Jamie King's Rockstar Workout

Daniel Sladek

By Natalie Vavricka

Rihanna is known for her shapely body as well as her exceptional vocal skills. How does this songstress maintain her curves? In a word -- dance. It's difficult to believe that you can lose weight, tone up and improve your health without hitting the gym or running five times a week -- and have fun while doing it. But famed choreographer Jamie King is on a mission to prove that dancing is the way to the body of your dreams.

“It’s enjoyable,” Rihanna says convincingly of her workout of choice. “You lose weight without even knowing it because you’re having a great time.”

Jamie King is behind some of the most popular music videos and highest grossing concert tours of all time. His resume boasts names such as Madonna, Gwen, Prince, J. Lo, and of course, Rihanna -- artists that are just as famous for their rock hard physiques as they are for their voices - - and he’s challenging those who think that dance isn’t a sport.

I sat down to lunch with the the innovative star to find out exactly how he plans on changing the way that most of us view dance.

“Dance is a sport. Absolutely,” he says enthusiastically. “Dancers are athletes. I understand that people are skeptical, but because I traveled with Nike for the last two years, I saw people change. I saw that the idea of what dance was changed for them."

In 2005, King paired with Nike to create the Nike Rockstar Workout, a high-energy cardio class that focuses on the athleticism of dance and is available at Crunch gyms and other fitness locations around the world. His muse for this endeavor? None other than the pop princess Rihanna herself, whose video for her debut hit 'S.O.S.' features dance moves straight from the workout.

“Growing up in Barbados, you have to know how to dance,” says the 19-year old Caribbean stunner, who encourages people of all ages and sizes to try this exhilarating form of exercise. “It comes naturally because it’s more of a vibe, and unlike anything else, you don’t have to look like a model to dance.”

Following the enormous success of the Nike collaboration is King’s most recent project -- the “Rock Your Body” workout, a book and DVD combo featuring hip-hop inspired dance moves devised to help tighten your trouble spots and shed pounds. More importantly, it was created so that he could share his passion with the rest of the world.

“Look at 'Dancing with the Stars'," says King. It’s a perfect example of how dance fitness can make you look better, feel better, act better. You learn a craft. You lose weight. You feel better about yourself.”

But what distinguishes King’s book from the hundreds of other celebrity workout programs on the market?

For starters, he waited over 10 years to create it. His research involved thousands of hours watching the bodies of his celebrity clientelle transform in front of his eyes while prepping them for video shoots and tours.

“We’ll be rehearsing for two weeks to get ready for a video, and their bodies will literally become rock-solid.”

Rihanna, like many other performance artists, relies on dance to maintain her flawless figure; constantly touring makes working out with her trainer difficult. “When I’m performing, I’m dancing so much that it helps me to stay in shape," she says. "I’m supposed to eat a certain way, but sometimes I slip up. Sometimes I wonder how I don’t gain weight after several days of eating too much chocolate ice cream and pasta. And then I remember: 'I just came off tour.'”

King's program isn’t just a ‘quick fix.’ There’s no guarantee that you’ll get washboard abs or lose 10 pounds in 10 days. In fact, he stresses the importance of nutrition and a well-rounded diet. “You have to have balance," he says. You can’t just eat really poorly and then dance.”

What he does guarantee is that whether your goals are weight loss, improved cardiovascular fitness or a perkier behind, you’ll have a good time getting there.

So what does Rihanna think about her mentor’s methods?

“He’s amazing," she gushes. "I’ve always been a fan of his work, so it was intimidating for me to work with him at first. But right after I got in there, he had me dancing -- I didn’t even know it. He just gets it out of you so naturally.”

And after all, who wouldn’t want Rihanna’s booty?

NEXT: More Benefits of a Dance Workout