What is Zumba?

What is Zumba? Health Tips Published: 06 February 2013 16:31 CET Updated: 24 April 2018 14:39 CET

Zumba is a fitness program that has taken the world by storm. Back in the 1990s it was all about aerobics. But today, more and more fitness gyms are switching onto Zumba, and putting on classes for the demanding public. But where did Zumba originate from, and what are its roots? Read on to find out.

Zumba actually originates from Colombia. It is the brainchild of one Alberto “Beto” Perez a Colombian choreographer and dancer. The story of how it actually came about is an interesting one and one well worth recounting.

Back in 1986, Alberto was working as an aerobics instructor. One fateful day he happened to forget to take his aerobic music tape with him to the gym where he was scheduled to lead a class. By the time he’d realised his error, it was too late to go back home, so he was forced to improvise. They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and indeed it was to prove to be a great day for the fitness community of the world at large!

Digging into the rucksack that he carried with him, Alberto scrabbled around and pulled out a number of listening music tapes that he carried about with him. They consisted mostly of Salsa and Merengue. It was this music that he used to create a number of improvised work-out routines that he was to subject his class to. The session went down like a bomb, and before very long, Alberto’s new Zumba routines were the craze of Colombia.

In 2001, Alberto moved to the Unites States. Here he met up with Alberto Perlman, and he also reacquainted himself with Coo Alberto Aghion, a former friend from his childhood. Between the three of them they produced a demo tape of Zumba music which they then sold under license to Fitness Quest. Fitness Quest then used the tape as the sound track for a series of home fitness videos. A company called Zumba Fitness was created to market the videos, and the Zumba Academy came into being in 2005 to train and license instructors to teach Zumba.

Zumba choreography is an ongoing work of art. It now includes Hip-Hop, Samba, Mambo, Bollywood, Belly Dancing, and even certain martial arts’ moves. It also has a few squats and lunges in its repertoire. It’s been a phenomenal success, and today in 2013, there are over 14 million devotees taking Zumba classes in more than 140,000 locations, in 150 countries worldwide.

Zumba, as a fitness workout has evolved over the years to cater for a wide audience. It now includes:

• Zumba
• Zumba Gold
• Zumba toning
• Aqua Zumba
• Zumbatomic
• Circuit Zumba
• Zumba Gold Toning
• Zumba Sentao

As a fitness regime, Zumba is one of the most popular in the world. It has even been adapted for the elderly (Zumba Gold). Zumba instructors maintain that given the appropriate type of Zumba, it is safe to practice for all age groups. A typical class lasts for about 1 hour on average, and allows its proponents to burn between 500 and 1000 calories per session.

There’s no doubt that Zumba can be hard work, but by the same token it’s a hard that has never been more enjoyable.

Zumba Classes and Instructors in Spain

Below you will find a list of just a few Zumba classes and instructors in different regions of Spain. If you have any more that you know of and would like to recommend, we would be happy to add them.

COSTA DEL SOL

Boyds Fitness Centre

Sunset Beach Club
Avenida del Sol
5 - E-29630 Benalmádena Costa
Málaga, Spain

Tel: 952 563 700

http://www.boydsfitnesscentre.com/classes.htm

Marbella Dance School-Escuela de Danza

Calle Pirita Nr.10,
Poligono Industrial La Ermita,
29601 Marbella.

Tel: Caterina +34 607 47 49 46

http://marbelladanceschool.com/2011/05/12/new-zumba-at-marbella-dance-school/?lang=en

COSTA BLANCA

Zumba Costa Blanca

Javea and Moraraira