Before I started this blog, I had heard about Zumba, but wasn’t certain what it was. Here’s what I thought: an exercise routine that combines latin dance moves. Here’s what it is: an exercise routine that combines latin dance moves. Yay! I was right. On the official zumba website, http://www.zumba.com/us, they describe it as “hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away.” A dramatic description, yes, but it’s not that far from the truth.
Zumba fell under the “to be fit” category of resolutions. But it wasn’t just about doing something healthy. I very simply wantedto take a dance class—to swing my hips and shake my rump. My sister is an avid dancer who can ballroom like nobody’s business. And she always encourages me to take a lesson. Dance is to her what writing is to me. I always understood her passion for it, but never felt the same—at least not enough to want to engage in a class with an instructor leading me in circles around the room. When I started listing off my resolutions for this blog, I thought that adding a dance class would be nice. I could finally try what my sister had been recommending for years. But, I didn’t know which one to take—samba, cha cha, merengue, waltz, jazz, jive. So many choices, so little space in the “Resolutions box.” That’s when I decided to zumba. I could get a little flavor of all of the different latin dances—see what all of my sister’s fuss was about—and then sift through all of the options for an official dance class at a later, non-Resolutions-related time.
Last week my sister came for a visit. What better tribute to the dancer than to take her to zumba, right? So, I dragged her along for this resolution, knowing that she would look graceful as she shimmied while I looked uncoordinated as I tried to keep up with the instructor.
We entered the building after she forced me to take a bunch of pre-class pictures, posing in the parking lot of the recreation center in positions that we thought resembled Zumba (Example to your right).
The studio was large with a mirror across one wall. How fun. We could watch ourselves as we jiggled (I wasn't sure how I felt about this). I introduced myself to the instructor, explained the blog and the reason Iwas taking the class. He was shocked that I would only be taking one class and assured me that I would be back. He then promised that I wouldn’t look awkward because it was impossible to look clumsy in Zumba.
He said (shaking his shoulders as he spoke), “You just move and have fun.”
Just move and have fun. I can do that, I thought.
The instructor turned on the music and we started our warm up to “I like to move it” by Reel 2 Real. (Remember that song? Mmm hmm. You’re humming it right now, I know. “I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it. Ya like to. MOVE IT!). And then the shaking and the grinding and cha cha cha-ing began. We did every Latin dance move you can imagine—from salsa to reggaeton. Yup, I reggaeton’d. My favorite move, actually. And highly recommended to anyone who wants to have fun.
Within 15 minutes I was tired and wondered how I would get through another 45 minutes. The trick that I didn't know was that I would get through it because it didn't feel like working out.
There's no video footage as proof. Sorry. That was not going to be documented for the world to see. But, we did take some pictures of me in the “proper” Zumba positions.
The instructor was right. I will go back this week. Why wouldn't I? It's like going dancing with friends--except that they're all strangers--at first anyway. And it's a good time!
Just move and have fun. Zumba's motto. Shouldn’t that be life’s motto too?
