It's salsa, but without the sauce

Dubai's cosmopolitan mix is encouraging the growth of ladies-only venues for women to dance themselves into shape.

Liris Mosquera (center), a dance instructor from Columbia, teaching a Latino Cardio class at the Exhale fitness centre in Dubai on August 19, 2008.

DUBAI // When the rhythmic thuds of conga drums fill the air, the salsa dancers prepare to seductively shimmy their shoulders and jut their hips. But as they take to the dance floor, a seemingly essential component of this Latin dance of passion is missing: partners of the opposite sex.

Yet for the women at the Exhale studio in Dubai, who race after work to change out of their abayas and hijabs and into T-shirts for their evening salsa, samba and African classes, having no men to dance with is exactly the point. "If this were a co-ed class, I'd never give it a chance," said Rania Anis bin Talib, 30, who works as a software engineer by day and dances to Latin fusion music by night.

Drawn to dance as a form of exercise, but still abiding by religious convictions that prohibit interaction with men that can be considered unbecoming, Ms Talib is one of a growing number of Muslim women opting for ladies-only dance classes in Dubai. Without male partners beside them, though, they may not have the necessary muscular leverage to perform certain moves. Neck dips, spins and lifts, for instance, can be difficult.

But they improvise by focusing on individual moves that Exhale's Colombian instructor, Liris Mosquera, says are meant to emphasise style and technique. "It's about being artistic, and I teach them to move more artistically and to find their own style," said Ms Mosquera, 33, who is a firm believer that dance as a form of "cardio is a great way to exercise". On a recent day, she lines up the women, uncovered and wearing baggy jogging bottoms and leggings, as the Latin singer Shakira's Beautiful Liar begins blaring out of the stereo.

"Look at yourself in the mirror, ladies," Ms Mosquera tells the class as they begin to march forward and backward, gyrating their hips and tossing their hair from side to side. "You look beautiful", she says as several newcomers to the class collide with the more seasoned dancers. As an ever-growing cosmopolitan mix of nationalities moves to Dubai, a number of gyms and fitness centres have opened to cater for aerobics, pilates and yoga enthusiasts as well as weightlifters.

But only recently have ladies-only venues opened for those who prefer dance to other forms of exercise. Classes from belly dancing and African dance to high-intensity cardio Latin dance have been offered on a nightly basis over the past few years at fitness clubs and gyms, including Shapes Weight-Loss & Health Spa and the Dubai Ladies Club. Employees at these gyms say as many as 25 women attend on a typical night.

Concerned about her weight, Ms Talib, originally from Yemen, began searching the city two years ago for ladies-only gyms that offered more than just spinning and aerobics. "I looked at 80 per cent of the gyms in Dubai, but couldn't find many that weren't co-ed," she said. "From the perspective of covered women, we're not allowed to mix with men, so it was not an option to go to the co-ed classes. "I've been through tough times when I was overweight. I tried personal training and those machines, but the feeling just wasn't good for me."

By accident, she came across a class that Ms Mosquera had been teaching at Shapes Weight-Loss & Health Spa. Ms Mosquera's energetic style instantly caught her attention. "I'm a person who gets bored easy," Ms Talib said. "So the fact that I'm still dancing in her class is a good sign." Every weekday evening, Ms Talib and dozens of women spend hours perfecting their technique to the sound of African beats or the high-energy rhythms of Brazilian samba at Exhale.

Many are physicians, saleswomen and business executives who are juggling careers with family obligations. One of Ms Mosquera's students, a doctor who lives in Dubai, makes the arduous journey to her medical practice in Al Ain and then back every evening to attend dance classes. Another, overweight and unhappy with the results of a liposuction procedure, commutes from Abu Dhabi. Ms Mosquera said her students' commitment to exercise and nutrition had increased dramatically, in part because of the influence of the exercise-crazed Europeans and North Americans in the class.

Students are also constantly warned against the sort of binge-eating habits and carbohydrate-heavy meals that have contributed to high rates of obesity and diabetes. "They go to the shopping mall and they see Russians with long legs and say to themselves, 'Wow, I want to look like that'," Ms Mosquera said. "I try to show them that it takes time and a lot of practise to look like that." Lina, 21, a Palestinian, started classes at Exhale two weeks ago after reading advertisements in a local magazine. She lauds the classes for offering her a chance to express herself in ways she would not be able to do elsewhere. "I'm a Muslim and I don't like to go out to dance clubs, but as a female it's always nice to have that flexibility and the opportunity to express yourself in a feminine way," she said. As the carnival-styled drum cadences start, Lina and her classmates start swivelling their hips and shoulders. "It's really boosted my confidence," said AC, 25, a Palestinian attending her third dance session. "You don't feel worried about making mistakes because everybody laughs and smiles. There is so much positive spirit in the room." @Email:[e-mail] @Email:[e-mail]