Glaza Studio

What could be better than a workout that doesn’t feel like one?  At Glaza Studio in the East Village, you can find just that with their unique dance/fitness classes.  When I was trying to decide which class to try out, it was a tough call-between the zumba, hip hop, yoga, salsa, and others, but the shopper in me couldn’t help but be intrigued by the ‘Little Black Dress’ workout.

Open since April of this year, owner Rachel Glaza is dedicated to “encouraging new and traditional forms of movement art.”  All classes are designed for adults, and Glaza strives to create a relaxed, comfortable and supporting environment to practice and learn, which I both noticed and appreciated as I had a few moments of feeling as if I had two left feet during the Little Black Dress class.  No one else seemed to notice or care, and everyone was just focused on themselves and the instructor.

Classes are held in the Hohberger building at 502 East Locust Street, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The building was built in 1898 and since opening has been a dry goods store, a bowling alley, and most recently, a practice space for the Des Moines Ballet.  Check out their website for a full list of classes-which range from early morning, to lunch time, to evening class times-and you can sign up for 6 week courses or pay per class with a drop in fee.  Whether you want to shake up your workout, do something different with your girlfriends, or meet some new fun people-Glaza Studio definitely proves that Des Moines is not boring.