Darrin DeWitt Henson has taught a host of pop luminaries how to strut their stuff. Health Reporter Emma Brady met the celebrity choreographer to find out if Brummies should be dancing their way to fitness Reclining on a comfy sofa at an exclusive city spa, it looks like dance is the last thing on Darrin DeWitt Henson's mind. But just two hours earlier the agile New Yorker had been wowing the crowds at Birmingham's Bullring as he "popped" and "grooved" for all his worth. Within 15 minutes, most of the 500-strong audience were expertly performing a routine to R 'n' B star Usher's hit Yeah. Although he started "body popping" when he was five, on the mean streets of the Bronx, Darrin has never had any formal training. "Classes don't make a good dancer, heart and soul are what make a good dancer," he said. "I was amazed that about 75 to 80 per cent of people had the routine down within 15 minutes, there were one or two kids who were really good. "But to me everybody's a star, it's all about attitude and positivity." The 30-year-old began choreographing pop videos in 1992, after he was hired to dance in C&C Music Factory's hit Things That Make You Go Hmmm. Since then he has worked with Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Prince, Justin Timberlake and Usher. However, much like the shoppers he coached yesterday, not all the stars were able to cut a dash on the dancefloor before they met Darrin. Certainly Dirrty diva Christina need quite a few lessons before she filmed the video for her debut hit Genie In A Bottle. "I worked with Christina on her first video and she had real problems moving at that stage," said Darrin, as if disclosing a well-kept secret. "She really needed help back then but she has improved so much, Christina's a real dance diva now." Darrin reserved glowing praise for her arch rival Britney Spears, who he worked with on hits Sometimes and Crazy. "I first started working with Britney after Baby One More Time... came out, she would cry every time she came off stage. "She was always questioning her own ability and was highly critical of herself when there was no need. It was a world away from working with Christina, as Britney was keen to learn and already had natural talent." But it was Britney's exbeau, Justin Timberlake, who really impressed the celebrity choreographer. "Justin is an incredible talent to work with, he's probably one of the best performers around at the moment," he said. "I first worked with him when he was still in N'Sync, on Bye Bye Bye, which is when I taught him how to 'glide'. In fact he still comes to my classes now. Like Britney he's just so eager to learn and improve." Despite his relaxed demeanour, it is clear Darrin is positively evangelical about the benefits of dance. He admitted dancing offers an easier route to fitness than a gruelling gym regime. With American and British waistlines rapidly expanding, he said people were too quick to find excuses to avoid exercising or adopting a healthier lifestyle. But Darrin's gospel is: "Dance helps people feel good about themselves. "If you hear music you can't help but move to it, whether it's tapping your foot or whatever. Together music and dance can help improve people's confidence, as well as their health. "By ignoring the benefits of any exercise, people are setting themselves up for a stack of problems like diabetes, obesity and heart disease. "While people want to look good they're often not prepared to put the work in to achieve their goals, and they get disappointed if they don't see instant results." He added: "The benefits of dance is that it's fun, it can be done anywhere - at home, at work, in the garden, in a bar - and it helps burn calories." | 
