Shoes make the Woman – How to Zlide through Zumba

A few months ago, intrigued by the latest fitness craze, Zumba, which beckoned to me because I love to dance, I decided to give it a try.  I wore my running shoes, and tried desperately to mambo across the floor, but instead stuck to it, as my fellow dancers slid, pranced and rumbaed past me.  After doing a small bit of research, I invested in a pair of Capezios dance shoes, and suddenly was transformed into Bob Fosse on the dance floor.  Well not quite, but the shoes allowed me to pivot, slide and rock those salsa steps. And I got a great work out, giggling and prancing around the room, to boot. 

Zumba is a fusion of different styles of dance – latin, meringue, samba, jazz, hip-hop, belly dancing, and even Bollywood moves as well, with the goal of getting your heart rate up. Some say Zumba is not for the faint of heart or klutzes among us, but do not fear the zumba beat.  If you have any semblance of rhythm, like to dance and want a cardio workout, don’t be shy.  Most of the people in your class are in the same boat – hoping no one else is looking at them.  Ignore them all and get jiggy with it.  If you look around at the participants in the class, most of the folks are smiling AND sweating. 

Don’t worry about not following the routine closely, either.  If you find yourself unable to keep up with the steps, just keep your feet moving, and try to stay up front so you have a good view of the instructor. But your shoes will make all the difference.  Purchase either dance shoes, or multi-purpose sneakers with a flat sole and pivot point, so you can sashay across the floor. Warm up before and stretch after class, on your own if the instructor doesn’t do it. 

At my last class, we shimmied to Tina Turner’s “Rolling on the River” and did a rendition of the last scene of Slumdog Millionaire.  What a great way to burn calories without feeling like you’re exercising. So, lace up your dancing shoes, and get your Zumba groove on.  5,6,7,8...!