When Denver PrideFest hits town this Saturday, you’ll likely get in a workout without even trying. (The trying would come in the form of the Big Gay 5K starting at 10 a.m. at Civic Center Park.) I’m talking about something more fun: dance.

Dance is a total-body workout that has all the benefits of a long run or a session on the elliptical, which burns 400 calories per hour. You’ll burn far more this Saturday at PrideFest where four live stages will blast music from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A handful of body-shaping reasons to let loose:

  • House music (Smirnoff DanceWorld stage) and latin dance (Orgullo Latino stage) are set to a fast tempo, 160 to 210 beats per minute, ensuring a higher-than-average calorie burn.
  • Abs—from transverse to obliques—and the muscles that support your spine get a 360-degree workout from the twisting, pulling, and constant back-and-forth movement.
  • A stronger core improves posture and helps prevent lower-back pain.
  • The fat-blasting combo of cardio, strength, and power moves boosts your metabolism for faster weight loss.
  • All the upper-body action shapes sexy shoulders, arms, and back. It also strengthens the small, easily injured rotator cuff muscles in your shoulders.
  • Line dancing at the OutWest Country stage improves agility and gait for better balance. And all the torso bending helps tone your midsection.

Image via Shutterstock