james jones, keeping fit, sun media (sept. 21, 2006)

EDITOR: S a ll y J o h n s t o n PHONE: 4 6 8 - 0 115 FAX: 4 6 8 - 0 1 3 9 E - MAIL: s john s t o n @e dm s u n. c o m T H E E D M O N T O N S U N • T hur s da y , Sep t em be r 2 1, 2006 lifes ty l e 7 5 S o y ou t hink y ou can dance? Even if you can’t and you’re a s stiff as a concrete garden gnome, shakin’ your groove t hang can give you one heckuva workout, says James Jones. And when it comes t o busting a move, the 21-year-old Edmontonian is partial to breakdancing. “It’s got everyt hing. It’s got y our cardio. And you’re using every single stabilizer muscle. It’s an amazing workout f rom top to bottom,” he explains. “When you’re first startingoff , you don’t have to be t otally in shape. But t hemore you practice, the more you get fit.” Jones can dance. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, he’s fit, too. For the past decade, breakdancing has been his passion. It’s a passion that has taken this energetic B-boy across North America, Eu- rope and Australia for per- formances and competitions with two Edmonton-based dance groups. Along t he way it’s been an especially good confidence-builder. “I was a shy kid before I started dancing. I used to stutter when I was on camera. And I was uncomfortable with groups of people I didn’t know,” says the dancing machine who now mesmerizes crowds with his gravity-def y- ing moves. And it’s a passion he’s parlayed into a f ull- time job. Jones is t eaching Breakdancing 101 at Club Fit locations around the city, while also launching a downtown dance studio ca lled Self Expression. Of c ourse, Jones’s ascension hasn’t been without its personal setbacks. Three years ago, he t emporarily lost t hede- sire to dance following the death of his dad. “I stopped going to c ompetitions. I j ust didn’t really care,” he remembers of his self- imposed hiatus f rom any serious dancing for nearly a year. But the passion eventually came back with a vengeance. These days, Jones dances five t imes a week, usually up to three hours a session. For t hefirst hour, hefocuses on j ust dancing, seeing where the rhythm of the music takes him, as if he were in a night- club. The second hour is devoted to practicing stalled poses known a s f reezes, and power moves such as one-handed spins, back spins, shoulder spins and head spins. “You have to have a really strong neck for that (spinning on your head),” he says, adding he’ll also practice flips, including backflips, while throwing in a few sets of two-handed handstand pushups. The third hour is straight footwork. Twice a week, Jones also practices gym- nastics for at least two hours. And typically before a dance competition, he’ll ru n for at least an hour t hrough the river valley. To f uel all that exercise, Jones eats a d iet that in- cludes oatmeal, rice, veg- gies, chicken and plenty of raw fish. “Sushi seems t o sit nicely in my stomach,” he says, addi ngi t’s light anddoesn’t leave himfeel ing bloated on the d ance floor. “ It doesn’t try to come back up when you’re doinghandstands.” Most evenings, Jones eats f ruit s o he’ s not going to bed on a f ull stomach. However, he admits t o having a sweet t ooth and does enjoy the occasional chocolate bar. “For t he most part I try to pick healthier foods with less calories,” he says. While dancing is enjoying a surge in popu- larity thanks in part to t he Fox TV show So Y ou T hink Y ou Can Dance, Jones admits breakdancing is still f ar f rom b eing c onsidered mainstream. “Breakdancing is st ill pretty hard to find nowadays,” he says. “I hope to change that in Edmonton.” Af ter all, Jones would be lost if it weren’ t for breakdancing. “I’d just be bored as hell. Without dancing I’d probably be a big f at slob watching TV every night, sitting on t he couch and eating chips.” – D o y o u h a v e a n in s pi r a t ion a l st o ry fo r K eeping F i t ? E -m a il Ca ry Ca st a gn a a t cca st a gn a@ edm su n.c om Breakdancer James Jones shows off his moves in the studio area of ClubF it at 103 Street and Jasper Avenue. He teaches Breakdancing 101 locally at the fit- ness chain as a f un way to get fit. CARY CASTAGNA G e t i n t o y o ur g r oo v e ! B r e a kd a n c ing h a s go t e v e ryt hing t o help y o u st a y ph ys i ca ll y fi t a nd tr im – BRENDON DLOUHY, Sun ‘Without dancing I ’d pr obabl y be a big fat slob watching TV e v ery night …’ – Ja me s J one s

james jones, keeping fit, sun media (sept. 21, 2006)

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