Lifestyle

Astrofit Is at the Forefront of Innovation

Published

5 years ago

November 11, 2020

In any industry, in order to move forward and keep clients happy, businesses need to innovate. Fitness is no different, and the Canadian brand Astrofit is paving the way for a new fitness reality. “We are heavily focused on innovation. One catalyst that pushed us forward was the pandemic. People found themselves at home, needing to move and feel good. Not only that, but once they were able to leave their homes, they still had to adhere to strict safety guidelines, and we wanted to come up with a way to support them fully,” a member of the Astrofit team says.

Astrofit bets on digitalization. “We digitalized a lot of our workouts and programs, as we believe every fitness brand out there should do, since it allows for extra freedom and flexibility. When you’re able to provide digital resources for people, you’re helping to keep them motivated and holding them accountable, and that’s why they go to the gym in the first place. It’s not only about the movements, but about the community and the support, too,” the Astrofit leadership adds.

It’s natural for Astrofit to gravitate toward innovation. After all, the business is funded and run by the decentralized company TripleOne, where users from across the globe make joint decisions on how and where to invest capital and are constantly seeking to expand and innovate with the help of technology.

Astrofit is currently operating out of two locations in Quebec. During the pandemic, they made plenty of workouts available online in order to keep their community active and healthy. “We want to give people a great balance when it comes to training. Building muscle or losing fat is one thing, and then you’ve got the whole mindset of getting truly fit. We want to provide both to our people,” a team member says.

Astrofit is also playing with the idea of both indoor and outdoor workouts. While traditional gyms only focus on indoor training, the Astrofit team knows that there are plenty of benefits when it comes to outdoor fitness as well. “In the summer, people will get a ton of Vitamin D from the sun, and not only that, but it’s fun to be training out in the open. With the current situation, we’re also able to socially distance better outside, so we’re definitely looking at outdoor workouts, absolutely,” the team member explains.

Each workout at Astrofit is focused on two things: to help the client enjoy the movement and to challenge them to perform better. “We really want to select the best program for you so that you enjoy all of your workouts and they don’t feel like a chore. The plan is for you to become self-motivated and for us to simply guide you toward the best version of yourself,” the Astrofit team member comments.

Here, each client is expertly evaluated by the trainers in order to find the exercises and the training style that works for them. While high-intensity may work for one individual, that’s not necessarily the truth for another, which is why Astrofit’s trainers take the time to review everybody’s goals separately and track them.

For more news, updates, and to see expert tips from Astrofit, follow them on Instagram.

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

6 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.