Zumba

Ok, so Zumba - lots of hip shaking and latin dance moves.  In my mind, I can do the moves, in reality, yeah, um, not so much.  I have to modify most of the moves for various physical injuries, can't move as fast, can't balance, too fat to get it going in the right direction, you know - usual reasons to quit.  HOWEVER, I have been doing it for about 4 weeks, 3x a week, and I'm just now getting the hang of most of it!  Yay me!  I do really like it, even if I gripe!  And my partner (which I recommend, or you'll quit for sure) is my hero!  She keeps me going!  So, if you're thinking about it - Go For It!  If you're doing it already - Kudos!  If you're tracking calories (and this burns alot!), go to www.zumbacalories.com .  You'll probably burn 500-1000 calories doing 45 minutes - which is phenomenal and beats the stationary bike or treadmill! : )

Mid 90s - Zumba is Born
Beto Perez, was working as a fitness instructor in his native Columbia, one day Beto was teaching an aerobics class but forgot his normal music, so instead improvised with his own personal tapes he had in his bags. This was the music he had grown up with of salsa and meringue.
The class loved it and in that moment the Zumba® Fitness-Party was born.

1999 - Zumba Moves to the US
Beto moved to the United States and started teaching Zumba classes in Miami Florida. The students loved it and these classes soon became extremely popular with word spreading quickly via word of mouth. Soon after via a students mother Bet met her son Alberto Perlman and his fellow entrepreneur Alberto Aghion.
2001 - Zumba® Fitness Established
The three Albertos agreed to work together to establish the Zumba Fitness company, registering the trademark for the word Zumba® and putting in place a plan to establish it as a global brand.  Zumba® Fitness started recording and selling DVDs, then moved onto infomercials which brought wider public awareness and led to the demand for Zumba Instructors. At this point Zumba really started to hit the big time.

2005 - Creation of Zumba Academy
In 2005 Zumba established a Zumba Academy to teach and license Zumba Instructors who would then teach Zumba classes. The company was further expanded into the area of merchandise around the Zumba brand with the creation of Zumbawear.

2008 - Best Selling Home Fitness DVD
In 2008 the Zumba Fitness® Total Body Transformation System featuring Beto and two of Zumba’s great stars Tanya Beardsley and Gina Grant became one of the widest selling home fitness DVDs.

2010 - Zumba Gaming
Zumba became the first fitness brand to release a program to all major gaming platforms, with the release of Zumba for the Wii, Xbox, and PS3.