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Deborah Hirsch is dancing across the city, literally. The fitness and dance expert is bringing high-energy classes to community spaces across the area, with the most recent incarnation residing at South Philly’s Programs Employing People, 1200 S. Broad St.
“It’s amazing to be able to funnel some money back into a group that does good things for the community,” Hirsch said of PEP, which will get a portion of the proceeds from each class held there.
Hirsch, who shares a home with husband and business partner Seth Weiner at 19th Street and Washington Avenue, is the owner of Philly Dance Fitness, a company that holds weekly classes across Philadelphia and will begin a residency at PEP on Monday. The lineup will feature a 6:30 p.m. Zumba followed by a 7:30 p.m. cardio bellydance, with the opening-day classes free.
“This is not something that PEP would normally do. It’s really cool they are trying to get the community involved like this,” Hirsch, 28, said.
PEP is a nonprofit that works to teach developmentally disabled individuals vocational skills and provide continuing education. The company is allowing the usage of its 10,000 square-foot spaces at Broad and Federal streets for Hirsch’s company to shake it down every Monday for a $10 drop-in rate or discounted multi-class cards.
“[Philly Dance Fitness] has multiple classes in multiple locations around the city. I have focused on the South Philly community ’cause that’s where I live and I want to do things for my community and my neighborhood. But I have branched out, too,” she said.
After starting her first class at Marion Anderson Recreation Center, 740 S. 17th St., Hirsch has continued to expand, bringing new classes to different rec centers and other independent operations, such as a Saturday Zumba class as well as Frisky Fridays Girls’ Night Out, a striptease aerobics class, at Fitness Works, 714 Reed St.
“There is no membership required, no experience, you don’t need to know right from left,” Hirsch said of her classes. “People don’t want to commit to things, so the drop-in model in Philadelphia, where people have things competing for their time, works well. We hope people continue to come to our classes.”
Starting her new business venture in March 2010 where she made her home allowed Hirsch to see the power dance could have.
“[My clients] have always been diverse. It reflects the community. In South Philly High School, [2101 S. Broad St.,] there was that story of Asians being tormented. I have Asians, Muslims. I have all walks of life and ethnicities and nobody has a problem with anybody,” Hirsch said. “Every positive comment I’ve gotten from someone has inspired me to do more.”
Hirsch was born and raised just outside of Madison, Wis., and moved to Chicago’s Northwestern University to study journalism.
“I was an avid supporter of their dance for non-majors program there,” Hirsch said. “I got in trouble for overloading my schedule. There was no credit, but you can only take so many. There were amazing dance teachers and I got to take classes with them even though I wasn’t a dance major.”
Upon graduating, Hirsch moved to North Carolina to work for the Charlotte Observer, where she met Weiner. After the two spent time in a long-distance relationship split between Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, they both found work in Philadelphia and moved to the area.
“We bought a house in this neighborhood because we were really excited to see it changing. We liked how South Philly had the neighborhood mix of people,” Hirsch said. It is a very diverse neighborhood, very up-and-coming and we really liked this neighborhood in particular.”
Having obtained multiple fitness certifications in North Carolina — including urban striptease and kickboxing — Hirsch viewed the relocation as her chance to start something new. In addition to continuing her journalism work covering Camden, N.J., Hirsch began what would become Philly Dance Fitness with the sole Zumba class at Marion Anderson.
“I had competing passions so I decided to go to a weekly [publication] and have a little more time,” Hirsch, who is currently one of two staff reporters at The Jewish Exponent, said. “I love journalism and dance. They are both strong passions of mine.”
As her dance passion keeps growing, she has in the works the second incarnation of National Dance Day, an event started by the show “So You Think You Can Dance,” where locals are encouraged to support dance in their communities.
“The idea is to get some exposure out there because, let’s face it, dance is the lost little sister of the arts,” Hirsch, who sponsored the event July 31 that featured multiple free dance events and a party, said. “lt’s a progressive dance around Graduate Hospital. We had seven classes. People walked from one venue to the other. It was cool. There were literally over 100 people.”
Happy in her South of South neighborhood and excited about the newest addition to Philly Dance Fitness’ menu at PEP, Hirsch still isn’t ready to skip a beat.
“I want to focus on bringing quality dance classes to the Philadelphia area — serve whatever people are into, promote people being healthy and to love dance and get a workout without working out. It is suppose to feel like a party,” Hirsch said. “I want to promote dance fitness and the wonderful community nonprofits and resources we have in Philadelphia that people can take advantage of.” SPR
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