“What if we’re too good at this?”
It’s safe to say we’re feeling a tad over confident before our very first Twerk It Out class, in Auckland’s CBD. It’s a feeling that doesn’t last long.
The classes run in seven-week courses and we have started on week six, so the class has already mastered the basics in a way that we, as novices, have not.
The teacher is Hayley, who is tanned, teeny tiny and loud – exactly the perfect person to teach this fun and slightly ridiculous dance.
Watch: Sinead and Emma twerk’
Twerking originally came from West Africa but reached full mainstream thanks to the assorted bootys of Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus, and now there are dance classes dedicated to teaching it.
There are three important things to know about twerking: One, it is a dance move that appreciates your butt. Two, the less clothes you wear, the easier it is to free the flesh needed to do the twerk. Three, this is a body confident dance class. There are all types of figures on display here and everyone is shaking it loud and proud.
You know the confidence that comes on the dancefloor when you’ve had three wines and they start playing Beyonce? That’s the level of spirit in a twerking class, straight off the bat – and it’s contagious.
It’s also hard – within minutes of our warm-up routine, my thighs are burning and halfway through the class, Sinead comments that my face is so sweat-soaked it looks like I’ve been underwater.
Because so much of twerking requires you to be in a squat or lunge pose, it’s a killer work out for your lower body but Hayley switches it up by incorporating moves like Downward Dog Twerks (yes, that is a thing).
Also: a lot of the twerk power comes from your core strength, so it really is a full-body activity. It’s also full energy, and because the music is so damn catchy – think Missy Elliott, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj – it helps boost your mood even when your legs are shaking.
Verdict: Two thumbs up forever. We will be coming back next Monday, and every Monday after that until we’re old and grey and our knees refuse to twerk anymore.
Where I went: Twerk It Out, which runs classes around Auckland. Visit the website for locations and times.
We have one double pass to a twerking class to give away. To enter, visit our Facebook page.
Winners must be able to attend class in Auckland.
