24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 23-29, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Health & Fitness The old adage “it takes two to tango” is something that Natasha Zakrevskaia chooses to ignore, sort of. The professional dancer is celebrating the one-year anniversary of her dance studio called N-Space in Pacific Grove next month. Opening a ballroom studio as a solo woman (rather than as a pair) is rare in the dance community, so it marks not only an exciting achievement but also an open door for dancers to achieve their fitness goals. A 2019 Health and Fitness Association article reported that nearly 80 percent of those with a New Year’s resolution to join a gym will quit by February. The listicle identifies factors that cause people to get inconsistent with their workout routines. Zakrevskaia does not tolerate inconsistency, and demands that her students show up regularly. “She’s basically a female version of Bruce Lee,” says Dylan Harrison, a student of Zakrevskaia. Harrison is practicing for an American smooth dance competition that includes four traditions: slow waltz, tango, foxtrot and Viennese waltz. His dance partner is Stephanie Paclot, a fellow-student who works as an ER doctor and has danced all her life, even through a pregnancy. When Zakrevskaia turns her attention to the pair, Paclot says sarcastically, “The devil is watching.” Zakrevskaia is quick to rebuke the claim: “I’m so freaking nice, guys!” For Paclot, the intensity and discipline are worth it. She sees the practice as a major factor in her mental wellness. “Dance for me equals physical and mental health. It keeps me in shape, it keeps me happy, I met all my friends through dance—it’s half of who I am,” Paclot says. As a professional dancer, Zakrevskaia supplements her own physical fitness with weight-lifting exercises. But dancing itself can serve as a main form of physical activity for many. Aerobically demanding zumba has become a mainstay at many gyms. Zakrevskaia notes that active dances like salsa or swing are faster, which are great for cardio and getting a dancer’s heart rate up. Slower dances are not to be overlooked though, since they require more strength to hold a partner’s frame and perform extensions of the body. Those who begin to master the details and mechanics that Zakrevskaia is so fastidious about may consider competitive ballroom dance. Competitions are typically pro-am, meaning that a professional like Zakrevskaia will be partnered with a student. Harrison has been dancing for two years under Zakrevskaia, and has competed with her before. But he originally started dancing to improve his jiu-jitsu footwork. “I stayed with dance because I think it’s the most holistic thing I’ve found for the benefit of body, mind and spirit altogether,” he says. The studio’s repertoire ranges from ballroom to country to nightclub dancing. There is no age limit, with current students ranging from 2 years old to 86. And the studio’s large windows are welcoming enough to draw in curious passers-by on occasion. “I even have a few students who just stopped by first and got interested,” Zakrevskaia explains. “A lot of people stop by, especially during the evening classes.” Group classes are popular for novice students. Zakrevskaia holds these sessions at least three days a week, and participants are able to drop in for a fee of $20. Different styles are taught on different nights by Zakrevskaia and others— West Coast swing on Fridays, and Latin nights on Sundays. No partners are required for group lessons, since participants will switch partners regularly during the lessons. Lessons are usually about an hour long, followed by free dancing, where Zakrevskaia adds multicolored pole lights to set the mood and ignite the dancers energy a bit. Not everyone competes, but Zakrevskaia and her students say competing is less intimidating than it may seem. “It gives you a goal. It’s climbing a mountain,” Paclot says. “It’s a good challenge. But if you don’t take the challenge, you will not get as good as you think you will.” Zakrevskaia adds, “It’s about a process of progress during the competition and a feeling of achievement and also knowing what you need to try and do better, rather than going to win something.” Competitions aside, high-quality dance comes from mastering little mechanics and movements that the body doesn’t typically do day-to-day. “Even walking backwards is weird for a lot of people,” Zakrevskaia says. “Some people even struggle balancing to walk back.” Besides body mechanics, dancers—and researchers—note other health benefits as well. Among other papers, a 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that dance therapy had a positive effect on physical and cognitive function, and concluded that it improved or slowed the worsening in the quality of life of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Beyond that, dancers say it improves their mental health and is a social outlet. “People recharge here,” Zakrevskaia says. “When the body is moving, it brings some different type of energy out of you.” N-Space Dance Studio is located 170 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Group classes, couples and individual lessons are available. Text 831-917-7787 for more. Whip It Dance can give people a fun and disciplined way to stay healthy and fit at any age. By Sloan Campi Zakrevskaia, left, coaches Paclot. They say the expectation from a coach and dance partner to show up helps create consistency in showing up, making dance into a fitness routine. Dance instructor Natasha Zakrevskaia (right) with student Stephanie Paclot, a lifelong dancer. They cannot decide whether dance is art or sport. “It’s a forever question,” Zakrevskaia says. DANIEL DRIEFUSS DANIEL DRIEFUSS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==