Is Aztec Dance the hot, new fitness craze?

*I’m not sure if this is cool or not. I’ll know when some athletic apparel company markets shell-adorned ankle wear. VL

By Rachel Uranga, Latinzine MSN

In a Southern California studio the sound of Santana’s electric guitars and an electronic beat are pulsing as an Aztec Dance class warms up. Spandex-clad dancers fill the floor, readying for a demanding two-hour fitness class inspired by the sacred dance of Mexico’s indigenous people.

Move over Zumba, time to make room for Danza Azteca.

Transforming a spiritual ritual into a fitness or leisure activity isn’t new. Yoga exploded more than a decade ago and its studios are now as common as Starbucks. Across the country, Danza Azteca is being offered at a growing number of after school programs and at community centers a as fitness alternative or a dance modality, but its evolution from sacred to secular hasn’t been without controversy.

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