Whatever Moves You – Zumba: Move to the music

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/06/2010 (5631 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It has become an international fitness phenomenon that hundreds of Westman women (and even some men) have embraced.

Zumba is an energetic class that uses the principles of interval and resistance training to dance the calories away.

"The nice part is you’re not really focused a lot on the working out part, you’re more focused on the fun you’re having, and being with a large group of people," said Mattie Braden, a Zumba instructor at the YMCA.

With enthusiastic instructors, music blaring and a fun salsa flavour, it’s no surprise that participants keep coming back week after week.

"I loved it right away," said Donna Robb, who has been a regular Zumba-goer since last October. "It’s a lot more like dancing than exercising, and the instructors make it fun. They’re quite comical, and that makes a difference too."

Robb attends the class two to three times per week with a friend.

"We usually don’t miss a class," Robb said. "It’s a good cardio workout. It’s not running or weights, it’s something fun to add in."

The Zumba "formula" is 70 per cent Latin or International dance moves, and 30 per cent regional, such as hip-hop or country.

Combining fast and slow rhythms, the routines incorporate moves to tone and sculpt the entire body, as well as dance steps such as salsa, samba and flamenco.

I took the Zumba classes several times over the winter months and when I hear certain songs I still visualize the dance moves that go along with it, such as the lasso spin for "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy."

At the Y there are about nine regular Zumba instructors, and they choose to teach in a team format.

"We are good friends and that helps," Braden said. "We get to joke around with each other and have a good time."

Each instructor comes up with their own choreography, but learns and teaches the other songs as well.

"Whenever you hear a song, the moves are always the same, so people become familiar with it," Braden said.

The class includes a lot of fast-paced, high-energy songs, but will incorporate slower songs just when you need a bit of a breather. Before you know it, an hour has gone by!

As of last month, the Zumba program is being taught at over 60,000 locations in 105 countries. worldwide, an estimated 7.5 million participants are taking Zumba classes every week.

At the Brandon Family YMCA, an average of 100 participants were coming to every class during the winter. The number has gone down slightly with the warmer weather, but classes still draw between 60 and 80 participants.

What’s interesting about the class, is that it attracts people of a wide range of ages, from children to grandparents.

"It’s good for all ages and all fitness levels," Braden said.

"You don’t have to be doing the big jumping moves. Everybody participates at whatever level they are at."