‘Raqs’ up the tempo!

Men and women are fighting the battle of the bulge by dancing their way to slimmer waist lines at the DreamBody Centre (DBC) in Bahrain Mall, writes Mai Al Khatib-Camille.

The 23-minute weight loss and body transformation centre, which works by doing interval training on specialist hydraulic circuit equipment, has been helping its members get fitter while having fun in its new dance class, Raqs23.

DBC founder Suhail Algosaibi said: “We developed this class in-house in response to our members’ frequent requests for a dance class.”

Fitness leader, Jefferson Miclat, was tasked with coming up with a class that fitted in with the centre’s fitness philosophy and spent months perfecting it step-by-step.

This class is another move in DBC’s determined bid to help tackle the serious growth of obesity in Bahrain. A recent study published by The Lancet, a leading general medical journal and specialty journal in oncology, neurology and infectious diseases, has shown that the kingdom was amongst the countries with the highest increase in obesity between 1980 to 2013, in both males and females.

Mr Algosaibi said: “With 2.1 billion people overweight or obese worldwide, there is now a greater urgency to tackle this problem.

“Raqs, which means dance in Arabic, will not only improve fitness levels amongst participants, thus assisting weight loss, but will also help release stress and improve overall well-being.”

The new workout routine is a non-stop 23-minute aerobic dance class composed of hip-hop and Latin dance, as well as a touch of yoga at the end as a cool-down exercise.

According to Mr Algoasibi, it utilises high and low impact exercises to give members an intense total body workout that will leave them feeling breathless and exhilarated. 

He said: “While doing the Raqs workout you’ll notice your heart-rate rise and the adrenaline coursing through your body, giving you the best workout high you’ve had in a long time.

“I’m delighted with the response of our members, they love the new class. We are developing more classes, and the next one will probably be launched in October or November.”

Housewife Shahneen Islam, 37, from Hamala is thrilled with the outcome. She said: “It’s a complete work-out as it’s a mixture of everything from cardio to circuit put together really well.

“I have only been a member for a couple of months and already I can feel the difference. I am getting fit and having fun at the same time. I have also undergone a lifestyle change thanks to the great team here. They are very motivating. I love Raqs23.”

The classes are available twice-a-week at the centre located at the Sanabis mall. The DBC was established in 2007, and plans are underway to franchise the concept throughout the Middle East and Asia.

For details, visit www.DreamBodyCentre.com or www.Raqs23.com