Move
LET’S DANCE! CEROC® MODERN JIVE AND POLE
‘I think people get really hung up about exercise for weight loss. That hasn’t happened for me. I am not small, but I am really strong and really fit. I’ve dropped two to three dress sizes and gained a lot of muscle since I started dancing, but my weight on the scales is exactly the same.’ — Erica Waters
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DIABETES WELLNESS | Autumn 2025
Hamiltonian Erica Waters has been doing Ceroc® and pole dancing for two years. She rediscovered her love of dance in her 40s, first with Ceroc then pole followed once she started meeting other dancers. ‘I met an advanced dancer who also runs a pole studio. We got to know each other, and she said, “I think you would love doing flow,” which is dancing with a pole and floorwork, rather than the aerial tricks some do. “You should come try it out,” she said. And I did and was hooked on that too.’ Coined from the French, ‘c’est le roc’, Ceroc® is a brand of modern jive and hails from London. It is a social partner dance and is generally done to chart toppers and old favourites. Erica dances three days a week, goes to Ceroc dance parties every month, and competes in modern
jive competitions every couple of months. ‘A class is three hours of non-stop dancing. I find that I’m all hyped up when I get home and it takes me ages to calm down. But dancing as an exercise has got rid of my insulin resistance. When I first started dancing, I was taking Metformin as I was becoming insulin resistant, but after three months of dancing I stopped taking it and felt much better for it. Erica enjoys Ceroc modern jive for the cardio and social aspect, and pole dancing for strength training. ‘I think there are massive benefits of finding an exercise you love. And something you can consistently do definitely far outweighs the troubleshooting you have to do with your insulin, exercise, and eating.’
© DINOSAURTOAST.CO.NZ
We meet some folks from around the motu who swear by dance classes to keep their hearts, minds, fitness, coordination – and don’t forget diabetes – in balance.
