In August, the city of Denver will leverage the benefit of outdoor spaces for a new exercise series in Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
The city has partnered with 10 local fitness studios — Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Barre3, BLOCK21, CM Dance, Edgar L. Page: Feel the Movement, Hot Mamas, Lunar Vibrations, Bodies by Perseverance, Endorphin and Palango! Fitness — to provide a variety of classes, from meditation to high-intensity interval training. The series will run from Aug. 4 through Sept. 29, and tickets ($17 per class) go on sale on Wednesday, July 29, at 10 a.m.
In a news release, Denver Arts and Venues said staffers have drawn 10-foot circles 6 feet apart to enforce social distancing while exercising. Kitts said they plan to do classes two days a week with 50 participants per session, extending through the fall. Since the park usually has a capacity of 5,000, guests will have plenty of space, he added.
In an interview, Brian Kitts, a spokesperson for Denver Arts and Venues, clarified that participants would be required to wear a mask for the duration of the exercise classes, even though they take place outside because the mandate applies to outdoor events.
“If you’re going to take a chance on gathering in groups, you want to be able to trust the people next to you, and part of that means that they’re following the right protocols,” Kitts said. “Masks happen to be part of that, just like social distance and good hygiene.”
Kitts said the city has also taken the fitness series as an opportunity to partner with cultural organizations like Cleo Robinson Dance, offering a unique exercise program beyond the basics. He also emphasized how lucky Coloradans are to enjoy outdoor spaces like Sculpture Park or Red Rocks Amphitheater, even under difficult circumstances.
For cardio and high-intensity workouts, guests can try Endorphin’s Boot Camp classes or cardio boxing, and Hot Mamas for Pilates. Or people can explore a variety of dance, from modern and jazz with Edgar L. Page: Feel the Movement to dance cardio with BLOCK21. And on the other end of the spectrum, Lunar Vibrations will provide meditation classes starting in September.
“It’s a chance for people to get to do something fun with others for a change,” Kitts said. “Denver is fortunate that the area has a lot of great outdoor spaces … and it’s a good thing that it’s summer right now because we do get a chance to do some of these things after everyone’s been locked up.”
The announcement for this new series follows Gov. Jared Polis’ new statewide mask mandate, which went into effect last Friday. The order applies to exercising in indoor gyms and studios, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
