Thumping your way to an infectious Latin American beat, you sweat, shimmy and shake through a calorie-burning, heart-racing dance movement.  You could be in Jamaica but, in fact, you’re in one of the many workout studios somewhere in the Valley.  It’s Zumba, the fitness dance craze that has taken the United States by storm. 

Zumba had an inauspicious beginning in the mid-nineties. Aerobics instructor Beto Perez forgot his usual music and improvised a routine with some of the traditional Latin salsa and merengue cassettes he had in his car.  His students loved the class and Perez realized he was on to something, merging aerobics with dance to an irresistible Latin beat. He took his Zumba dance routine to Miami and it caught on like wildfire. 

The principle behind Zumba is incredibly simple: get fit, have fun. That’s it. There are no difficult moves to learn and you’re not required to follow the coordinated structure of a typical aerobics class.   Best of all, the music is so enticing that you barely even notice that you are exercising.  Indeed, it’s like being at a party.   

Many say you don’t have to think too much about the moves and so it’s almost like a therapy session.   Let loose and just get into it, they say.  The music makes you want to move and so the calories just burn off.    A standard one-hour class uses four basic rhythms based on simplified versions of salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton (mixed with a bit of mambo, flamenco, rumba and calypso).  Through a qualified Zumba instructor, you can get a great cardio-based workout which helps to tone and sculpt the body.  And, of course, the moves help you to lose weight and increase body strength while encouraging self-esteem and confidence.  That’s why so many people love it and find it ‘addicting.’  You can find several locations to connect with a Zumba class – just google zumba and the city in which you live.  And, join the party!

Lisa Musick has been a resident of the Valley since 1989.  She is a health activist promoting sensible ‘heart healthy’ eating and exercise.  She is also an independent consultant with ViSalus Sciences and the Body-By-Vi Challenge.  Find her on Facebook at “Get Waisted”.