as it their passion and not to mention it is in their blood as they are Latinos. “The passion to teach and to have our own space where we can not only do what we love, but also share the experience with others has motivated us to open our dance study. We want to inspire and to be a role model especially for the youth on how to follow your dreams and live a healthy lifestyle,” says Acosta.
Children can enroll in different classes like Latin passion, Salsa Fusion, Kizomba, Capoeira and other fitness packages like Kids Fit, Bully Proof Kids and MixFit. “Our teaching style is very different so we have specialized Namibian teachers for Ballet, Funk Off and Salsa that are currently part of our team,” saysAcosta.
School of Dance and Fitness currently have 3 studios, one in Walvis Bay and two in Swakopmund. “We are currently working on our brand new studio going that has been open for about 3 months now and we are very excited on interacting with our client base in the capital. “The parents as well as kids love our classes and usually once they have signed up, they tend to stay and be a part of our venture,” says Jorge. The youngest enrolled student at their academy is three years old while their oldest is currently 87. Acosta and Jorge are trying to make parents and children see dancing as a fitness option and making having a healthy lifestyle a priority as it important that children keep healthy from a very young age.
“In this day and age, anything that can give our kids of today a purpose and a reason to stay off the streets is always a win and in the process we pride ourselves in teaching them more than just dance. It comes with responsibility, accountability, mannerism, punctuality and much more. To be a dancer you have to have traits such as discipline, team work ethic and patience,” says Jorge.
The two have also had many shows and dances in different countries and have shared many stages as well. “Our biggest highlight is definitely owning our spaces such as our studios and having our students and our dancing worlds grow around us. That is gratifying more than anything else.”
You can find School of Dance & Fitness on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
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