Kicking healthy beats at Audenried

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A study conducted by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program, deemed Philadelphia the least healthy county in the state this year, with 31 percent of adult Philadelphians considered obese and 29 percent tabbed physically inactive.

With hopes of improving those numbers and setting residents on the path to a healthier lifestyle, state Sen. Anthony Williams has developed a six-week fitness program with seven free, weekly classes, including hip-hop at 1 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 8 at Universal Audenried Charter High School, 3301 Tasker St. The other classes span his district, including parts of Southwest and West Philly, as well as a stretch of Delaware County.

Leading the Grays Ferry dance fitness session is Dwayne Townsend, who served as the choreographer for the Philadelphia Eagles’ cheerleaders from 2011 to May of this year and choreographed last year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances for R&B singers Jay Sean and “American Idol” finalist Joshua Ledet. The moves won’t be the same as those one may have seen at Lincoln Financial Field, 1020 Pattison Ave., but attendees will learn how to shake it to current hits, such as Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj’s “Bang Bang,” Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty” and Iggy Azalea’s “Black Widow.”

“It just gives people the opportunity to do something to occupy their time and not loiter or be idle,” the resident of Fifth and Mifflin streets said. “And it’s a fun way to just engage people. I think dance is definitely a way to grab everyone’s attention. I think one thing I love about dance is it crosses all borders, all races, all cultures. You can put on a song from the radio and everywhere someone in some country knows that particular song because of the artist who did it.”

Townsend, who also teaches group fitness classes at LA Fitness, 2425 S. 24th St., and Club Metro, 330 Oregon Ave., has participants, like Merrel Driver, of Southwest Philly, and Sharon Green, of Fourth and Tree streets, who are such big fans of his efforts that they can’t resist the opportunity to take the free class at Audenried in addition to his Tuesday night hip-hop class at LA Fitness.

“We see more of Dwayne that week,” Driver said of her favorite part of attending the extra class at Audenried. “Seriously, we like his class. He has a following.”

“We’re kind of one, close-knit family,” Green, who walked three miles with her coworkers for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event prior to class, added.

“Let’s do ‘Proud Mary,’ Dwayne,” Driver said during Saturday’s class. “It starts out nice and slow for the old people.”

Townsend obliged, making the song the twelfth and final dance number of the day. When choreographing for a dance fitness class, he keeps in mind who his audience will be, knowing participants ages and abilities vary.

“It’s based off of 24 counts, so the dance will always remain the same — same song, same movements at the same point,” Townsend, who joined the program during last year’s debut season, teaching a dance class at Chew Playground, 1800 Washington Ave., said. “So you’ll always get a verse, you’ll get a chorus, you’ll go back to the same verse, same movement and you’ll go back to the chorus. And you just keep on repeating and repeating and repeating. … The movements are not too fast, but they’re still challenging enough for — and engaging enough for a younger group and an older group.”

Aside from being a fitness instructor and choreographer, Townsend has competed in bodybuilding competitions and taught at children’s dance studios. His current Saturday schedule consists of an 8:30 a.m. kickboxing class at the South Philly LA Fitness followed by a 10 a.m. boot camp session at Club Metro and then the hip-hop class at Audenried. After the classes, he typically heads home for a much-needed nap, but his hectic schedule doesn’t get him down. He actually has just as much fun as the participants.

“I’m always having a great time, and this is what I do every day,” the native of Jamaica, who relocated to New York at age 12 with his family, said. “I wake up in the morning, teach dance every day, all day, so having the opportunity to do what I love is, well, what more could a person ask for?”

The Health Awareness Season Classes, with funding from Drexel University, Gateway Health Plan, Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Keystone Health and Fresh Grocer, have helped residents to jump-start their exercise regime beyond the duration of the program.

“[Previous participants] tell me that they’re continuing to do the work throughout the entire year,” Williams said.

Clarice McGilberry missed the start of the program because she was on vacation, but the Yeadon resident, who is no stranger to keeping fit and eating right, was eager to jump right into the free fitness classes upon her return. She is so excited for the opportunity that she went to every class offered last week, and hopes to continue her pace.

“I couldn’t wait to get back [from vacation] and get into it,” she said.

Those are the stories the state senator likes to hear.

“I don’t know if I have a word to describe it,” Williams said. “I’m happy people are taking control of their own health because I see the consequences of people not taking control of their health. … They can achieve the quality of life we want all people, including myself, to achieve.”

Second District Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, who has teamed up with Williams for the Grays Ferry locale since it also falls in the former’s district, praised his peer’s efforts.

“Quality of life isn’t just about a clean and safe neighborhood,” Johnson said via e-mail. “It’s also a personal dedication towards a healthy lifestyle, which I constantly promote to my constituents. I am proud to join Sen. Williams and spread the word through these events.”

And Townsend, who studied ballet at New York’s Benjamin Cardozo High School before moving to the area to earn English and Spanish degrees at Lincoln University, thoroughly enjoys helping people to embark on that newfound healthy lifestyle.

“I just love helping people,” the former elementary school teacher said of his reasoning for being a part of this program. “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life — is to help people get them to where they need to be, make them feel confident, make them feel loved and just, you know, beautiful inside.”

Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.

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