ZUMBA!!!

It was probably a year ago when I first saw the sign " Zumba horario: Lunes 7-8, Martes 6-7, etc.." I had wanted to go way back then, just never did. I now mourn my lost year.

When we arrived I introduced myself to couple of girls in the back, Julia and Maria, who graciously made a little room for us. They said they came every night. I could tell they were serious. They had jingle skirt overlays. Later I would end up meeting a few more ladies, mostly ones I had stepped on, whopped, or run into. They were gracious, as well. It seemed my accidental assaults had not ruined their fun at all.

It would have been a bit awkward, but I wish I had had my camera. Here's what it looked like: At least 60 Latinas of all ages and sizes decked out in their sweat pants, t-shirts, make up, and little jingle skirt overlays... we'll get to those. They (and the two misfits: myself and one of our summer interns, Richell) were packed TIGHTLY into a little room dance-exercising our hearts out. If you stepped left when everyone else went right, you were stepping on or getting stepped on.

Eva, our instructor wore her "Zumba" tank top and a special Zumba necklace with some cargo capris and her jingle-skirt-overlay (JSO). I think only those who were really serious about Zumba dared to don a JSO - about half the class had them. Still, I have to admit, I really wanted one. It's sort of like ballet dancing without a tutu. You can do it without the tutu, but a tutu brings legitimacy. Anyway, instructor Eva, all of 5'2'' and maybe 100 lbs yelled our orders like a Mexican sergeant. Often it sounded like "frente...arriba...bajo!", sometimes it was just a "hup!... ehhhii." We danced "latin with a bit of hip hop" for a solid hour. We jumped, turned, kicked, shook, and basically owned that industrial tile floor. By the end, most of us were still standing, most breathing pretty hard, and I was DRENCHED. It was the most fun I've had exercising since...7th grade when Ms. Lisa (my dance teacher) surprised us and had "jazz" night instead of our regular ballet class.

In short, Zumba is a BLAST! But I'm pretty sure that having experienced Zumba IN Latin America more or less tipped the scales for me.

PS - Dad, all those years of dance class are finally paying off!!!