Shantel Morris smiled the whole time she moved, dancing hard at the front of a class. It’s community dancing at Broad Ripple Park, and she gathered the whole group with a “whoop” to kick off.
Just over a dozen people marched in place, lunged, got low and shook their hips to Ed Sheeran, Cardi B and Busta Rhymes.
There wasn’t much stopping for instruction. Morris called this style “hang on and go.” She demonstrated, and everyone put their own spin on the moves with laughter, smiles and swag.
“That’s the best part of what’s beautiful about movement,” she said. “You’ll discover your body just reacts, and you will grow as a dancer. If I sit here and try to tell you exactly how to do it, you’ll find a way to tell yourself that you’re failing at it.”
If you don’t like this style, don’t worry. They switch it up every week. Morris calls herself a human jukebox, estimating she knows 400 songs and the dances that go with them.
It’s loud, it’s fun and the first class is free. (After that, drop-ins are $10.)
All across the city, libraries, yoga studios and gyms offer free or affordable ways to get healthy. There’s belly dancing at the library, a test-run of a barre class and martial arts for self-defense.
Use this guide to find a class that fits your goals, schedule and budget.
Indy Parks
Indy Parks offers a ton of options for free workout classes or cheap ones that average around $3-5 per session. If you want to search on your own, head to the Indy Parks activity search website. You can add filters based on your location or the kind of activity you prefer.
Right now, Indy Parks is partnering with the Marion County Health Department to offer free classes called Indy in Motion at 11 parks across the city. They include a variety of ways to move your body: strength training, pilates, yoga and more.
Here’s a list of eight free and affordable classes from Indy Parks to get you started.
Zumba
🗓️ 5:50-6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays until Aug. 26
📍 Rhodius Park, 1720 W. Wilkins St.
🎟️ Free
A fun dance cardio class set to Latin music. Open to adults of any ability.
Stride with Pride
🗓️ 5:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesdays
📍 Pride Park, 1129 Vandeman St.
🎟️ Free
A weekly walking club for seniors to make friends and get some fresh air.
Strength training and cardio
🗓️ 5:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesdays until Aug. 26
📍 Krannert Park, 605 S. High School Road
🎟️ Free
Drop-in to create a new fitness routine or add some new moves to your existing one. Open to all ages and abilities.
Clogging
🗓️ 12:30-3 p.m. Tuesdays; 4:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays until Aug. 26
📍 Indianapolis World Sports Park, 1313 S. Post Road
🎟️ $6
A noisy, fun dance class for anyone 16 years or older.
Strength, cardio and aerobics
🗓️ 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays until Aug. 27
📍 Garfield Park Burrello Family Center, 2345 Pagoda Drive
🎟️ Free
On Tuesdays, this class focuses on strength and cardio exercises. On Thursdays, try an aerobic step exercise.
Urban line dancing
🗓️ 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays until Aug. 24
📍 Windsor Village Park, 6510 E. 25th St.
🎟️ Free
Head into the gym to learn line dancing steps to music and make friends along the way.
Wellness in nature
🗓️ Various times once a month September-December
📍 Holliday Park, 6363 Spring Mill Road
🎟️ Free
Calm your mind and connect to nature. These monthly sessions kick off with a wellness walk 1-2 p.m. Sept. 5.
Senior chair aerobics
🗓️ 10-10:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays until Aug. 27
📍 Municipal Gardens Family Center, 1831 Lafayette Road
🎟️ $3
This low-intensity class is good for those recovering from surgery or health problems or people starting to build a fitness routine.
Indianapolis public library
The library offers all kinds of free fitness classes — belly dancing, strength training, tai chi — but they fill up fast. Check their community calendar and filter by “health & wellness” to find your fit.
You can also find reading recommendations to learn more about how your body works, how to cook healthy food and how to take care of your mental health.
Here’s a few examples of classes you can join at library branches.
Form and technique
🗓️ 4-5 p.m. Thursdays
📍 Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St.
🎟️ Free
Learn the basics of how to work out using the right moves and posture from a local trainer.
Belly dancing
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. Mondays
📍 Glendale library, 3660 E. 62nd St.
🎟️ Free
Shake your hips and smile while you learn belly dancing from Judy Hanna, an instructor who’s been teaching for 30 years.
Chair yoga and mindfulness
🗓️ 10:20-11:30 a.m. July 30
📍 Haughville library, 2121 W. Michigan St.
🎟️ Free
Practice gentle, relaxing movements before closing out the class with a moment to meditate. The instructor, Carol Tharp-Perrin, teaches chair yoga at the West Indianapolis library and Spades Park library on other dates, too.
Community classes
Gyms, yoga studios and independent teachers around the city offer all sorts of free classes. If you have one you’d like to add to this list, send me the details at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
Yoga nidra
🗓️ 5:00-5:40 p.m. July 26, Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 22 and Dec. 20
📍 Irvington Wellness Center, 17 N. Layman Ave.
🎟️ Free
Led by Wendy Sulkose, this class is a relaxing yoga practice to reduce your stress and improve your sleep.
Yoga at Ellenberger Park
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. Saturdays
📍 Ellenberger Park, 5301 E. St. Clair St.
🎟️ Donation-based
Emily Phillips leads a class every Saturday under a big tree. Bring your own yoga mat or towel. Open to beginners and those at any ability level.
Yoga in the gallery
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon, second and fourth Saturdays of each month
📍 Garfield Park Arts Center, 2432 Conservatory Drive
🎟️ Free
Learn yoga while you experience art at a free, twice-monthly class by Leah Foster.
CITYOGA
🗓️ Various times and dates
📍 CITYOGA, 2442 Central Ave.
🎟️ Donation based; you can pay $0-25
CITYOGA offers a range of donation based classes, including prenatal yoga and classes for seniors, those who work in the service industry and people who identify as BIPOC. You can find the schedule of these classes on their calendar.
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Mirror Indy reporter Sophie Young covers services and resources. Contact her at sophie.young@mirrorindy.org.
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