2019 Foreward: We first shared our Beyoncé fitness tips after the THE JAM: CLT’s 3rd annual Bey Day, May 17, 2018. Bey Day is an all-Beyoncé dance fitness class/massive Bey-themed party. For the record, you’re not going to find an annual Beyoncé celebration like this anywhere else on earth. Periodt. Unless it’s on September 4 every year at the Carter mansion. In which case, we will put on our best House of Dereon and beg Mama Tina to get us on the guest list.
This year Bey Day is back – May 23 at Camp North End. Tickets are on sale now. We’ve got new inspiration. (Homecoming. We STAN.) We’ve got surprises. We are doing the absolute MOST. Because that’s what Beyoncé would want us to do.
Five instructors, 150 dancers, costumes, a Beyoncé video wall, a life-size cutout of Beyoncé and a playlist packed with the Queen B’s greatest hits. THE JAM: CLT’s Bey Day 2018 was pretty much the fitness version of a Beyoncé convention – and we’re just getting started.
Bey Day gets bigger and better every year and that’s in no small part to Beyoncé herself. Sure, she’s known for singing and dancing, but the working mom of three has taught us a lot about getting in shape. We promise these five tips learned from Beyoncé will make your workout 100x more effective. Okay, we can’t promise that but we’re sure channeling Bey will make any exercise more fun and that’s really what matters.
1) Be committed. Have you ever seen pictures of Beyoncé’s face mid-dance during a concert? It ain’t cute. You know why? Because she doesn’t give a *&$!. Whether you’re lifting weights or dancing to Get Me Bodied, you can’t care about how you look. Just do it. Beyoncé will tell you it’s a lot more fun that way. And if you look like your face just ran into a brick wall, so be it.
2) Surprise! Fitness teachers, every once in a while, you can wow your class like you’re Beyoncé dropping an album with Jay-Z on a Saturday with no notice. Our Bey Day surprises included a Beychella solo from the talented Simone Lindsey and a vogue performance from the Charlotte’s own Moss Girls. They burst into the class, duck-walked, death dropped and snatched EVERYBODY’s edges. People threw their wigs in appreciation. It was glorious.
3) Front Row is Better. There’s a good reason floor seats at Beyoncé concerts are double your car payment. You can really feel the energy and actually see what’s going on. The same goes for your group fitness classes. It may seem intimidating, but try venturing up to the front every once in a while. It’s a whole different party up there.
4) Squad Goals: So we didn’t have an entire marching band like Beyoncé at Coachella (we honestly did try) but we did have five fabulous teachers on stage. It was like having all of the past members of Destiny’s Child together, except they all like each other. As a general rule, it helps to have friends at class, someone to laugh with or encourage you, or witness the fact that you just twerked on a Thursday with 150 other people. If you’re riding solo, come to class and make a friend.
5) Put your Freakum Dress On (or your Freakum Tank.): We were proud of the number of you wearing no pants at Bey Day. Brava. THE JAM instructors were wearing pink Beychella-inspired berets, of course. If you’ve got a chance to wear a costume to a work out, DO IT. Wear something completely ridiculous, dance, feel sexy, strong and unapologetic. It’s a powerful thing.
If you’re having Beyoncé fitness fomo or you’ve been dying to thrown on a crop sweatshirt, shirt and furry boots … it’s time for you to fulfill your destiny, child. Bey Day is Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Camp North End. Preparty starts at 6:00, class starts at 6:30. Tickets are available here. Pants not required. Weave encouraged. Diva stomping is a must.