Fort Hill Activity Center to host Friday night dance party Nov. 15

After last year's inaugural Zumba Dance Party filled the gym, Fort Hill Fitness instructors were inspired to host another dance party, expanding the styles to include not only Zumba, but also Dance Fusion, Werq and Pound.

The dance party will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, in the gymnasiums at Naperville Park District's Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive in Naperville. It will be followed by light refreshments from 9 to 9:30 p.m., including free samples from Smoothie King and a giveaway from Dick's Sporting Goods.

Online registration information is available at napervilleparks.org/danceparty.

The dance party is a community event, open to everyone age 15 or older.

The per-person fee is $10 for Fort Hill Fitness members, $15 for Naperville residents and $20 for nonresidents.

No experience is needed; just wear comfortable clothing and shoes and be ready to enjoy a fun evening as you learn new dance moves and meet lots of friendly people.

"Last year, our Zumba Dance Party was a huge success, not only in the number of participants, but also in the carefree atmosphere of joy, laughter and meeting friends," said Group Exercise Coordinator Kim Monti. "We are excited to host this event again."

The event will be led by Fort Hill Fitness instructors who team up to keep the energy going all evening.

"This year, we are adding Werq, a mainstream style dance workout to pop and hip-hop music, and Dance Fusion, which combines several styles of dance within each song," explained Monti. "We also are introducing something new - Pound - a full-body cardio jam adding the fun of hitting drumsticks together and on a mat."

According to Monti, dancing provides many health benefits, such as increasing strength, flexibility, and balance, boosting memory and confidence, controlling weight and reducing stress.

"Dancing is an activity everyone enjoys in one way or another, whether it's at home or out on the floor," said Monti. "It will surely bring a smile to your face."

The park district offers weekly group exercise classes at Fort Hill Activity Center that are free to fitness members and include Zumba, Werq and Dance Fusion, as well as many others.

The Fort Hill expansion project, which will be completed this fall, will provide additional space for these popular group exercise classes.