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Let’s Get Physical
Two Southern Girls’ Down South Bounce class took over the Howard Theatre. Photo: Elaine Cheng
Dance Fitness, Down South Style
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by Jazelle Hunt
his installment of Let’s Get Physical is a slight departure from the usual. It’s about sisterhood, self-actualization, and holistic wellness. And twerking. On an overcast Saturday morning last month roughly 70 women of all ages and sizes gathered at the Howard Theatre for Down South Bounce, a Southern music-fueled, dance-fitness session. Presented by 2 Southern Girls, in partnership with Helix Social, the event, a $30 “day party meets workout,” brought a photo booth, glow sticks and strobe-light rings, Relay Foods and PHOG Water vendors with free samples and swag items, and deep South party hits blasting over the Howard’s concertgrade sound system. It was a judgment-free zone. Under the cover of darkness and colorful stage lights everyone was there to shake it like the rent was due. Up on stage personal trainer and Howard University alumna Neechie Greer led a standard warmup with a heavy focus on quads, which in this case meant dropping it to Lil’ Jon & The Eastside Boyz’s “Get Low” and Big Tymers’ “Hood Rich.” Accomplished dancer and instructor Tya Harrison graced the stage later, flanked by a cadre of young black women of all shapes and sizes. Kia Wood, aka DJ Shrug, spun a playlist that was dirty South perfection. The crowd got its entire life with classics such as 69 Boyz’s “Tootsee Roll,” Master P’s “Make ‘Em Say Uhh,” Khia’s “My Neck, My Back,” and of course Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up.” Participants shook their moneymakers through some new hits as well, including Beyonce’s “7/11” and Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” DJ Shrug even threw The Wobble in there! Each two-minute snippet brought its own block of repetitive, high-cardio choreography, plus a few chances for playful freestyling. There were legit dance moves, from sexy body rolls and body pumps to flatbacked twerking. And there were legit exercises mixed in, from hip-popping in a side lunge to grapevine steps into a standing knee raise or boxing jabs,
to booty-bouncing in a deep squat. But if the sweat droplets all over the floor weren’t enough to prove this was a workout, the ingenious “twerpee” sealed the deal. Add a twerk to step two of a burpee – the high plank position – and you’ll have a rough idea. Put another way, DJ Jubilee’s “Get It Ready, Ready” instructed everyone to “walk it like a dog,” and we did as we were told. By the end of class I was a sweaty mess. Harrison gave out a prize to the “top twerker” in the crowd. There was also an impromptu twerk competition judged by crowd applause. “I was born and raised in Georgia, so this is like tradition. I love raunchy music,” said Ciara Famble, who lives in Bethesda and usually just goes to the gym a few times a week. “It was a challenging workout and a fairly long class.” Harrison moved through the choreography seamlessly, so keeping up was a challenge at times. But Harrison’s encouraging shout-outs, like, “Put some stank on it!” kept morale high. “Once I started to treat it like a dance class it became more fun. Some moves were so quick I didn’t even do them for a lot of the time … by the time I got it, we had moved on,” said Petworth resident Haley Griffin, who attended with two friends. “You’ll have a blast. Nobody’s watching to see if you can dance.” Vermecia Alsop and Dominique Charles – the women behind 2 Southern Girls – hope to oblige. They met as students at Howard University. In May they were chatting and wishing for a workout that revived all the music and dance of their coming-ofage. Alsop looped Tya Harrison, her sister, into the conversation. “Every time I have an event I call my sister. She’s my consultant. And when we explained what we wanted to do she was like, ‘I can do that.’ I was like, ‘really?’” Alsop said.
Dancer and Down South Bounce instructor Tya Harrison sneaks some arm toning with Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone.” Photo: Elaine Cheng
“We pulled in our network. [Down South Bounce] was a creation through friendships, and laughter, and being silly. It makes me kind of emotional. If it wasn’t for Howard University, my network, I don’t know what I would be without that connection.” And it almost didn’t happen. Helix Social is still in its first year, which is said to be the hardest for entrepreneurs, and 2 Southern Girls is even younger. In finding support for the event Alsop hit a wall of no’s before sitting down with the Howard Theatre’s event manager and pouring her heart out. “From our first conversation talking on the phone … and seeing it now, it’s amazing. It’s a feeling of accomplishment,” said Harrison. “We walk up and see ‘Down South Bounce’ on the outside calendar … I’m like oh shoot, this is for real. This is happening. And seeing the whole set-up, I got goosebumps.” Charles, who grew up in New Orleans, is the founder and CEO of 2 Southern Girls, and the logistical mastermind. Alsop, who has family roots