Newsroom

New York Methodist Hospital (NYM) welcomes families to "get their dance on" at the National Day of Dance event on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 10 a.m. The Day of Dance is a program of the Spirit of Women Hospital Network, and will be emceed at NYM by the reigning Miss New York, Shannon Oliver, as well as stars of reality TV, Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen.

"New York Methodist Hospital is proud to bring this wonderful nationwide initiative to Brooklyn," said Carol Vargas, NYM's assistant vice president and coordinator of the Hospital's Spirit of Women program. "Dancing on a regular basis offers numerous benefits for cardiovascular health, weight and blood pressure management, increased coordination and muscle strength, and an overall sense of well-being."

Classes to be offered at the Day of Dance include ballroom, ballet, zumba, hip hop, belly dancing, hula hoop, and a salsa lesson led by two-time World Salsa Champion Anya Katsevman.

As part of the event, NYM will also offer screenings for blood pressure, glucose/blood sugar, and body-mass index, as well as a "pharmacy brown bag" session.

"Ultimately, the goal of the Day of Dance is to educate New Yorkers on a variety of cardiovascular conditions, to teach families about healthy choices that they can easily incorporate into their daily lives, and to have a lot of fun at the same time," said Mark J. Mundy, New York Methodist Hospital's president and CEO. "No one knows how to hit the dance floor like Brooklynites."

The Day of Dance will be held at New York Methodist Hospital's Carrington Pavilion, 506 Sixth Street in Brooklyn, on Saturday, February 23, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $10, and kids under 12 attend for free. To register, or for more information, visit nym.org/dance, or call 855-NYM-WELL.