The Rec Center’s Hottest Class: Zumba

BY JENNY BRONT
SC Staff Writer

Zumba is the hottest new fitness dance craze and ESU has joined in on the fun.  Zumba combines a sweat-inducing, calorie-burning workout with Latin and Hip-Hop-inspired dance moves that are sure to get your heart-rate pumping and your body moving.

Classes are offered at the Rec Center on Mondays at 8:00 pm, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm. Instructors, Morgan and Tiffany, lead class on Monday and Tuesday, and Angie teaches the Wednesday class.

Morgan, who teaches the class, and Tiffany, who assists, lead a very motivating aerobic routine, full of high-paced kick-boxing moves, hip-hop steps that work everything from your abs to your hips to your gluts, and thigh-burning squat workouts.

One routine requires the class to split into two groups and face each other from opposite sides of the room. The music has a tribal-like beat that has the groups moving and jumping towards each other until they meet in the middle, then back up and start the process over again.

Afterwards, the song’s fast beat has the class turning around, moving backwards, and shaking their hips until they once again meet in the middle.

Angie’s class features a variety of songs, ranging from hip-hop to Latin, that incorporate traditional Latin Zumba dance moves with some heavy hip-hop beats.

Angie – an experienced dancer – combines booty-shakes, hip rolls, body rolls, Rumba steps, and more into a fun-filled dance workout.

One especially memorable song, “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee, features the class splitting up into two teams to battle it out with two different dance moves that Angie designates.

The competitive spirit allows for further motivation and is a great way to interact with the instructor.  This class also features twerking, and, in a fun twist, gives *NSync fans a try at their famous “Bye, Bye, Bye” dance.

Each class, though fun and entertaining, does have its pros and cons.  Morgan and Tiffany, though more fast-paced and challenging, tend to step away from the traditional Zumba dance moves and incorporate more kick-boxing and hip-hop, giving it a more aerobic, rather than Latin, feel.

The upside is, with two instructors, it is easier to follow along, especially when the workout room is filled to the brim with dancing bodies.

Angie’s class has fantastic dance moves with Latin songs and dances incorporated in the curriculum, which is more of a traditional Zumba class.

The downside is that with one instructor and fifty people squeezed into one room, it is almost impossible to watch and follow Angie.

If you don’t get a spot in the front, or a sliver of empty space, the class becomes more about finding the perfect angle than actually doing the dance moves.

Of course, if one attends the class frequently, the dances become second nature and the class will be much easier to follow.

No matter which day you choose to attend, both classes are immensely fun and a great workout.

So if you have a free period and need something to do, come down to the Mattioli Recreation Center for a good time.  Remember to bring your I.D., a bottle of water, a pair of sneakers, and a positive attitude.

Email Jenny at:
jbront219@gmail.com