Essence USA – August 2019

’Wine It Up!

Our intrepid editor tried the hip-twisting fun that is the Brukwine dance fitness craze

BY JASMINE GRANT

THE BREAKDOWN

The dancehall-influenced car-

dio class was started in 2012

by professional dancers

Autavia Bailey and Tamara

Bradshaw (both have worked

with Sean Paul, Rihanna and

Missy Elliott). The two added

pumps to the mix while

teaching a dancehall ses-

sion in Taiwan and then put

the new class on the roster

at their headquarters in

New York City. The concept

quickly caught on, and now

their Brukwine franchise has

expanded to fitness centers

in Philadelphia, Houston and

Long Island, New York. But

don’t be fooled by the booty

shorts and twerking. The

routine is hard work. “We’ve

had people who burn up to

1,100 calories,” says Bailey.

“We put a lot of thought

into our moves and how we

structure our class so that

it’s an effective workout.”

THE EXPERIENCE

I felt a sense of community

when I arrived at Bailey and

Bradshaw’s Midtown

Manhattan location. My

classmates were a diverse

bunch of #brukwinenation

diehards and rookies like me,

but we instantly bonded

during the high-intensity

hour. The instructors encour-

age students to bring heels,

but I played it safe with my

trusty sneakers. First there is

a warm-up and stretch to a

playlist of reggae favorites.

We learned a sexy number

that required us to “Bruk’ it

down” to the floor. All the

moves are connected to the

core, and those deep-squat

twerks will make your thighs

feel

the burn. As the room tem-

perature increased, so did

our sweat levels. “We want

that intensity,” says Brad-

shaw. “The heat also helps

your muscles.”

THE VERDICT

You may be sore the next

day, but the calories burned

and the “Brukwiner” fellow-

ship are well worth it. I’m

already plotting my return—

this time with heels in hand!

Jasmine Grant is ESSENCE’s

associate lifestyle editor.

She resides in Brooklyn, loves

trap music and is always ready

for an adventure.

WHAT TO KNOW

1. GET THERE EARLY.
   The classes fill up quickly.


2. BRING STURDY HEELS.
   No mules or thin straps,
   ladies.


3. PLAN TO SWEAT.
   Stay hydrated and wear
   clothes that breathe.

BLACK GIRL APPROVED

(^) B
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(^) &
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A packed Brukwine
class in formation.
A Brukwiner
gets into the
rhythm in New
York City.
H
itting the gym can feel like a chore, but what if your work-
out felt like pure joy? My search for something different
led me right to Brukwine, the Caribbean-inspired dance
workout that may be popping up at studios near you.
PH
OT
OS
,^ C
OU
RT
ES
Y^
OF
B
RU
KW
IN
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ESSENCE.COM I 149 I SEPTEMBER 2019