Photo By Cincinnati Museum Center

Colors galore: African Culture Fest at the Cincinnati Museum Center

If getting in shape is among your New Year's resolutions, have you considered dance as part of your exercise regime? No excuses if you're thinking about it -- or if you promised your girlfriend you'd learn salsa -- as there are a multitude of dance class options warming up this month. ...

Dreaming of appearing on Dancing with the Stars? Here's where you can get a head start: STEP-N-OUT DANCE STUDIO (721 Madison Ave., Covington) offers a beginning social dance class 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays starting Jan. 10 for waltz, foxtrot, cha-cha and more. The focus is on ballroom dance essentials: musicality, common dance elements and partner communication (lead and follow techniques). For those feeling braver, there's an Argentine Tango series taught by esteemed expert instructor (and Argentina native) Patricia Paz on Monday evenings. Thursday nights swing with a Lindy Hop class at 8 p.m. followed by a social dance at 9 -- both for just $5, courtesy of CINCYSWING (www.cincyswing.com). No partners required! www.stepnoutstudio.com or 859-291-2300. ...

If it's Latin you're looking for, Diana Hoffman is a fun instructor-about-town. As of Jan. 6, she's begun teaching salsa lessons at Delta 1018 on Mount Lookout Square. It's not too late to join the six-class Saturday series! On Tuesdays Hoffman also teaches at Step-N-Out Studio. Call 513-324-1648. ...

The Duveneck Center (1232 Greenup St., Covington) is offering Latin dance classes for teens through adults every Saturday evening in January for $5 per class. 859-491-3942. ...

Aspiring dancers in the mood for something more essentially rhythmic and individual might consider lessons with longtime tapper Gloria Esenwein. Her "Tapping With Heart" winter session kicked off Jan. 9 and runs through March 13 at Feldenkrais Within Studio (4124 Hamilton Ave., Northside). It's not too late to jump in. Remember, Sex in the City's Charlotte took a tap class to get over her breakup! For details, call 513-541-7443. ...

CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATER's winter dance class schedule runs now through March 17. Check out their mix of styles: belly dance, Hip Hop, modern, jazz, African and more. www.cdt-dance.org. ...

The Otto M. Budig Academy of CINCINNATI BALLET's annual FREE DANCE WEEK is underway! As the name suggests, any classes Jan. 8-13 are free of charge to new students or to those who haven't taken a particular class before. Classes are not limited to classical ballet -- for adults, there's also Rhythm & Motion, a high-energy aerobic dance workout to an upbeat global mix of booty-shakin' songs. For ages 3 and up, in addition to multi-level ballet classes, there's also jazz and musical theater. This free offer applies for all three Academy locations: Downtown, the newly renovated Blue Ash studio and at NKU. For details, see www.cincinnatiballet.com where a brief registration form can be downloaded. ...

Another opportunity for the young ones: BALLET THEATRE MIDWEST's spring semester begins Jan. 29, preceded by an open house 9-11 a.m. Jan. 27 at The Carnegie Center in Columbia-Tusculum. The organization boasts an engaging pre-professional program in classical ballet, jazz and musical theater. New this year is Creative Dance for 3- and 4-year-olds. Visit www.ballettheatremidwest.com or call 513-520-2334. ...

On a dance performances note, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend brings opportunities to take in several forms of African dance. Cincinnati's own BI-OKOTO DRUM AND DANCE THEATRE perform West African Rhymes and Dances at the Avondale Branch of the Public Library (3566 Reading Road) at 6 p.m. Monday. 513-369-4440. ...

The 22nd Annual AFRICAN CULTURE FEST at Cincinnati Museum Center presents the internationally renowned SOWETO STREET BEAT DANCE THEATRE! The celebrated company originated in Soweto, a district of Johannesburg, South Africa, and now resides in Atlanta as the only professional South African dance troupe in the United States. Soweto will perform a Zulu-styled program at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The fest also offers performances from local groups such as the AFRIKAN AMERICAN DRUM & DANCE ENSEMBLE, MEDASI AFRICAN DANCE THEATRE and KAI KWEOL. An African-Brazilian Capoeira (a combat dance) demonstration and GROUPO CARIBE's Afro-Caribbean folkloric dance rounds out the "moving" entertainment. See www.cincymuseum.org and click on African Culture Fest for a complete schedule.