A dance-based exercise class in Folkestone for mums who want to light their inner-fire, let go of stress and tiredness, and build strength and energy.
Babies and children welcome.
Tuesdays
10-11am
Three Hills Sports Park*
Cheriton Road, Folkestone, CT19 5JU
(Free parking is available)
What is it?
Imagine there was a class you could go to where you could dance, feel sexy, get sweaty & shake off all the negative energy, anxiety & frustration that comes with being a mum.
Imagine you could bring your little ones with you to play, watch or sleep (or join in), followed by a beautiful guided relaxation!
Well Mama Dance™️ is that class. And you don’t even have to be able to dance! You just need a desire to get out of your head for a bit and feel good in your body.
Current term dates:
Upcoming term dates:
I offer these classes in termly blocks. By committing to a term:
You’ll give yourself the opportunity to build up your muscular strength & cardiovascular fitness.
You’ll be able to pick up the routines as we do the same ones each week, so by the end of a term you’ll be able to dance with your eyes closed!!
You’ll see a noticeable difference in your physical & mental wellbeing by the end of the term.
You’ll get to know the other Mamas when you come regularly.
You’ll benefit from a discounted rate by booking the full term.
(Please note there will be an 80p per class price increase in place from 20th Feb)
You can also book a single class subject to availability
Who is this class for?
This class is for YOU mamas. It’s not another Mum & Baby group where the focus is on your little one. The focus of Mama Dance™️ is YOU and your wellbeing. Becoming a mother is a huge change. Our minds are different, our bodies are different, our opportunity for ‘me time’ is practically non-existent, and life can be pretty stressful. This class is the chance for you to get a bit of YOU back again.
You can come to this class at any stage of your postnatal journey, once you have been given the all-clear by your GP to exercise again. I highly recommend attending my Postnatal Yoga classes simultaneously or before joining this class in order to facilitate your postnatal healing.
You can come to this class with or without your little (or not so little) one.
You can come to this class if you don’t have any dance experience.
Can I just drop in?
I highly recommend booking the full 6 week term to reap ALL of the benefits and to get to know the dances so you can do them with your eyes shut by week 6! However if maximum capacity is not reached, I will offer drop-in places each week. Single class rate is £13.
About Me. . .
Before becoming a mother, I used to dance. First as a child, then professionally in shows & then I stopped all that and started teaching Zumba classes (mainly to mums) & Yoga classes.
One day, months after my daughter was born, I was in the kitchen feeling lonely, exhausted & craving something more! Then a song came on that I used to teach in my class & in front of my daughter (sitting in her high chair)… I danced, I danced so hard that I sweat & laughed & cried. It felt so good to ignite the fire within me & I realised, I MISS DANCING. It makes me feel alive, it makes me feel sexy, it makes my body feel strong - not things I could say about motherhood! It allowed me to shake out all the ‘shit’ I had going on in my head. That’s when Mama Dance™️ was born.
A note about your beautiful body!
There is an incredible pressure on us mums to ‘get our bodies back’. I hate that phrase - please don’t put that insane pressure on yourself!!! Our bodies are incredible vessels; they have grown, birthed & nourished a human being, & we need to respect that. At the same time I know the amazing effects that exercise can have on both our physical & mental wellbeing - both of which can suffer when we become mothers. So I offer this class as a way to make you feel good, from the inside out.
If you are newly postpartum, It is vital that you don’t start exercising until your body is ready & that time is different for all of us. For some it’s weeks, for some, months, for some, years. This class is about having a fun workout without feeling like you are actually working out. It is not intended as a postpartum recovery class & I highly recommend attending my Postnatal Yoga Classes before attending these classes, to safely kick-start your strengthening and physical healing.
This class will give you strength, tone, help you loose weight, gain confidence & generally feel awesome - but I can’t stress enough the importance of taking it slowly after you have given birth, however that looked for you. Please ensure you have had your 6 week check (vaginal birth) or 8 week check (abdominal birth) & have been given the all clear to exercise. There is no rush!!!
If you are unsure please get in touch and we can have a chat.
Frequently Asked Questions:
+ What should I wear?
Clothes in which you are able to move & get sweaty. I recommend some leggings & a t-shirt/vest top & a good supportive sports bra!! This is really important, especially if you are breast feeding & your boobs are heavier than normal! You'll also need a decent pair of trainers. Something lightweight, flexible, with good ankle support.
+ What should I bring?
A bottle of water & a towel to wipe your brow! We finish up on the ground in a beautiful relaxation so you may like to bring a towel or Yoga mat for the floor.
+ Can I bring my child with me?
Yes! That's the whole point of this class. Don't worry about finding childcare - bring your little one/ones along.
+ Is there an age limit for the children?
No. Babies & children of any age are welcome. Older children are welcome to join in if they have suitable footware on.
+ What do the babies/children do while I dance?
I provide play mats for your little ones to hang out on. Depending on their age, they will either watch (even the tiny babies seem to stop & stare in awe of Mama), sleep (many babies sleep through the music!), play (if you bring some small toys along - No balls please), or if they are old enough they are welcome to join in. You can bring pushchairs into the room so sleeping babes can stay in their pushchair or they can hang out on the mats.
Each child is different so you may find your little one watches in amazement, or you may find they need some cuddles, food, mummy play, mid-class - whatever you need to do to keep them happy is absolutely fine. Normally after they've been once, they get that it's mummy's time to dance & they happily bop along!
+ What if my baby cries?
We're all mums here - babies cry & we'll support you & love you through it! The music normally cheers them up but you can stop & comfort your baby whenever you need too. Plus I'm on hand for cuddles during the relaxation!
+ Do I need to bring anything for my child?
Yes. I only provide mats so please bring anything else you need for your child, blankets, toys (small toys - no balls please), jungle gyms, ipads etc welcome with headphones.
Music is an important part of this class, you need to be able to let yourself get lost in the music so I play the tracks at a volume that will energize you, whilst being cautious of delicate new ears. If you prefer, you can bring ear defenders along for your little ones.
+ I had a c-section, can I do this class?
Yes, as long as you have been given the all clear to exercise again from a medical professional (after at least 8-10 weeks).
+ I'm breastfeeding, can I do this class?
Yes. Be sure to wear a comfortable & supportive bra & stop & feed your baby whenever you need to.
+ I have diastasis Recti, can I do this class?
Yes. Mama Dance is a full body cardiovascular exercise class. We don't do any of the common 'exercises to avoid' i.e crunches, twists. However, this class is about having a fun workout & shaking out your 'shit'. It is not intended as a post-partum recovery class (although by attending regularly you will gain strength, tone & lose weight). I therefore recommend that you seek out specific post-partum correctional exercise advice if your muscles feel in anyway unstable.
+ Can i wear my baby in a sling while i dance?
I don't recommend dancing with your baby in a sling. The choreography in this class is designed just for you, not for baby. Carrying your baby adds a lot of extra pressure & weight to your body so it is safer to lay your baby on the mats or in a pram.
+ Do I need to be able to dance?
This is a fun, friendly, judgement-free class. As long as you love music & have the desire to dance & feel good then this is the class for you. No experince is required. You just follow me. This class is suitable for all abilities. There's no time to feel self-conscious. You'll leave this class feeling good!
+ Can I come without my baby/child?
Yes! Of course you can. The only criteria is that you are a mama - it doesn't matter what age your little (or not so little one is). Just be aware that there will be children in the class.
+ Do i need to book?
Yes. To get full benefits of the class I recommend booking the Term. You can also book a one off class at the drop-in rate.
+ WHAT IF THE CLASS NEEDS TO BE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19?
If the government declares public classes are prohibited or we return to another lockdown, I will cancel the classes. You can choose to carry classes over to a future block or receive a refund for any unattended classes.
Please see T&C's for cancellation policy.
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