The best dance cardio classes always have energetic music, motivational teachers, and easy-to-follow movements – because nobody wants to be lost or uninspired in all the fun. Twins Danielle and Dominique Gillyard, founders of and8 Fitness, tick all of these boxes. Her latest session on YouTube (and seen above) adds another element that makes this package even better: “Hot Girl Halloween”.
The warm-up track, a trap remix of the Ghost hunters Theme song, made me sweat from the start. And many of the heartbreaking dance moves are aimed at your core and legs thanks to various squats, high knees, standing abs, and some twerking action. Personally, I was a fan of the Monster Drop Squats during the remix of “Monster Mash”; the explosive knee drives in “Calling All the Monsters,” where I felt my stress flow like ghosts from my body; and basically the entire Joe Maz remix of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps”. The Gillyards even sneaked in on “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by the Backstreet Boys as an ode to the haunted house music video – and you’ll be screaming over the throwback choreography!
Danielle, who is AFAA certified group fitness trainer, told POPSUGAR that the choreography she and her twin Dominique create, Sets and 8 Fitness, is different from other dance fitness classes because “people always say we’re getting them to use their bodies in new and unique ways. “She and her sister usually choreograph the sequences they lead separately, but they also check each other for feedback before filming the workouts. They have a background in cheerleading, then joined dance teams during college and were both Zumba instructors after college.
As for the music, which is usually a selection of popular hits and hip-hop and trap, Danielle says they take the time to determine the playlist for each workout “to find just the right balance of intensity, dance, and fun “- and it sure shows! “Many exercise programs have focused solely on looking a certain way or burning calories,” she continued. “In our workouts, it is important to us that we feel safe, have fun and celebrate what our body can do!”
Danielle added, “The training is effective so that physical changes will occur, but we hope for a mental brightening for the people who dance with us.” I definitely felt the mental benefits of watching the “Hot Girl Halloween” video – PMS symptoms made my day extremely difficult, as did a bad mood that I can safely attribute to my cramps and they almost went away when I danced with Danielle and Dominique and enjoy the energetic tracks. It’s also worth noting that dance cardio is not my preferred exercise, so the fact that I found this session to be as enjoyable as I was is a remarkable achievement.
What started as a small virtual class in May 2020 is now a fitness program that offers both live, on-demand and face-to-face sessions. They have a YouTube channel with over 189,000 subscribers where you can find courses like a Megan Thee Stallion-themed workout that garnered over a million views and an Instagram follower of nearly 25,000. Unlike on-demand sessions through Vimeo, YouTube sessions are free. these are subscription-based or can be rented or bought. Danielle and Dominique teach in person on a weekly basis, but they hope to have a permanent dedicated space for workouts soon.
“As a company owned by women and black people, our mission is to improve access to fitness for people like us who are often not recognized or reflected by the ‘mainstream’ fitness community,” they write on the and8 Fitness- Homepage. “We are driven by our belief that we are the representation of [women of color] in fitness and wellness areas – as well as promoting inclusion for different body types. So join the party and get your best workout in 5, 6, 7 and 8. “
