New cultural experience: french aerobics class

In the dramatic lead-up to "getting a bikini-ready body for your wedding", I have decided to dust off the Club Med membership card and get into a workout routine.  After several months of simply using the cardio equipment and weight machines, I noticed that all of the excitement at Club Med revolves around the fitness classes.  Never wanting to be left out of fun and excitement, I decided to take part.  After having seen some of the step classes and being totally intimidated by what looks like choreographed step routines fit for a competition, I chose to start off with Body Sculpt, since that is, in fact what I am looking to achieve anyway, right?

Not really knowing what Body Sculpt entails, I just looked around at my classmates and picked up whatever they picked up: mat, giant elastic bands and hand weights.  I found my position close to the freshly painted column towards the back of the room and waited for class to begin. I was a little skeptical when the instructor, Frederique, was the same woman that I saw sneak out onto the sidewalk for a quick cigarette break last week (not joking!).  Rather than run through the whole 55 minute work out, I will list the highlights:

1) The Jane Fonda look-alike who looked like she had come straight from the coiffeur with perfect hair and make-up.  She was so thin that her spandex pants were baggy and despite being in the front row and putting all of her energy into the workout, she never broke a sweat

2) The various moves we were doing as part of the warm-up, if someone had asked me to give them individual names they would be: the scarecrow, the elephant, the speed-skater and the monkey.  At one point I wasn't sure if I was participating in Body Sculpt or Hot Moves for the Club.  I also was unsure if some of these exercises had any legitimate physical fitness benefits or if the teacher was just secretly trying to make an entire room of people look as stupid as possible

3)Mr. Vain, yes, hearing this early 90's hit song was one of the highlights of the class.  Aside from it being a middle school favorite of mine, I felt a sense of pride knowing that even though I don't understand what the instructor is trying to tell me to do next, I know all of the words to this song

4) The men: unlike the US where fitness classes are usually female-dominated, they are co-ed here in France.  Not that it takes a lot of talent, but the men in this class completely put me and my moves to shame.  I think maybe they practice at the clubs

Apart from the cultural experience, I found Body Sculpt to be one hell of a workout...next up Body Pump and Body Combat...