Our costumes for the Lady Gaga Flashmob taping. We both made our own hats. (To see the video, keep reading!)
When people say they don’t like to workout, I usually answer, “That’s because you’ve never worked out with us!” Sometimes we have so much fun I forget I’m even working out until I feel the sweat dripping disgustingly off my ponytail. Tutus, face paint and costumes are business-as-usual for the Gym Buddies and I but this past week found us with not one but three awesome events to glam up for. You know Gym Buddy Allison and I were in drag queen heaven. (Full Disclosure: not every workout is entertainment central but the blah workouts are so much less fun to blog about.)
Last Saturday was Retro Turbo day. Pick your favorite era, find some sweet used exercise clothes and then sweat for an hour whilst laughing hysterically, taking pictures and picking leotard wedgies. Seriously I have no idea how those 80’s women did it!
Do you see my big hair? Do you??? I was a wee lass in the 80’s and quite honestly barely remember them except for one thing: this was when I first learned to style my hair. It went like this: Curl half up, curl half down, rat into a big pouf and then wing out the sides. My curl is 100% natural (a fact we learned after my mom had been perming my hair for 10 years). I was amazed at how quickly the 80’s bouf style came back to me. The only thing I was missing was a can of Aqua Net. This Pantene “flexible hold” crap wilted about 10 minutes into my White Snake video, er, TurboKick class.
This was the leo of butt-molesting repute. The pictures really don’t do it justice. It was neon pink with shiny black sequins all over the middle. Gym Buddy Jeni went “Tina Marie” style. I’ll admit it – I didn’t know who she was and had to go home and google it. And even then it made no sense to me. But I totally dug her matching 3-piece rose lycra outfit! Also, the lace glove I’m wearing is courtesy of her. Jeni, that is. Not Tina Marie, whoever she is. (A singer? An actress?? A porn star?!)
This was hands-down my fave costume of the day. The ’80’s and ’70’s were well represented but Turbo Teddy here was the only one doing turn-of-the century. This guy always has the most creative costumes!
Gym Buddies Michelle and Allison work the hammer pants and side ponies!
You can’t get all dressed up and not do a photo shoot, right?
Crotch curtains. Oh dear.
…and then everyone fell on top of me.
Remember how I told you I was prepping for my first ever flashmob?! Well it was for our friend Serena’s wedding. She decided she wanted a flashmob at the reception and Turbo Jennie helped her choreograph a sweet Lady Gaga mash-up. The plan was to all meet up after Serena’s wedding and then wait for our cue to storm the dance floor…. which is what kinda happened.
That’s the bride and groom right in the middle! I wish I had a better pic of Serena, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more gorgeous bride!
Allison and I awaiting our flashmob cue in our wedding attire. She went with a LBD. As for me – red cheetah print is always classy right? Notice the sweat sheen – it was eleventy billion degrees in that loft. I looked like a drowned rat afterwards.
Gym Hubby (who is also my real-life hubby, there has been confusion) was my date and we even squeezed in a swing dance or two! And then the flashmob happened! I’d show you the video except it’s pitch black. Yeah, there weren’t any lights on so it’s pretty much just a bunch of people screaming with the occasional flash bulb. (Which was probably for the best as we were packed in like sardines – I kicked a guy’s drink over at one point and it splashed all down my dress.)
But never fear, the YMCA is here! Turbo Jennie had us tape the dance in the well-lit safety of our studio. Our only instruction was to wear all black and a hat. Gym Buddies Lindsey, Becky, Turbo Jennie and Jeni show how it’s done.
This was Gym Buddy Leah’s interpretation. She’s a gangsta and I’m a waitress…(in the bad part of town?)
And Gym Buddy Allison’s and mine!
I’m so proud of my homemade fascinator! I’m totally going to wear it again with one of my vintage dresses. And if you’re interested, here’s the video of our flashmob dance. Just imagine us doing all this at a wedding! (My favorite part: Turbo Jennie was super sweet and gave me a cameo doing a leg extension but I started to tip backwards and Michelle had to push me back upright. My second fave part: watching Allison try and clap with those talons!)
Have you ever done a flashmob? Is it on your bucket list too? Have you done a wacky workout lately?? (Housekeeping question: Do you like it when I do posts with lots of pics or does it get annoying to scroll through all of them?)
And if you’re feeling click-happy today, I just found out the Great Fitness Experiment is on the short list for Minnesota’s Most Valuable Blog award. You can vote for me (every day!) if you feel so inclined. Thanks!
One of your best dance montages yet! 🙂 Srsly, you guys crack me up. Love!
Wacky workout:
Me and my mate Tom have been playing tiggy instead of running, as in “your it!! haha got ya!! argh don’t get me!!”
Great interval workout and tons more fun than slow and steady, huff and puff jogging. We have also tried it on bikes but found that ‘Bike Tiggy’ is a very easy way to piss off motorists and have a near death experience. Oopsie.
Love the pics!
I have a white cowboy hat fascinator, compliments of Kate Middleton visiting Calgary for Stampede, there was a huge influx of them in stores! I have lots of fascinators, I love headbands, especially those with doodads and thingamabobs on them- so fascinators are meant for me! Unfortunately, the court doesn’t like us wearing fascinators…so I usually keep my headband/fascinator wear to the weekend.
I like some posts with lots of pictures, and some without; I think like once a week with lots of photos is appropriate.
At my firm, the articling students have to do a Christmas video- there’s been discussion of a flash mob. I’m doubtful there’s any way our schedules would ever allow us to get together to practice….and also, trying to arrange a flash mob outside in November, in -30C….will likely not go over well with the students. I could be wrong, but…I think I’m right.
Ive been waaaaiting for this since the FB photo!!!
You’re adorable as always, but I think Allison gets first prize for costume with all the pointy things on her head and hands; what were those made out of?
Does the Bride know all of the flash-mob people, or did you just get them to come for the dance?
Haha – I think Allison totally wins too! She made those herself out of paper, glue and spray paint! There’s a YouTube tutorial if you want to do it too! And yes, the bride limited it to people she knew. She knows a lot of people though, lol.
And this is why the best workout advice is to do what you love. To me that doesn’t even look like working out, it just looks fun. And yes, I realize there would have been many classes to learn the routine – fun!
The elementary school I went to (grades primary to 7) had a Gym Show every year which I never had anything to do with, athletics not being my strong suit. But one year (I think it was probably grade 7) our teachers decided to involve everyone and they divided the girls and boys in our grade to do a routine to a song. I think the boys had Mr. Roboto and us girls had Maniac (yes the one from Flashdance – the 80’s were my teen years 🙂 ). That was the only time I ever had fun in gym class, except for one class in high school where the teacher had us do aerobics (did I mention the 80’s?).
Love the photos and the video. Have never been in a flashmob but I think it would be fun!
I WANNA GO TO YOUR GYM SO BAAAAADD! It looks like a riot, er, in a good way.
I love our fun theme days and dressing up for class. Nothing like a skirt, some lipstick, and a cute hat to make a girl feel like she can actually dance! Great pics, Charlotte! Love you!
I have done a flashmob… actually multiple ones (but the same routine)… here in the Lou we had a Christmas flashmob group and went around dancing to a mashup of various Christmas tuneage including “Mele Kaleikemaha” and the Peanuts Christmas song… I did it in 4.5″ heeled boots… always 😉
LOVE your fascinator!
This post made me smile. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Best. Mustache. Ever.
Best. Hammerpants. Ever.
Best. Leotard. Ever.
Best. Post. Ever.
LOVE!!!!!!
All of it. Keep the pictures & videos coming!
(Tina-Marie was a protege of Rock James’. Sadly, she passed away a few months ago. But check out her song “Lovergirl,” it’s pretty great!)
Oh ya girl you rock those outfits! I remember me in my black spandex bike shorts with the neon pink stripe. My high top Reeboks and big socks. Then my big t-sjirt with the special shirt tie thingy and to top it all off! My matching neon scrunchy in my half ponytail.
You are so lucky to have workout friends!
You rock. That looks like so much fun. I’m all over any excuse to wear costumes! I have a mad hatter top hat fascinator. I want to make a few more…I love little tiny hats 🙂
Your video made me think of this video made by a fellow lab rat who did a scientist parody of the same lady gaga song. lamenting the “fun” of graduate studies. Hee hee…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl4L4M8m4d0
Charlotte,
The videos are GREAT!! It it looks like SOOO much fun!! I would love to do something like this and am going to investigate if they have classes available in my town. I am overweight, and out of shape, and I wonder if I would be able to keep up??!!
And keep the pictures coming, I think they help me get to know you better, so to speak!
Take care :O)
Aqua Net!!! Nothing ever did hold or ever will hold like Aqua Net!!!
I have never done a flash mob but I think it would be crazy fun, especially in this tiny town that I live in!
I love reading & looking at pics of your crazy antics with the ladies!!! Voted too! 🙂
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