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SOUTH SALT LAKE — A new dance class helps moms balance a love of motherhood and ballet. Participants dance while wearing their babies.
Professional dancer and new mom, Rosy Goodman Tennant, teaches the class at the Performing Dance Center in South Salt Lake.
“I am a dancer and I really need to dance," said Tennant. "I became a new mom and I really needed to be close to my baby. So for me, it quickly became a necessity to marry those two vital parts of my life.”
Classes for babywearing ballet began in early July on Monday mornings and Tuesday evenings. Tennant expected to see some professional dance moms attending, but the response from women with little or no dance experience has been overwhelming.
With a six-month-old baby, Lissa Lander was ready to get back in shape. When Lander saw the class posted on Facebook, she was excited to try it out.
“I thought it would be a great way to meet other moms and babies and get out of the house,” Lander said.
The "burn" of a ballet workout surprises many first-time dancers.
“I didn’t think it would be a very intense workout, but after the first class, I was sweating. The next three days, my muscles were aching," said Gabrielle Lysenko.
Tennant said her six-month-old son finds it therapeutic. “I think they are comforted by it, I think it feels familiar and most of them you’ll see fall asleep or are kind of quiet and alert.”
The class meets Monday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Performing Dance Center.