BuzzSugar

ABC: All Dancing, All the Time?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:35:11 PST

ABC is rocking the fall ratings thanks to Dancing with the Stars and has a spinoff, Dance War, slated for a January debut. But apparently that's not enough, as the network has just announced another dancing reality series, this one focusing on ordinary people.

The network has ordered five episodes of Dance Machine, which pits average joes against each other in various dance competitions. It's described as "ordinary people, extraordinary circumstances and a whole lot of money on the line," which I think also applies to 95 percent of the reality and game shows out there.

Still, I am curious about this sudden obsession with dance-themed shows. Fox has its So You Think You Can Dance, of course, and Bravo has a dance show of its own in the works. What's going on? And will even the biggest dance fan want to watch some random dude try to tango?

Photo courtesy of ABC

Julius Dance Machine Gets the Party Started Anywhere

Leta Shy — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:17:03 PDT

March is in like a lion, but sunny days will be here soon, meaning long days spent outside with the family. And what is better than background music to go along with your day at the beach? An iPod speaker station is the perfect solution for keeping tots entertained and setting a fun mood.

I tried out the Julius Dance Machine Speaker Station ($100) that Paul Frank had sent over to see if it could, in fact, get the party started. Made for all iPod devices (although adaptors are not included), it easily mounts your iPod and charges it while playing. The speaker dock comes with an adaptor, but also includes a rechargeable battery, meaning it is made for travel.

Who is this designed for? What I liked about this kid-friendly speaker dock was its ease of use - there's only a few buttons, including the volume buttons, which are on the monkey's ears, and the power button at the top of his head.

What sets it apart? At first, I wondered exactly what would make this simple speaker dock a "dance machine," but I quickly realized why it's a good purchase. Moms and dads can take it along to a picnic or kid's birthday party and get up to six hours of playtime on the rechargeable battery.

What did it sound like? The speaker sound was clear, and the volume reached a loud level. I didn't test it outside, but the sound was more than acceptable for such a small speaker station, even though I was at first concerned that some sound may be distorted since the iPod mounts right in front of the speakers. I can imagine that if you were in a noisy area it may not have the power to project far, but its size and portability make it a great option for an impromptu backyard party or a day at the park.

Would I recommend it? I can see how someone who loves the Paul Frank monkey would go bananas over this speaker dock. It's portable, easy to use, and - aside from the impenetrable plastic packaging it comes in - easy to set up.

Justin Bieber Geeks Out With a Robot at CES

Nancy Einhart — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:10:18 PST

Justin Bieber, meet dancing machine. Today at CES, TOSY Robotics showed off the new mRobo Ultra Bass, a dancing robot and portable speaker. Like a real-life Transformer!

Justin Bieber was on hand to debut the new high-tech toy, which holds about 500 songs on 2 gigabytes of memory. Users can upload songs via USB, then play the music via a remote through the super bass-centric speaker.

Once the music starts, the mRobo speaker transforms into a dancing bot. It can dance to any genre (we'll see about that) played on its own system or from other devices streamed via Bluetooth. Click through to see Bieber meet bot.

Intense Cardio For Those Who Hate the Treadmill

Leta Shy — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:41:31 PDT

I'm a fan of the treadmill, but I have many otherwise fitness-loving friends who'd rather do almost anything else than a 30-minute gym run. If you're the same, here are other ways to reap the same calorie-burning benefits without a seemingly boring run.

Try a different machine: Think your cardio only comes from the treadmill? Think again. Raise your heart rate with another machine at the gym. Try a spinning class to burn major calories, check out the row machine for an all-body workout, or go full-force on the elliptical. Each of these will burn major calories while being less hard on your legs and knees.

Intervals: Many people say they hate the treadmill because it's boring and don't think that they can run for a long time. High-intensity intervals help in both these cases. And you don't have to stick to the treadmill. Bundle up with your favorite cold-weather running gear and hit the trails, and alternate your vigorous runs with jogging.

More intense cardio ideas after the break.

How Stacy Keibler Got Those Killer Legs

Shape — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:16:35 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar.

Before she danced with the stars, romanced George Clooney and literally “wrestled” her way to stardom, Stacy Keibler had an impressive career as an actress and model. But, the 5’11 blonde beauty is perhaps best known for one of her most enviable assets: a great pair of legs. We all know that, genetics aside, it takes some hard work to get sculpted stems like Keibler’s. So, we went right to the source to find out exclusively how the former WWE diva keeps her legs looking so fab - her own personal fitness guru!

Get Keibler’s Killer Calves
"Juliet has a gift of hyper-focusing on each muscle to make them 'pop' perfectly, keeping my legs long and lean," says the 31-year old Keibler, of Juliet Kaska, her trusted personal trainer and a Hollywood heavyweight known for keeping a bevy of boldfaced names lean and mean. But in Stacy’s case, Kaska says, she can’t take all the credit. "Stacy was born with stunningly long, athletic-looking legs. But, my job is to work on sculpting them so that she has more muscle definition and shapely calves," Kaska says. "Most women avoid focusing on calves fearing it will cause them to bulk up and make legs appear thicker," she adds, "but with Stacy, it's the key to her gorgeous gams." And their routine starts with something ever so simple that you can do at home - take the stairs!

See the rest of Stacy's leg workout after the break!

Real Steel: Real Predictable

Rose Curiel — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:30:47 PDT

When you sign up to watch a movie about boxing robots, chances are you want to see mechanical carnage, and plenty of it. In Real Steel, Hugh Jackman stars as Charlie, a man who makes his living piecing robots together and sending them to the ring, so the potential for spectacular robotic clashes is high. But when Charlie's estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) shows up on his doorstep, what you get instead is a predictable father-son story that's a swing and a miss.

The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when machines have taken over the role of boxers because humans are hungry for more gore. The premise is a bit hard to believe - how do bolts win over blood, and why would sports fans be more invested in a machine than a human? On that note, the film barely lets the audience begin to connect with the beat-up, underdog robot Max uncovers in a junkyard, paying more attention to the relationship between the boy and his dad. When Max just so happens to share his father's passion for robot boxing, the film establishes a convenient means for the pair to bond. To find out why else you can pass on a ringside seat to this film, just keep reading

Indoor Workouts For a Rainy Day: How to Burn 300 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:27:31 PDT

Don't let the rainy weather wash away your workout. If nasty rain and wind is forcing you to get your sweat on indoors, here are some ways to burn 300 calories at home.

Get your stretch on: unroll your mat and practice yoga. An hour and 20 minutes of light yoga burns 315 calories.
Pop in your favorite cardio DVD such as Bob Harper's Ultimate Cardio Body or Tracy Anderson's Cardio Dance Workout; you'll burn 310 calories with 45 minutes of high-impact dancing or aerobics.
Jump rope: it doesn't take much. In just over 30 minutes you'll burn 305 calories. Pass the time by jumping rope in front of your favorite TV show.
Walk up and down the stairs: not only will you strengthen your heart and tone your legs and booty, but just under an hour of doing the stairs in your house burns 313 calories.
Grab your dumbbells: you'll have to do a lot of bicep curls and push-ups, but after an hour and 45 minutes, you'll burn 310 calories.
Hit the machines: if you haven't lost power and you have a treadmill or elliptical at home (lucky you!), go for a run. At a pace of 10 minutes per mile, you'll burn 300 calories in just over 30 minutes.

What other ways do you work out inside?

Would You Go to a Yoga Studio-Turned-Nightclub?

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:30:09 PDT

Your yoga studio might offer Friday night kirtan, but have you ever heard of a yoga studio transforming into a nightclub on the weekend? Shiva Rea's Yoga Trance Dance and Aarona's Yoga Soundscape fuse yoga with dance elements, but these days yogis are rolling up their mats and raving after class (sans the alcohol, of course). Get Your Dance On has popularized the trend of combining a challenging yoga class followed by a liberating dance party, complete with live DJs, funky, local musicians, and a smoke machine. After a detoxing and purifying class, yogis can continue to socialize by dancing in a noncompetitive, nonalcoholic, and all-inclusive environment. The energy stays high as guests sip on kombucha and coconut water and eat raw, vegan noshes. While most events occur in NYC at Judson Church, Urban Zen, and YogaWorks SoHo, the dance party has ventured to the West Coast in LA and San Francisco. I'm hoping to bring this dance revolution to my local studio. We're gonna tell that yogi to pass the kombucha tea!

Source: Aria Isadora Photography

The Vampire Diaries "The Last Dance": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:02:36 PDT

We go vintage on The Vampire Diaries this week with a decades dance and a villain so old that calling him vintage is a compliment. It's Klaus, sort of showing his face, and striking fear into the hearts of all the characters, even the season's main baddie thus far (Katherine). Matt continues his subterfuge against his girlfriend for the benefit of the sheriff, and Damon - well, all you need to know is that Damon is a dancing machine.

But the episode culminates with a violent showdown that left me utterly shocked. I don't want to spoil that, or anything else, though, until after the jump! To read the good, the bad, and the bloody, just

From the Barre to Bollywood: 5 Fun Dance-Inspired Workouts

Michele Foley — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:12:54 PDT

When it comes to fitness classes, dance-inspired workouts are my favorite - mostly because I'm having so much fun that I don't feel like I'm exercising. Whether it's sculpting my body into a long, lean, machine, or pouring buckets of sweat as I shake my hips, see my favorite dance-based workouts.