popn' cherries

LEE PAZMINO

BodyBeatz

Form Fitness – Palo Alto, CA – Regularly scheduled classes

Dogpatch Dance – Francisco, CA – Regularly scheduled classes

Pop-up locations – Special events

YOUR QUESTIONS – ANSWERED! TOP 7 QUESTIONS MY POPN’ DANCE & FITNESS FRIENDS ASK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH BODYBEATZ.

• What is BodyBeatz?
• What classes are offered, when are they, where is it, what’s the difference between all of them, and what level of dance experience do I need?
• What is the instructor’s teaching style like?
• Which BodyBeatz class do I recommend?
• How do I sign up?
• Do I have any videos that I can share?
• Sounds exciting! Any other tidbits that I should know before going?

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1. What is BodyBeatz?

“Bodybeatz doesn’t care about the moves that you do, we just care about you feeling it.” – Lee Pazmino – Artistic Director and Owner of BodyBeatz

BodyBeatz is awesome. It’s easily a top favorite. First and foremost, BodyBeatz is an experience. It’s beyond a brand name and delivers a one-of-a-kind experience dedicated to dance, fitness, sweat, smiles, quality, entertainment, education, and fun. Depending on what you are looking to accomplish out of your classes, BodyBeatz has an exciting diverse class offering. From hip-hop cardio classes that will sure to get you sweaty, to technique-based classes in contemporary, jazz, or hip-hop that will challenge your mind, body, and soul. Rest assured you can find a variety of “pop’n” options here.

Converted into a fan from the moment I first walked in sometime back in December 2017, I found that it was easy to lose myself in the choreography and purely enjoy the dance. Since then I have taken ALL of the BodyBeatz classes MULTIPLE times, with the exception of one – “Choreography with Lee at Form Fitness in Palo Alto”, which is a newly added class. Don’t worry, I’ll take this very soon and will report back here! All the classes are different and offer great challenges.

As you read on, I will discuss in more detail about the BodyBeatz classes and describe them from my very own interpretation based on my personal experience. For the official BodyBeatz class description, click here.

   

  2. What classes are offered, when are they, where is it, what’s the difference between all of them, and what level of dance experience do I need?

*For the complete and most up-to-date schedule, visit the BodyBeatz website.

BodyBeatz Live

Special event announced when dates and details are finalized. Note, these classes are special and are not regularly scheduled like the rest of the dance classes offered. Follow BodyBeatz’s Instagram and check out their website under Special Events for updates.

Best way I can describe this class is that it’s like the BodyBeatz Freestyle class (scroll below) but on steroids! If you love great music, good vibes, non-stop dancing, and a workout full of heart pumping sweat, then you will love and become addicted to BodyBeatz Live. Experience this high-energy hip-hop dance cardio class with dimmed and colorful lights radiating throughout the room. Powered with a charismatic emcee, who just so happens to be your talented instructor, and paired with a live DJ spinning music jams that will keep your body moving non-stop – it’s a dynamic duo experience that you absolutely can’t miss! You’ll feel like you’re in a nightclub, but better.

Experience Level: Open to all levels. Great for beginners – intermediate.

Size of Class: Depending on location and the length of time the event is promoted, expect anywhere from 35-50 students in the class.

 BodyBeatz Masterclass

Special event announced when dates and details are finalized. Note, these classes are special and are not regularly scheduled like the rest of the dance classes offered. Follow BodyBeatz’s Instagram and check out their website under Special Events for updates.

If an hour isn’t enough, try two! Most similar to Hip-hop with Lee, Choregraphy with Lee, and Technique with Lee (scroll below), this class is designed to focus on mastering the artistry of dance. From Contemporary to Jazz to Hip-hop, the goal is to focus on technique and the quality of your dance. Get a deeper understanding of movement, technique, performance, and most importantly, getting out of your head and having fun!

Experience Level: Open to all levels. Great for experienced beginners – intermediate. I personally recommend taking at least one technique class before taking the Masterclass. But, if you’re feeling bold, go with an open mind, get ready to learn, have fun, be fearless and go for it!

Size of Class: Also depending on location and length of event promoted, class range of 25-40 students

BodyBeatz Freestyle

Fully immerse yourself in this uniquely fun, high-energy hip-hop dance cardio class with dimmed and colorful lights radiating in the room. Hip-hop choreography guaranteed to make you sweat, music to make you jam out, supportive people that will make you smile, and a feeling that will leave you so high that you wouldn’t believe it’s from dancing your bum off.

Experience Level: Open to all levels. Great for beginners – intermediate. Personal recommendation for absolute beginners who have never taken a group fitness class, make sure to go at your own pace. Don’t force it! The choreography is always fun and simple enough to catch on easily, but stamina is important in dance cardio type classes like this. The place to build it is here!

Schedule:

Monday: 9:45-10:45am, 4-5pm – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Tuesday: 5:30-6:30pm – Dogpatch Dance – San Francisco

Wednesday: 9:45-10:45am, 4-5pm – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Thursday: 10:30-11:30am – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Friday: 9:45-10:45am, 6:30-7:30pm – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Saturday: 10:15-11:15am – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Size of Class:

• Form Fitness – Palo Alto: Fluctuates 10-30 students
• Dogpatch Dance – San Francisco: Average 20-30 students

 

BodyBeatz Kids Only – Private Lessons Only

Pretty cool, huh? Let’s not forget about the cute kiddos! Check out the BodyBeatz website for more information and teach ’em young!

 

Technique with Lee (Jazz/Contemporary)

Switch it up, slow it down, and challenge your mind and body in this Jazz/Contemporary class with a special emphasis on technique and proper form. Through the art of dance, a great class for strength training using your natural body weight and learning how to feel the music, express yourself, and dance with your peers.

Experience Level: Open to all levels. Great for beginners – intermediate. Lee does a fantastic job at teaching technique at a pace suitable for beginners. You don’t need previous dance experience but it’s helpful if you have taken at least one group fitness dance class previously.

Schedule: 

Tuesday: 5:30-6:30pm – Dogpatch – San Francisco

Saturday *extended*: 5-6pm – Dogpatch – San Francisco

Size of Class:

• Technique with Lee (Contemporary/Jazz) on Tuesday’s: Fluctuates 10-30 students
• Technique with Lee (Contemporary/Jazz) *extended* on Saturday’s: Review will be added at a later time since I only attended once.

 

Choreography with Lee – Exclusively at Form Fitness in Palo Alto

*Note: Review for this class will be added at a later time. I personally have not attended this newer class yet. Check back soon!

Based on the BodyBeatz description, this sounds similar to the “Hip-Hop with Lee” class (scroll  below) offered exclusively at Dogpatch Dance in San Francisco. Style of class is structured choreography broken down at a slower pace to allow for greater focus on the elements, quality, expression, and performance of the dance.

Schedule:

Wednesday: 6:45-8pm – Form Fitness – Palo Alto

Size of Class: Will be reviewed and added at a later time.

Hip-hop with Lee – Exclusively at Dogpatch Dance in San Francisco

Get a taste of Lee’s structured hip-hop choreography slowed and broken down in counts that are easy to digest. Demonstrates and discusses performance quality and the importance of accents, details, and feeling the dance. Become a better dancer and take this class for fun and education.

Experience Level: Open to all levels. Great for beginners – intermediate.

Schedule:

Thursday: 5:30-6:30pm – Dogpatch – San Francisco

Size of Class: Fluctuates 10-30 students

 

   3. What is the instructor’s teaching style like?

Lee Pazmino

Lee has a drill sergeant persona but it’s more funny than scary. It’s part of his humor and you get used to it. Don’t get it twisted though, he’s extremely passionate about teaching his choreography and wants you to really learn and understand the dance; but the whole point is to challenge you and ensure you have loads of fun. He is very patient and is great at gauging the class tempo on whether he should slow down or speed up his instruction. He’s a talented performer and an absolute natural in mentoring others. He truly believes in YOU, in each individual person, and in their abilities to keep growing. Also what you will appreciate is that he is patient, compassionate, wise, and comedically sarcastic. You’ll love his classes.

Kathryn Martin

Kathryn is a sub-instructor on those very rare occasions when Lee is unavailable to teach. She subs for the BodyBeatz Freestyle or Hip-hop with Lee classes at Dogpatch Dance only. Her style is super sassy, fun, sexy, encouraging, and she’s a very welcoming divalicious chick. Choreography is generally broken down in 4-counts, practiced with the class, and then another set of 4-counts are continually added. Loads of fun!

 

   4. Which BodyBeatz class do I recommend?

Experience it all and push yourself outside your comfort zone! But, to start out with your very first class, it all depends on the style you prefer and have some familiarity with. For example, if you enjoy hip-hop, try the BodyBeatz Freestyle class. If you like a more structured classes, try his technique classes in contemporary, jazz, or hip-hop. If you’re interested in my personal recommendation for you, please feel free to contact me. Happy to help!

I HIGHLY recommend taking the BodyBeatz Live and BodyBeatz Masterclass when these special events are posted. Truly a great experience.

At the top of my personal popn’ dance cherries favorite dance class list is the BodyBeatz Live class. It’s number one in my book because this special event is insanely energetic, gets you super sweaty with its fun hip-hop cardio, its one-of-a-kind club like ambiance, hyper entertainment from the dynamic duo, and most of all, its uniquely memorable dance fitness experience. It is a must GO!

   

   5. How do I sign up?

Form Fitness – Palo Alto (For regularly scheduled classes only)

• Members: Pay a monthly fee for access to the gym and classes. For current rates and information, visit the Form Fitness & Spa.
• Non-members: Guest membership and drop-in rate is $35. This grants you access to the gym’s facilities and the class once you sign up. Call the gym as these rates my have changed.
• ClassPass not available

Dogpatch Dance (For regularly scheduled classes only)

• Book directly at the Dogpatch Dance website – $15/class or $30/3 classes for new students only
• ClassPass accepted
• Drop-in’s welcome

BodyBeatz Live and BodyBeatz Masterclass

• Sign-up information will be available on the BodyBeatz website or promoted via its social media channels. Be sure to follow them to get the latest and greatest updates.
• ClassPass generally not accepted for these special events.
• Drop-in’s welcome

 

   6. Do I have any videos that I can share?

Can get enough, ey? Drop everything now, sign up for a class, and just GO and experience the awesomeness in person! But, if you need your dance addiction fix stat, feel free to check out my videos on the popn’ dance cherries Instagram page or you can view my YouTube playlist for BodyBeatz.

 

   7. Any other tidbits that I should know?

Dance Style:

BodyBeatz Live, BodyBeatz Freestyle, and Hip-Hop with Lee are similar in terms of the unique signature Lee vibe and style. A blend of sexy, sassy, smooth and hard-hitting moves shown in different levels to increase the challenge and showcase the beauty of hip-hop; twerking, incorporation of spins, and occasional floor work. Lee’s distinctive choreography, passion, and natural teaching methodologies separate him from the crowd and creates a memorable experience.

Technique with Lee (Contemporary/Jazz) is obviously more technical and focuses on proper form and the artistry of this specific dance taught in both traditional and non-traditional methods.

Music:

Expect a range of genres played from the list below. In the BodyBeatz Live and BodyBeatz Freestyle classes, a balanced mix of these genres are played. In the BodyBeatz Masterclass, Technique with Lee, Hip-hop with Lee, and Choreography with Lee classes, choreography is taught from a single track and is generally selected from the genres below. Warm-up and/or cool-down songs will be different. 

• 90’s hip-hop
• 80’s hip-hop
• Authentic hip-hop
• Reggae/dancehall
• Latin hip-hop
• Top hits
• R&B

Waitlist:

• Never experienced the need to be added to a waitlist, nor am I aware if this is offered.
• Some classes at Form Fitness – Palo Alto can feel full depending on the day.
• Dogpatch Dance is such a huge space that it can accommodate tons of people and still have enough space to dance.
• Watch out for the BodyBeatz Live classes. These are popular, so depending on location, I imagine space will be limited due to how awesome this class is. I doubt a waitlist option would be available but you definitely don’t want to wait until tickets are sold out.

Attendance:

Lee is supremely consistent and once in a blue moon he is unavailable to teach his regularly scheduled classes. In the rare occasion he is out, Kathryn is likely to sub in.

Video Recording:

• Yes, recording is allowed. I find that filming on your device is more prevalent at Dogpatch Dance than at Form Fitness.
• Lee will also record the class from time to time.
• At Dogpatch Dance, you can expect to be filmed by BodyBeatz or Dogpatch Dance.

Why I’m addicted:

• Although mostly funny, the drill sergeant instruction style is something I prefer. It forces my mind to work through pressure and challenge myself to enjoy the dance even when there’s distraction.
• Comedic commentary – he’s actually not a dancer; his true calling is a comedian. Just kidding! He has funny commentary in his classes and it’s especially inflated during the BodyBeatz Live events. It’s easy to forget you’re working a sweat.
• Hip-hop classes offer dance styles that are easy to learn for newbies but also provide challenging movements for the more experienced that wonderfully blends out students of all dance levels.
• Technique classes give me the ultimate 3 challenges and fulfillment – mind, body, and soul – in dance.
• Dimmed and colorful lights / club like atmosphere where you can lose yourself in the dance for that hour, two…or three.
• I always leave dripping in sweat in the BodyBeatz Freestyle and BodyBeatz Live classes – worth it every single time.

Cons:

• Wished BodyBeatz Freestyle classes were more than once a week at the Dogpatch Dance – San Francisco location. If you want your BodyBeatz fix, you will need to drive to Palo Alto for classes at Form Fitness.
• For the Dogpatch Dance – San Francisco location, towels are not provided, there’s no option to purchase water bottles, and I do not recall seeing a water fountain where you can refill your water bottle.

Recommendation:

• Bring your own towel and water for the Dogpatch Dance – San Francisco location only. Form Fitness – Palo Alto provides towels, various other gym spa amenities, lockers, and shower.
• For the BodyBeatz Live special events, arrive 10-15 minutes early to check-in and get the spot you want in class, especially if you want the front row.
• For the Technique with Lee (Contemporary/Jazz) classes, come prepared with kneepads. You’ll thank me later. Read my post on “Sexy Dancer Legs”.
• Be fearless, be open to learning, stay humble but confident, “be responsive” when Lee speaks to everyone as a class, and have lots and lots of fun!

Are you already a BodyBeatz fan? Have you already tried the range of classes offered? Comment on your own experience. Would love to hear your own story and feedback! If you have additional questions that I did not cover, feel free to contact me or comment below.