Everybody is after that washboard stomach. Even if you do not want a "six-pack" of abs, you still do not want that beer belly or paunch. To slim down the stomach, you can take dance classes, which are not only slimming, but also fun. There are some specific dance classes that will also help you get a really flat stomach, too. 

​Belly Dance

​Belly dancing focuses on very tight, slow, and controlled movement of your abs and stomach. Now, you may be thinking, "Oh, no! I could never belly dance!" or "Belly dancing is just for women!" However, there are many male belly dancers, and their moves are sometimes even sexier than the moves that the ladies do. As for the ladies, you will always start with a little paunch, but after numerous lessons and lots of practice, you will slim your stomach and you will feel even more confident and attractive than ever before. 

Ballet 

​Ballet training is very structured and very disciplined. It requires training your torso to hold a very stiff position so that you can do the moves correctly. When at rest or standing in one of the five ballet positions, you have to hold your stomach in, squeeze your glutes, place your weight over the balls of your feet, and pull your posture straight up. Consistently doing this strengthens your core muscles and retrains your posture after years of slouching and not sitting properly. 

​Hawaiian 

The luau dancers perform a very special type of dance similar to belly dancing. The biggest difference, however, is that traditional Hawaiian dance is much faster in rhythm, and there is greater control required over the obliques (the muscles on the sides of your waist that give you that hourglass shape), and the upper abdominals. If you have mastered belly dance, you might want to try Hawaiian dance to strengthen other sets of core and abdominal muscles. 

​Signing up for These Classes

If you are interested in taking any of the above types of dance classes, there are different ways to sign up for them. Most city park and rec organizations offer a wide variety of dance classes for adults at an affordable price. Ballet schools and dance schools that offer ballet are practically everywhere that you can find a performing arts center. Classes vary in price depending on what organization offers them, and your level of experience and skill.