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Zumba Fitness

Zumba is a dance-fitness program that is proving to be more than just a fad.

Celebrity fitness trainer Beto Perez accidentally stumbled upon the concept of Latin-inspired dance-fitness when he forgot to bring his music to an aerobics class and had to use traditional Latin salsa and merengue music as a substitute. The warm reception from his class prompted him to start the program.

After he brought the program to the U.S. in 2001, he was approached by entrepreneurs and together they trademarked the word Zumba and created a global company based on his fitness philosophy.

After taking a local Zumba class at the Athletics Club, the Gazette caught up with Western Canada Zumba Education Specialist Robyn Holm to talk about the program.

What is Zumba?

Zumba is a Latin-based fitness dance program. So it includes Latin rhythms along with others from around the world, like belly dance, merengue, salsa, and maybe even African rhythms. It’s a mix of a wide variety of rhythms.

What kind of a workout is Zumba?

It is a full body workout. It is very much a cardiovascular workout. We do tone all the muscle groups as well, through body weight and that kind of stuff.

How does Zumba stand out from other group classes?

Zumba is very simple and easy to follow. It’s designed so that anyone can do it. You don’t have to have any dance experience to do this class. In a regular dance class, you might have to have some dance experience. In Zumba, if you go to one or two classes, you will have a handle on it and you can just get better from there.

What are some of things people would be surprised about when they go into a Zumba class?

It’s different from other dance fitness programs because the focus is fun. It doesn’t feel like you’re exercising because the focus is on the music. There is no right or wrong — the instructor leads you through visual cuing and you just follow along. I think the thing that surprises people the most is how much fun the class is. We call it “exercise in disguise” because it doesn’t feel like you’re exercising even though you come away with a fantastic workout. And we also try to keep a party like atmosphere, which is why we don’t use a microphone.

What should someone wear to the class?

Wear either a dance fitness sneaker, or a shoe that’s worn out that doesn’t have a lot of tread on the bottom. Just wear regular fitness clothes — anything that you’re comfortable in.

From the outside it looks like it’s mostly women who try Zumba. What would you say to a guy who wants to try it?

Zumba was created by a guy. In the [U.S.], especially in places like Miami, I would say the instructors are half guys and half girls. So yes, in Canada it might be female-dominated, but any guy who might be interested in trying a class — what other way to meet great girls? In the bigger city centres there are definitely more guys. It was designed by a man so it is designed for both men and women.

What would you say to encourage someone who is nervous about trying Zumba?

It is important to go and try it, and not expect yourself to be perfect at it because Zumba isn’t about going and getting all the steps perfect. It is about going and having a good time, and increasing your agility and your ability over time. So even if you have two left feet, don’t worry because a lot of the people in the class will have two left feet as well. And the more you practice, the better you are going to be at it. My advice is dive in — grab a friend, go together and just give it a try.

Check the “find class” section on www.zumba.com to locate local London classes.

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