Are you dancing? You should be, according to the style pundits who say that dance is to be the fitness fad of the year. Nike's Rockstar workout, a hip-hop-flavoured dance class, was created by 'choreographer to the stars' Jamie King (proper stars, mind, including Madonna, J-Lo, Justin Timberlake and Britney). Next month it launches at Holmes Place and Danceworks, along with a new range of dance-inspired clothing that will make you feel like auditioning for Fame (check out the corset). See nikewomen.com for details. Meanwhile, Ragdale Hall Health Hydro in Leicestershire gets dance fever for a week (January 30-February 3), during which you can try out anything from disco mania to cheerleading, in between pedicures and body wraps. Call 01664 434831 (ragdalehall.co.uk).
Good fast food
'Fast' and 'beautiful' aren't words that usually sit well together when talking about food, but Fresh Italy, a new chain, has adopted 'beautiful fast food' as its motto and has every intention of standing by it. And the food promises to be not only beautiful, but healthy, too. It is the first fast food outlet to introduce the traffic light system put forward by the Food Standards Agency, which takes into account fat (content and type), sugar, salt and calorie count in its green, amber and red ratings. To flag up the message that fast food can be good, Fresh Italy is running a 'No fat, no VAT' campaign this month, when green and amber dishes will be VAT-free. There are two branches in London and a third at the Lakeside shopping centre in Essex, with six more set to open this year. See fresh-italy.com for details.
Show time
It's cold, damp and dull: the ideal time to hatch plans for an action-packed year. So get yourself to the Adventure Travel and Sport Show at London's Olympia next weekend to check out everything from yoga retreats in India to mountain biking in the Pyrenees. You can take the plunge in the scuba pool, scale the ice wall or take flight (almost) in the hang-gliding simulator. Plus there's all the kit a budding adventure sports enthusiast could ever need to ogle. Advance tickets (available until Thursday only) cost £8 for adults, otherwise it's £10 on the door; 0870 161 2122 (adventureshow.co.uk).
Gone to seed
I love the fact that the packaging for Good Seed, a hemp seed-based range of snacks and condiments, reads 'good for joints', which just goes to show how immature I am. Of course, while hemp seed is derived from the cannabis plant, its properties are health-enhancing rather than mind-altering, as it contains an optimal balance of the essential fatty acids - omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 - as well as vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and protein. It tastes pretty good, too, particularly the addictive Sweet And Crunchy (made from toasted and sweetened hemp seeds) and Salad Sprinkles (a shake-on mix of toasted hemp seed, sundried tomatoes, Italian cheese and herbs). I was less impressed with the vinaigrette. From Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Fresh & Wild, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges (goodwebsite.co.uk).
