When life becomes engulfed with school, work, or appointments, sometimes the easiest thing to do is to simply dance. Zumba, a Latin-inspired dance workout, is the latest exercise craze, especially among women.
English teacher Lindsey Cossette tried her first zumba class a year ago and is now starting to instruct Zumba classes.
“I absolutely loved it,” Cossette said. “The hour truly flies by and your dripping sweat, but you feel accomplished after it.”
Cossette describes Zumba as a high cardio, high-pace, and high-energy workout. In the one-hour class at Sanford Wellness, groups dance to 17 songs ranging from two to eight minutes long. The choreography is taken from basic levels of Salsa, Cumbia, merengue, and rigatone. Different elements, such as arms and abdominals, are added in within the choreography as well.
“It is a very high intensity,” Cossette said. “You sweat a lot.”
Dance Jam and Aerobic Dance teacher Nicole Peterson enjoys teaching Zumba. Dance jam, which is similar to Zumba, is individual dancing and also more fitnessed based.
“Dance jam is a little more intense with fitness and you should be sweating by the end of the day,” Peterson said. “We play song after song.”
Aerobic dance teaches students the basic steps, with a partner, to different dance styles, such as swing, ballroom, and Latin dancing. Peterson said students who do not enjoy team sports would enjoy the social aspect of aerobic dance and dance jam.
“It’s something different,” junior Makenzie Tucker said. “It doesn’t feel like a work out, but it really is.”
Peterson also enjoys getting her exercise through Zumba.
“I think there’s a part about it that you can just forget about everything else that’s going on in your life and concentrate on the music and having fun,” Peterson said. “It is an easy way for me to de-stress and to just have fun and socialize.”
Both Peterson and Cossette feel that Zumba is a fantastic lifelong activity that can help them through their daily lives.
“It makes the craziness of your everyday life balance out,” Cossette said.