While Zumba is usually viewed as a sport for the older generation, it caters to people of all ages. (Courtesy of Instagram)

People stigmatize Zumba as being only for middle-aged and older women. While its modifiability for low-impact participants may be ideal for this age group, the enjoyable experience should not be limited. People of all ages and genders should try Zumba if they enjoy dancing at all. Its design makes it feel more party-like than a traditional workout. So if you like raves, Zumba may be for you.

Zumba originally started in Colombia where “fitness instructor Alberto Perez accidentally left his aerobics music at home. Instead of canceling the class, he used his own music collection, which included Latin tracks, to lead the class.” He created “Zumba” which has since become a global phenomenon taught in over 185 countries. There are many benefits to Zumba. It can improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, coordination and flexibility. One of my favorite aspects of Zumba is that it can be modified for any level: beginner or advanced. Humans enjoy dance because “synchronizing with beats is appealing to both the ear and brain, meaning that movement — in essence, dance — constitutes a kind of double pleasure play.”

During the summer, I started regularly going to an LA Fitness gym that offered Zumba classes. If you had spoken to me four months ago about Zumba, I would likely have agreed that it is silly and for an older demographic of women. Part of this perception may be because “Zumba” is simply a fun word to say.

I used to dance competitively and deeply missed dancing in a social setting. Despite my previous perception of Zumba, I heard catchy Latin music blasting and just decided to walk in to take the class (for giggles and whatnot). I walked into a large room filled with around 20-30 people. Of those people, there were two men and only three people under the age of 30. I felt out of place but began to follow the steps of those around me anyway. I realized pretty soon that many of the participants of the class knew the dances — so well even, that I actually couldn’t figure out who the instructor was for about a minute or two. I had to focus because it was all new to me.

Most people don’t realize that not only is Zumba a good workout but also culturally enlightening. Even as a former dancer, there were many moves with Latin origins and I moved in ways I never had before. Zumba utilizes moves from salsa, reggaeton, merengue and hip hop. The Zumba formula is “70% Latin music and 30% anything else.”

A smile crept on my face as I realized how much I missed dancing in a high-energy class with others. It was so fun and freeing. One of the two men was quite comfortable, which demonstrated to me that he’d been in this class for quite a while. He knew many of the other participants and would cheer everyone on. I later found out that he’d been going to Zumba for two years with the same instructor I’d met on the first day. As I got comfortable with some of the moves, I took an in-depth look around the room. There were people of all different levels. There could be people jumping around exploding with energy off-beat. This reminded me that Zumba can be incredibly high-impact or low-impact cardio. There were people who didn’t jump at all and did step-jumping jacks. At first I may have looked at some of these people a little funny, especially the woman who was quite off-beat. I later realized people were there for different reasons: weight loss, a fun cardio supplement to their workout, a community or any combination of those things. No matter how they did the steps, the important part is that they kept coming back. I eventually started to learn the dances and was able to add the nuance and some style that our Zumba instructor, Jessie, always did. There were layers to her dances that allowed you to choose what level you’d like to do. 

Zumba here wasn’t just a class, but a community. The regulars were friends with the instructors and they knew about each others’ lives. It was beautiful to see how bonded they were and how lighthearted the classes were. For one participant’s favorite dance, he regularly switches places with the instructor so he’s “leading” that dance number. Zumba reminded me that everyone there was just a human wanting to do a movement that makes them happy, leading toward a more fulfilling life.

Although I had an amazing experience with Zumba, I do understand it completely depends on your instructor and the vibe of the class. I just so happened to walk into one with talented instructors and lovely people. I firmly believe that you should not knock Zumba until you try it. Especially with the rise of low-impact workouts, which have been popularized in the form of high-incline walks, yoga and swimming, Zumba can fit right in with the low-impact workouts. I often took the class after my workouts as a form of cardio. Working out can seem intimidating to a lot of people, but Zumba is an enjoyable and fun way to get started. Even if you already workout, Zumba is worth a shot.