(Above: At a 3 hour Zumbathon with Kristi Zumba...notice everyone having a blast!)OK...so my family & close friends (& my FB followers) know I LOVE Zumba. I try and tell everyone I know to go and try it, I have definitely taken over 15 friends to a zumba class somewhere. Last year, I tried my hardest never to miss a class...3 times a week. This year seems harder than ever to stick to an evening schedule since the kids (& myself are involved with more things in the evening during the school year).
Ok...so I will go on a little about Zumba. Zumba in my own words is a "dance~party~workout". Latin, Indian, African dance & music all sort of fused into one workout. Now...I am no zumba expert, and I could probably just go google in a new window how to correctly define Zumba, but this is my blog post, and I should explain it as I see...feel(?) it. It is beyond fun...if done right (by the instructor, not you!) I will explain....
Last January, my neighbor explained that she started taking this zumba class (after I mentioned that she looked great, and she replied she had lost 15 pounds doing zumba). She asked me to come to a class with her. The following week, I tried my first Zumba class with Ida Ferraro http://www.zumba.com/profiles/5406 . I came home on this instant high...Oh my, it was a great workout and it just felt like this great party I had come home from. I didn't know any of the steps, but Ida is great at keeping her routine fluid and repetitive, so you knew what to expect throughout the songs. Her mix of song choices were fun, and her smiles while instructing were contagious. Anyway, I was hooked immediately and started going 3 times a week. Little did I know, that I struck gold finding an awesome instructor.
An old friend, Kristi www.zumba.com/profiles/68739 started teaching Zumba and told me about all that she benefited from both doing zumba, then becoming an instructor. The way it changed her body and also her mind. She is also a mother of 4 (but all 4 boys!) and having 4 kids (no matter what all those people say "once you have 3; there's no difference" (BS)) is alot of hard work...and exhausting...and draining! I am sure teaching Zumba for her must add that extra thrill just knowing that she is leaving her students feeling awesome after a workout.
Kristi invited me (& I brought some friends) to one of her new location classes. It was great...Let me tell you...a real workout. That was a year ago...And although she was good...she was still new (& maybe nervous?...Kristi...hope this is all ok) Anyway, took her class again recently, and then also was able to participate in one of her 3 hour Zumbathons. She is beyond an amazing instructor now. I felt like I was in a few dance videos when taking her classes. The choreography is amazing, fun, energetic...and sometimes really sexy! She has great energy when teaching and it is really inspiring! Now...I am not just saying this because we have known each other since 2nd grade, swear...we only reconnected a few years ago.
So far...my ranks are as follows: Kristi #1, Ida #2 (then as you read on, Bobbiann is #3)
I have taken (tried) Zumba classes with 7 different instructors, just trying new locations, or going with friends or just trying to change up the workout a bit. One instructor, did basically just African music, which was beautiful to listen to, but alot of really hard jumping and squatting and, it got boring after the 4th or 5th song. I would have loved a little "bollywood" and especially some latin music. ok...tried, dismissed. Another instructor who I swear was on something...I mean, She could not even follow her own lead. Not one of the 11 of us in the class could follow a single routine. Tried, dismissed. Another, had her own interpretation altogether. Tried, dismissed. Another does not wear Zumba clothes...I know petty, right? But Zumba wear is really awesome...and as soon as my A$$ is a little smaller, I am ordering me an outfit! LOL. OK, so she wore instead, really short running shorts that showed off her butt cheeks...at least they were not hideous looking(TMI?) and every time she bent forward which she liked to do alot, we all saw it all! She could be a really good pole dancing class instructor! The room in which she taught was hot with no air circulation and the floors would get sweaty and slippery 20 minutes into the routine. Her routines were easy to follow and you did get a workout (well at least you did sweat like you did, but that just could have been the warm room), but again, music choices were poor and I did not feel the Zumba love. Another is BobbiAnne http://zumbawithbobbiann.biz/...my 3rd fav. she is really sweet, my girls & I have even taken Zumbatomic (kids zumba)with her. Her routines are fun and everyone in her classes seem to have a really good time. Her music choices are great and she has a little of everything in each class. I have taken classes with her when my schedules allow, or where I have missed my days with Ida. (ps...I do not take Kristi's classes regularly since she teaches on the N Shore of LI, I am on the S Shore.)
Now...(finally)Reason for this post? The gym in Ronkonkoma where I would take Ida's classes closed down about 2 weeks ago. I now have no Ida in any convenient locations for me to take her classes :(
I joined a gym nearby with a friend and am taking all sorts of classes there. I was super excited to see that they had Zumba 3 times a week...Yahoo...right? Nope...it was another weird class. Or so I think. I believe I have just been spoiled by taking classes with Ida & Kristi that I now compare everyone to them.
This new instructor sings along with the music (way to loudly with no American Idol Voice), her choreography does not seem to flow smoothly from one move to another. I went again today to try again (Took it 2 days ago at night). The morning class today was so much better than the other night; she only sang to one song and I will admit, it is a workout, everyone is sweaty at the end of her class. The classes are free, so I will continue to go...until I find Ida & Kristi classes near me and in my schedule).
Oh...and my blog post title "To Zumba or not to Zumba? Well...YES ZUMBA!!! Try it, go with a friend so you can giggle when you mess up (you will on your first day). But if you hate it, try another instructor...seems that so many have their own interpretation of Zumba, you just have to find the right instructor for you!!!! GOOOOO!!!! NOWWWW! Zumba!!!! And don't just do the videos, they are not the same as being in a class with all sorts of women...old, young, big, little...and never judgemental. Everyone there is there for the same reason...to have fun and not even realize you are burning off TONS of extra calories!!!! (& and share your zumba experiences here!!!)
