Salinas native Mike Holland, who asks that I refer to him as “Jazzer Dude,” first came to Jazzercise in the 1980s, the era of fabulous fitness and heyday of the Jane Fonda workout video.
After taking a few decades off, Holland started taking classes again seven years ago. He says much has changed about the iconic dance workout over the years.
“It’s not quite as girly as it was back in the ’80s, when it was all shiny leotards, leg warmers and big hair,” he says. “Jazzercise has evolved with the times, and that’s why it’s still around.”
Still around, indeed. While it has largely faded from pop culture over the last three decades, Jazzercise’s presence has quietly grown bigger than ever. According to the company’s website, more than 8,300 Jazzercise franchises operate globally.
As of last March, Holland is a licensed instructor and owner of one of those franchises, making him the only man in Monterey County in either respect. He leads several classes in Spreckels and Monterey throughout the week.
On a recent winter morning, I headed to Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building for Holland’s 8:30am class. After filling out a waiver (which more or less declares that I don’t expect a heart attack in pursuit of buns of steel), I enter the auditorium, where Holland is all smiles as he affixes his headset.
“You all ready for some Bruno Mars?” he says as the class gets into position (five women and two men, counting me). Then the music starts, and the 60-minute routine begins.
We start by slowly rolling our necks to the beat, then move down to the shoulders, abdomen and waist.
“Who else loves pelvises?” Holland says as we work our lower halves. “Yeah baby!”
Beside him on the stage is a “perceived exertion chart,” meant inform us how hard we should be working at different points in the workout. An arc on the chart rises from “resting,” peaks briefly at “very hard” and then gradually slides toward “light.”
From the easy, rolling motions (which “bathe our muscles in oxygen,” Holland says), the dancing begins. We sashay and step from side to side, hopping, skipping and jumping to a succession of Top 40 hits. We lift our legs with twirls and kicks, our arms with rolls, uppercuts and jabs. Twenty minutes in, without feeling like I’ve worked out very hard, I’m covered in sweat.
After another 10 minutes of fast-moving aerobic dance routines, in which I struggle to keep pace despite Holland’s narration of every move, we finally start our cool-down.
The workout finishes with light resistance training that incorporates 5 – to 7-pound barbells, giving our upper body muscles some flex while our lower body starts to relax.
When the 60 minutes end, I feel more energized than tired – one might even say “jazzed.” And while the workout was surely a big part of it, at least some of my good vibes come from Holland’s fun, playful style, which combines one part Richard Simmons, one part Austin Powers.
“You’ve got to love what you do,” says Holland, who also owns a fertilizer company and plays bass guitar. (He used to tour with Sam Kinnison, among others.) “If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t be doing it.”
And it’s something Holland sees himself teaching for many years to come.
“Jazzercise is in the 21st Century,” he says, “and it’s kicking ass.”
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