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Last update - 22:44 07/07/2008 When the rumba rhythm rips By Ariel Rubinsky Tags: Haim Revivo, Israel, rumba  Up until a few years ago, the Israeli dance scene consisted mainly of classes for girls and ballroom dancing, which was very popular among immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States. But today, every average Israeli knows the difference between a rumba, a cha cha and jazz; especially after soccer star Haim Revivo redefined the image of the Israeli macho two years ago, when he appeared on the local version of "Dancing With the Stars" wearing a tight-fitting, sequined leotard. Revivo pranced around light-footedly and danced a sensuous rumba, too. The fact that ballroom dancing classes are offered both in Tel Aviv and in Shlomi not only indicates that this trend combines fun with burning calories and shaping the body, but also that many participants are aware that, at the next wedding, they can impress their relatives with their dance floor moves. But is it really possible to replace the exercise regimen at the gym with salsa lessons? "Absolutely," says Eli Mizrahi, a judge at international dance competitions and the founder of the Ballroom Dance Academy. "Dancing works on heart-lung capacity, leg and stomach muscles, flexibility, agility and speed." Advertisement Mizrahi cites an American study of a few years ago, which suggested that some 700 calories are burned during 30 minutes of Latin dancing (which includes samba, salsa, mambo and others). He stresses that slower steps, such as the waltz, also work on stabilizing muscles and improve the muscles' technical and stretching capacities. According to him, this has an immediate impact on the body's strengthening and on the overall feeling of well-being: "It releases endorphins in the body and gives rise to a good mood; people smile during lessons. There is also the social aspect, there is the ambience, the music; students tell me that during lessons they feel as if they're in another world. It's completely different from working out in a gym, for example, where you exercise alone and it can get pretty boring." Mizrahi says two dance sessions a week are enough to maintain a basic level of fitness. Because dancing involves the use of "muscles that many students haven't used before - they might not even know they existed - it's essential to build up one's strength gradually and work with a professional instructor," Mizrahi stresses. "This is especially true for those aged 40 and above, if they start dancing for the first time." He adds that there is a therapeutic aspect, too: Dancing preserves the body's calcium, and many of his students come at the recommendation of their physician. In this respect, Dr. David Neiss, an expert in chiropractic who lives in Tel Aviv, specifies that any movement that uses a muscle creates a burden on the bones, which causes the body to reinforce them. According to him, other benefits of dance include the strengthening of the leg muscles, which is especially important for older people concerned about falls; the improvement of flexibility, which reduces the risk of deteriorating joints; and improved stability. "Good posture improves breathing and regulates blood vessel activities," says Neiss. He himself is a veteran tango dancer, and he confirms that, "An active person is more optimistic, and sees life in a different light. It extends far beyond the physical aspects." Each and every muscle And for younger candidates, one need be no older than 6 to begin ballet classes. "Dance is a truly aerobic exercise; you can emerge from a ballet class exhausted and drenched in sweat," says Erica Rintovich, the executive director of Pure Studios, a center for dance, yoga, and Pilates that recently opened in Tel Aviv. "Everyone, regardless of age or weight, can come to a basic lesson in classical ballet," she notes. "The lesson is at a very slow pace but if you do it right and invest a lot of energy in it, over time it will affect the shape of your body, because you work out all the body's muscles." "The most important thing in ballet is to control your body," explains Walter Cinquinela, a senior ballet instructor who immigrated to Israel several years ago from Italy. "You have to be aware of each and every muscle that moves in the body, it's always important to listen to the messages your body sends you. Classical ballet gives you a sense of perfection." In addition, Rintovich also recommends starting with less trying dance styles, such as release, a type of modern dance adapted for beginners. "Styles of modern dance include lots of basic elements from classical ballet, such as the closing in toward the middle, the erect posture, the long lines stretching upward," she explains, "but there are also styles that were affected by tribal motifs, which means that dancers strive less to the heights and more to the roots, downward. Release is very basic, it affords you with a sense of knowing your body; even someone with no background in dance can easily fit in." Rintovich also refers to free-style and contact-improvisation as classes that do not require any previous experience in dance. "Contact involves warm-up, a bit of stretching and moving about in the hall. Then two or more people begin to attempt to make contact with each other, using the weight of the others. There is lots of movement, the entire space is used; it's very pleasant. Free-style is free improvisation; you put on music - trance or anything else - and you go ahead and dance. Of course the instructor gives you directions, providing food for thought and comments on image and the like. It creates a nice group dynamic." Another recommendation is hip hop, a variety of styles that evolved from break dancing into an energetic, athletic and jumpy style of dance. "Here, too, people with no background in dance can easily find themselves, because it's a more relaxed style," says Rintovich. Belly dancing has also become quite popular and is recommended for pregnant and post-natal women, among others. No substitute for the gym Eyal Amon, the professional director of the Holmes Place fitness clubs, has a different opinion. "Dancing has a very clear advantage - those who like to dance enjoy it very much. But in no way is it a replacement for the gym," he says. He does agree that dancing and ballroom dancing do entail a certain workout for heart-lung capacity, flexibility and strength, but argues, "You will never achieve the same results as you will get from using a set gym routine. "Dance is an open skill," he continues. "It involves frequent changes in pace, there is no work method according to which you improve your body and gradually increase the level of strength. In addition, it is limited with respect to capacity, because you work with your body weight only, and that's no substitute for working out with weights, which can be increased based on your level of progress." Still, Amon admits that it all depends on the goal: "If you like to dance, then go dance, but remember that if the goal is to exercise all your muscles or develop heart-lung capacity in a meaningful way, then stick to the gym." Bookmark to del.icio.us   History undersea Israeli lifeguard stumbles upon ancient relic during morning swim. 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