Groovefit

I moved to NYC almost 2 years ago. I’ve always enjoyed dance classes and zumba fitness! Im an addict actually. I started Zumba back in 2009 and I lost 25 lbs strictly from my zumba every night! When I arrived to NYC, My search started for the perfect zumba class that would keep my interest, have great choreography, motivate me, inspire me, and a great playlist! I spent lots of time and money trying different studios and classes and some were good but still not «the one». Until I found Groovefit!!! Janelle has all that and more! Love her energy, her music and her vibe ! and is super friendly!!. She’s has great choreography and instructs in a way thats simple to follow. So thrilled I’ve found «My» zumba/​dance class at last!

If you want a great Zumba workout where you will be guaranteed to come out sweaty and feeling absolutely fabulous, Jannelle Cortes is that instructor. Her classes are fun and fast and her smile is so contagious! I heard so much about her and when I finally took her class I was impressed and now I am hooked!

This class is my absolute favorite thing to do during my free time. I started taking belly dance with Jannelle a few years ago and can honestly say that regardless of how often you go, it never gets old. She’s a talented dancer and teacher with an endless repertoire and will always keep you on your toes (quite literally too!). People love her class because she knows how to keep it fun and upbeat but by the time the hour is up you’ve sweat your ass of without realizing it PLUS you’ve seriously learned to dance. Before you know it you’re pretty good! She sees a dancer in all of us and brings it out. I’ve taken other classes but this one really stands out. I now live in Riverdale and still make the trek to class when I can — it’s that great!

For high-​energy dance that is taught with superb instruction, Jannelle Cortes of Groovefit is the gold standard. I met her at a Community Health & Fitness Day in Central Harlem where she taught zumba; everyone was simply mesmerized by her charm, her easy-​to-​follow style and her endless energy, whether they were young kids or mature adults. In no time, she had the group moving in sync as if they’d been rehearsing for weeks. Her love for dance shows in everything that she does and people are drawn to her. Wow, it just doesn’t get any better than this! Prior to meeting her, I had heard good reports from friends, but was still shocked at how she was able to take a pretty complex routine and break it down so that it was fun, fast and an amazing workout. Jannelle is the real deal!

Janelle teaches a high energy, well thought out bellydance class. Very positive, very well informed dance teacher. No two classes are exactly alike and for someone like me who is tough to please I always find myself with a smile on my face during class and no matter how tough my work day has been by the time I leave her class my mood has been elevated to happy, and feeling free!
Anyone looking to start to dance or at a professional level Janelle teaches all levels and you will always leave feeling that you learned something new since she stays current with what’s new in the bellydance world and also with other forms of dance.
This is a class (if your schedule allows) should not be missed!
Kathy Nekrasov one very happy customer!!!

I’ve become a Groovefit junky if you will… Jannelle creates a professional, nurturing, high energy environment that sucks you in! Over the past two years of attending classes I have become more comfortable with my body, learned to belly dance, built lasting friendships and have performed in a couple of productions! We even travelled to Morocco on a trip Jannelle organized last summer. There is truly a unique sense of community in this group of incredibly diverse women. Everything Ginger wrote in her long review is absolutely accurate so I won’t repeat it. Groovefit has made me a happier and healthier person.

Why does Groovefit stand out among other belly dancing companies and studios?
1) Great teachers.
No matter if you have two left foot or no left foot at all, is size –2 or size 38+, is under 18 or has few great grand children making more children, speak English or not, Jannelle will make a belly dancer out of you. Same applies to gals and guys. I think, for Jannelle, belly dancing seems to be about the celebration of body in all size, color and shape. She regularly invites dancers of other discipline — ballet, hip hop, for example — to co-​instruct her workshops so the students benefit from more than 2 dancing instructors at the same time. Her ability to attracts topnotch performers and personalities directly put her classes at the crossroad of all dancing styles. Jannelle has a knack of knowing what to do and what to say to get you to belly dance before you know it.
2) Excellent variety of belly dancing.
Jannelle is extremely knowledgeable in belly dancing styles from virtually all middle eastern country. Why? My suspicion is that she’s got a musician’s ear & soul insider her dancer’s body. Her choreography includes styles of flamingo, Bollywood, Asian, and continue to expand at alarming rate you’d think she’d depart from belly dancing and start teaching Tango or Salsa. Her choreography are musically beautiful and she’s got good rhythm. Thanks God for that — does any of us remember that dance teacher who couldn’t keep the beat or follow the music?
3) More than dancing.
A. In addition to dancing along, you learn the culture of middle eastern countries with Jannelle either by taking group drumming lessons, checking out affordable costumes in remote Queens area, tasting local middle eastern new dig, or joining her in some of the trips that she organizes for her student to Turkey, Egypt, Morocco and many more where they shop for costumes and souvenirs, visit museums & pyramids and (surprise!) take master classes from local belly dancing gurus.
B. As an entrepreneur, Jannelle seems to be the kind of professional that is person-​centered, meaning she cares about her student not just because of the blingbling but she honestly wants her students to dance well enough to enjoy belly dancing. The sisterhood of the Groovefit dancer is strong and there is no cattiness around. This is hard to explain, but you just have to experience it for yourself.
Come see for yourself and feel the passion that Jannelle has for belly dancing. You won’t regret it.
P. S. The only «con» that I can think of is how crowded Jannelle’s classes have become due to her popularity and interests from our society in belly dancing and middle eastern culture. Check out «Jannelle’s Belly Dancing Technique Class» on
to sign up and make sure you RSVP prior to showing up at her classes.