Get Your Hip Hop Hustle On
By Tine Roycroft

Cardio is important, as we all know. But if you’re bored with the stationary bike and unexcited about the Elliptical, Jen Faucher, owner and director of Faucher School of Dance in Auburn, has a great alternative ~ Hip Hop classes for adults. But don’t worry if you’ve never been successful at busting a move.

“I see people walk in the door and you can tell they are a little nervous,” Faucher says. “They’ve never danced before, they don’t know what to expect. Then you see them coming back the fourth or fifth week and they are the first ones running through the door and they’re really excited about it.”

Faucher, 27 and a lifelong dancer, has created a bright, beautiful space where dance is accessible to anyone. The Hip Hop classes (which, depending on the day, you might even find being taught by my fellow Pulse writer Rachel Shuster, pictured here leading her students) for example, are a wonderful, no-pressure mix of cardio and dance instruction.

“We’re constantly getting our heart beating,” Faucher says. “We do stretching for a nice warm-up at the beginning, sometimes we’ll add a little work on our abs or arms. The class also gives our clients some dance experience so they may feel more comfortable when they’re going out to hit the clubs with their friends.”

Faucher, a Paxton resident, can understand the trepidation a newcomer may have when walking into the studio. As a child, Faucher was admittedly very shy and her mother encouraged her to get involved in dance to help overcome that shyness. Keeping her own experience in mind, Faucher has selected an excellent team of instructors who are energetic, supportive, and always willing to help a dancer rise to the next level.

When she’s not in the studio, Faucher can be found hitting the books ~ she’s currently earning her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology ~ and spending time with her husband and their dogs. Or she can be found planning for the studio’s annual performance benefitting Why Me of Worcester ~ an organization that supports families dealing with childhood cancers.

“I chose to help the Why Me organization in memory of my father, William Humphrey,” Faucher shares. “We lost him to cancer and he loved children, I love children. It’s a great fit.”

Look for Hip Hop Hustle classes for adults at Faucher School of Dance in the fall.

For more information, visit www.faucherdance.com.