Which Zumba teacher do you like better?

Everyone is always talking about which Zumba teachers are good.  Which ones are good depends on what you are looking for.  Just because your best friend likes one, doesn't mean you will like the same one.  What I've noticed is that students don't realize why they like one teacher more than another.  They'll say they get a better workout from one, or one is more fun, but they can't exactly pinpoint what the difference is.

Some positive teacher attributes are obvious.  This teacher cues really clearly.  She always points which way she's going to go next or shows with her fingers how many steps we have left.  She even uses her eyes and her facial expressions to cue.

She smiles and yells out crazy motivational pep talk the whole class.  She gets us going in a conga line or divides the room into a battle; she's just fun!

Some teachers are the mother hen.  They make it around to everyone in class and memorize all the names and know something about each student and call out their names and encourage them.

Many teachers have lost their reputation because of where their eyes are pointing.  "That teacher always faces us.  She's too hard to follow; I wish she'd just face the mirror."  I can't tell you how many times I've heard that.  For us teachers it's hard to absorb because at Zumba certification we learned we're supposed to face our participants.

I've also heard, "She's so stuck up.  She's always staring at herself in the mirror.  She doesn't look at her students; she doesn't even notice that we can't follow her."

Before I started teaching, I went to a class with a very friendly, energetic, enthusiastic teacher.  She did very easy, repetitive choreography, so it was super easy to follow her class, too easy for me.  But she could move her body well and was fun to imitate.  But I went to her class three times, and each time she picked me out and asked me to come to the front and dance.  As a student, I had mixed feelings.  Of course, it was a compliment.  She liked my dancing and wanted me to serve as an example.  But I wasn't a teacher yet, so I didn't have that "let me teach the class myself" attitude yet.  I just wanted to be the student and observe and learn; I didn't want to be a role model.

Some students don't want to be in a battle or in the middle of a circle and feeling the pressure of having to come up with a cool move.  Some students don't want to be put in the front of the class for everyone to watch.  They just want to melt into the class without too much attention on them.

Here's the main reason that I think students like or don't like a teacher, even if I've never heard a student say this herself:  You'll like the teacher who feels the music the same way you feel or want to feel the music.

I'm a teacher, so when I take another teacher's class, I always think "What would I do to this part of the music if I were teaching?"  Sometimes I think, "Well I definitely wouldn't do this."  Then I'm wishing I were up front and taking over the class at the moment.  Other times I think, "wow I do this same song in my class but I use different moves, but this teacher's moves are fun and go with the music too."  Maybe I picked a move that went with the lyrics, but she is picking a move that goes with the rhythm or a particular instrument in the background.  Other times I think, "wow, I've never used this song, but I'm really getting into this and the moves the teacher has selected for this song just make the song feel so right.  I feel like I'm part of the music!"

As a Zumba teacher who sometimes plays the role of a Zumba student, that's what I love the most about being a student.   It's that moment in the middle of class when you say to yourself, "Wow!  I'm feeling the music and I'm so into this.  This move is so fun and goes with the music so well!  I am the music!"  When I'm teaching, that's my goal all the time.  I have control over the choreography.  I'm trying to make my students feel the music too!

Some teachers mix their music to make each section longer so s/he can repeat the same move longer.  That makes the choreography easier to follow because there aren't as many cues and changes to pay attention to.  But it can also make the workout more boring for the same reason.  Some students want the routine that's easy to follow.  Others want a challenging routine with more changes and shorter sections.  You may not know what you want till you've tried several different classes!

Some teachers do more aerobic moves and less dancey moves.  There can be multiple explanations for this.  First, aerobic moves are easier to learn than dance moves.  They're designed to be easy.  Second,  aerobic moves can get your heart beating faster because you're more likely to do them correctly.  But doing dance moves with oomph can be so much more rewarding.

I've heard students say that they won't take a Zumba class from a teacher who doesn't look good.  If the teacher's body doesn't look fit, then why should that class be able to make the student fit?  These students need visual motivation.  "The teacher's body looks good; so maybe this will make me look good."

I've heard other students say that they like a teacher because she has a real body and she's not all skinny perfect.  Those students are thinking, "Hey, her body looks a lot like mine and she looks good doing all these moves, so I can learn to do that too."

I've had other teachers give me advice, "You need to build an image- do something to make students like you- wear lip gloss or makeup or style your hair a certain way."  Maybe that works for some teachers, and maybe some students are attracted to an instructor for non-dance or leadership reasons.  just lip gloss or hair style!  But I believe students come to me because they like my dance style, my choice of dance moves and my choice of songs, the fact that I change songs frequently, and the time, location and cost of my class.

Personally, when I was learning ballroom dance, my favorite teacher was the one whose body type was the closest to mine.  When I watched the teacher do the moves, I could more easily imagine what it was supposed to look like on me.  I'm a petite woman and 5'1".  It's a lot harder for me to imagine what a move should look like on me if I'm learning from a man or a tall, voluptuous woman.

One tall female student who came to my class once, asked me after class, if I knew any tall instructors.  I asked her why.  She said she thought that it would be easier for her to take a class from a tall instructor because "it's hard to move fast when you're tall."  She believed a tall instructor would do slower moves.  I explained to her that tall instructors would also use fast music and move fast.  Of course, she didn't believe me and still sought a tall instructor.  But I understood, what she really wanted, like me, was a body type she could identify with and imitate.

At the same time,  sometimes it's fun to take a lesson from an attractive person of the opposite sex.  Male Zumba teachers are extremely popular, and most of the participants are women!  My favorite hip hop teacher was a man.  My body couldn't imitate his exactly, but he was fun and entertaining to watch!  I can see how a woman whose husband doesn't dance would love to take Zumba with a male instructor.  A live man in front of you dancing and making eye contact with you!

Another student told me that she used to take class from a Zumba teacher who knew how to do all the moves but looked the same doing them all.  This student told me the teacher was so nice and friendly that everyone liked her anyway.  Now, it's hard for me to imagine a teacher who does all the moves but looks the same doing them all.  Perhaps she just did the same steps in cumbia and salsa and even in flamenco and merengue.  But I always listen to this type of input from my students because I'm trying to learn everyone's opinion about what makes a good Zumba teacher, so that I can become the best I can be.  If you have other ideas about why students favor one teacher over another, please share them in the comments!

How can I protect my knees while dancing?

Here are 10 tips for protecting your knees during dance:  See video at: http://youtu.be/1E96XUHlSCw

1) Reduce your body weight, so less weight will sit on top of your knees.  (easier to do if you can work out without hurting yourself!)
2) Don't wear really old workout shoes.  Shoes lose cushioning after a while.  Replace them!
3) During your warm up, be sure to bounce gently in your knees.  Don't totally straighten your legs and lock your knees.
4) Knee circles can strengthen knees and legs.  Start with your feet together.  Bend your knees till you're in a mild squat, keep your feet on the ground, and draw circles with your knees on a horizontal plane.  Try the same with your feet apart.  Do both directions.  Imagine you're circling a  hula hoop around your knees.  Include knee circles in your warmup, perhaps along with hip circles.
5) Many students tell me they can't do the hip rotator move that is common to hip hop or samba.  It looks like the knees are moving side to side rapidly.  But notice I called it a hip rotator movement.  Your knees are not moving at all; it's like an optical illusion.  It's all in the hip rotator.  The key is to align your knees with your toes.  Let your whole leg move as one unit, from hip rotator to toe, and the hip rotator does all the work.   Maintain muscle tone in your inner thigh to keep control over your leg so the knee stays aligned with the toes.  Also, if you press down into the floor with the ball of your foot, like you want to squish a cockroach, you will maintain pressure in your inner thigh and not let your knee flop around.  It's when you get lazy, do it sloppy, not put foot pressure into the floor and not engage your inner thighs, that you can lose control of your knee and let it wander and twist itself.  Always include a slow  hip rotator movement in your warmup and gradually pick up the speed.
6) If you want to do the chicken move, where your knees come apart and together again, make sure your feet are rocking side to side so that your knees stay in line with your feet.  If you attempt the chicken knees with feet flat on the floor, you will torque your knees and feel discomfort.
7) When doing lunges, don't let your knees go in front of your toes.  Even when you're taking giant steps forward, for example in ballroom waltz, don't let your knees pass your toes.
8) Absorb shock during landing steps.  After a jump or a hop or a big step, take up the landing in your knees by descending more after your foot touches the floor.  In other words, cushion your landing.  Don't let your foot noisily hit the floor: that would be crashing, not cushioning.  Crash landings are too much impact on your knees.  When you do knee raises and the knee is quickly coming up and the foot is quickly coming down and touching the floor again (common in Bollywood), don't think of it as stomping your foot.  Your thigh and abdominal muscles should be so engaged and tense that they stop your foot from crashing just as it's about to touch the floor.  If your muscles are stopping your foot, you shouldn't even hear your steps.  Now the impact on your knees is ever so subtle.
9) Don't jump till you feel really warmed up.  You may need to avoid jumping and stay low impact.  Or maybe you can half jump (let you heels leave the floor).  You can still have a lot of fun and get a great workout by staying low impact (keeping one foot on the floor at all times.)
10) If you have knee cartilage issues, try taking knox gelatin.  Mix it in your juice.  It's cheap and can strengthen your cartilage.
11) Use shoe gliders such as DanceSocks on your shoes if your are dancing on sticky floors.  Sticky floors will not let your twist freely and could injure your knees.

       

Maintaining Good Posture

Maintaining good posture will keep you from getting injured, ward off back pain and add many more years to your Zumba life.  Here is my back posture exercise:
Check out my video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsSnRS1nCYg&list=UU2XDpjDVVmZyrrg3s9UADjg&index=1
Let's start with the head and work our way down. 

Head:  Don't slip into the habit of allowing a forward head position.  Most people need to slide their chin backward so their head is sitting on top of their spine.  You ears should be over your shoulder.  The back of your head should be lined up with the back of your heels.  Try standing agaist a wall and make the back of your head and your heels touch the wall at the same time.  And don't look down.  Look straight ahead!

Neck:  You want your neck to look long.  If you shoulders are hunched up, it will make your neck look short. 

Shoulders:  So press your  shoulders down.  Imagine someone is standing on your shoulders.  Or imagine you are holding heavy weights in your hands and it makes your shoulders fall down from gravity.  Many people store their stress and tension in their shoulders by hunching them up.  Avoid this.  Also, you need to roll your shoulders back so your chest is not hidden.

Chest:  Imagine a balloon is on your chest and lifting it up.  Now you can breathe better and fill your lungs with more oxygen.

Pelvis:  Tuck your pelvis in, so you are not standing with a swayback. 

Back: The small of your back, right above your butt, should be close to vertical.  This will make your butt look a little smaller and protect your lower back.  You also want to focus on the small of your back.  This section of your body is your power house.  If you place the palm of your hand on the small of your back, you should press your back against your hand, to fill up your hand.  Feel the energy coming out of the small of your back and filling up your hand.  This will keep anyone from pushing your forward.  It will help your balance.  It will help you be aware of where your body is in relation to the room and where your back is in relation to the body.  It is essential to partner dancing by creating a connection with your partner so you can lead and follow.  It will help you in other sports as well.  And it will ward off low back injury.

Abs:  Pull your belly button in toward your spine.  Then imagine how your abdominal muscles are divided into a right side and a left side.  Focus on curling the right and left sides toward the center.

Feet:  For general every day life, you want to be standing over your arches.  You want your weight even distributed through your foot.  Don't have all your weight on the balls of your feet.  If you do, your body will pitch forward.  You want your ears over shoulder, shoulder over hips, hips over knees, knees over arches of feet.  If you are Latin dancing however, you want to be pitched forward, with more weight on the balls of your feet; this dancing was designed with high heels in mind.

How to Tango for Zumba

     First off, my background and serious training is in ballroom tango.  I used to compete in international style ballroom dance.   I have also taken many social dance lessons in Argentine Tango.  I believe we can take the best that each tango has to offer and combine them for dance fitness.  The ballroom tango lends us the fitness aspect (large steps and pushing off with your legs) while the Argentine tango lends us some character and playfulness.

     Tango is written in 2/4 time, meaning there are 2 beats per measure and each quarter note equals one beat.  However, I count and cue in my classes in 8 count phrases because dance fitness students are used to counting in 8 count phrases.  That just means that I count the tango twice as fast.  When I count, one slow walk (S) gets 2 counts and a quick walk (Q) gets 1 count.  I put the slows and quicks in any combination that adds up to 8 beats.  It's easy to hear the 8 beat phrase in a tango song. 

     The character of Tango is about a man chasing a woman, but the woman isn't sure she needs to be caught.  So, there are stealthy, slow moments and quick, staccatto moments.  Imagine a cat stalking its pray; first, it quietly and stealthily moves in and then it suddenly attacks.  Video describing moves below: http://youtu.be/fGjGp2RC5OU

     Basic Ballroom Tango Walk

     Move your right foot stealthily forward on 1, but leave your left foot in place until 2, when you suddenly bring it to meet the right foot side by side.  Don't actually stop moving as the feet come together, but let them hover (barely stop) until your left foot stealthily goes forward on 3.  Then quickly bring in the right foot to meet the left on 4, and so on.  This can be done forward or backward.  These are the slows in tango.  The quicks don't have time for hovering and speeding up; they are just altogether quicker, more similar to how you would normally walk quickly.

     Now, to get more power and exercise out of these walks, try pushing off.  As your right foot is about to move forward on 1, you are actually rolling through your left foot and pushing off the ball of the left foot.  Then you can take a very large step forward on 1.  You will be engaging your thighs, calves and buttocks!

     A typical combination of slows and quicks in tango is S S Q Q S.  In a dance exercise class, you can do this forward for 8 and backward for 8; it will progress across the floor and take up room, but it will get everyone back to their original spots quickly.

   A sequence that would require less floor space is S Q Q hold (for 4) forward and S Q Q hold (for 4) backward.  For fun and variety, try hovering on the 4 count hold (by leaning slightly forward and then slight backward over the entire 4 counts).

     Add Ons to the Basic Ballroom Tango Walk

     After you do SQQ, instead of holding, you could do some optional add-ons that take up 4 counts.  If SQQ is right, left, right, then counts 5-8 could be two brushes to the left. (left foot slides left on 5, in on 6, left on 7 and together on 8). Then the left foot goes backward for SQQ, and the right foot slides to the right on 5 and 7.  You can do the same on the other side.

     Alternatively, you could flick on counts 5-8. SQQ, left flick, hold.  or SQQ, left flick twice. (One flick could be behind and one in front.  Be creative.)  When you flick your left foot, you are quickly lifting up your inner thigh and the inseam of your right foot, with staccato.

     You could even try some Argentine flavor by drawing a circle or figure 8 with your left toe instead of flicking.

     Basic Ballroom Tango Walk to the Side

     If moving to the right, face forward and push off the ball of your left foot on beat 1, until your left toe is pointed and you can push no farther, causing your body and right foot to simulataneously move to the right.  Keep your body weight over the weight of your right leg.  Then, on 2, bring your left foot in next to your right foot without moving your body.  Repeat.

     Crossing Feet While Moving Sideways

     Forward: Instead of bringing your feet together on 2, you could position your hips at an angle and let your 2nd foot cross and pass the 1st foot.  If you are traveling to the right and moving forward, let your left foot take a big step and cross far in front of your right foot.  Your inner thighs will brush together as your left foot passes your right.  Make sure the body above your waist continues to face forward, not angled to the right or completely turned right.  Only turn your hips diagonally to the right.

     Backward:  If you are traveling to the right and moving backward, angle your hips to the left. Instead of bringing your left foot next to your right foot on 2, let it pass behind your right foot, brushing your inner thighs together.

     Staccato Turn

     After a basic walk to the right on 1, with your feet still apart, you can change directions and go back to the left by making a staccato turn.  Keeping all your weight on the right foot, you will simultaneously turn your feet, knee, hip, chest and head diagonally to the left.  The turn will be rapid, sudden and staccato: all of a sudden.  You will usually turn on 1 and pause on 2.  The pause lends some drama after your sudden turn.

     Rock Step

     After you've taken a basic walk to the right, leave your feet far apart, but shift your body weight back over your left foot and then again over your right foot.  Repeat if desired.

     Combinations of the basic side walk

     1) An easy and common combination: Q Q Q Q
         Q: basic walk to the right
         Q: Bring feet together
         Q: basic walk to the right
         Q: Staccato turn to the left
         (Repeat on the other side.)

     2) The most classic combination is S S Q Q S: 
          S: basic walk to the right
          S: cross forward
          Q: basic walk to the right
          Q: Bring feet together
          S: basic walk to the right
          (Sometimes you can take your basic walk to the right and do a staccato turn at the same time- on the same beat.  Then you could do this combo on the other side and repeat it.)
      
      3) My commonly used side to side combo is S Q Q Q Q Q Q:
          S:  Cross backward- to the right
          Q: basic walk to the right
          Q: Cross forward
          Q: basic walk to the right
          Q: rock back
          Q: rock forward
          Q: rock back
           (Repeat on other side)

        4) An easy combo with fast timing variety is SSQ&QS
            S: big side step to right
            S: left foot closes together
            Q: side step to right
            &: left foot closes together
            Q: side step to right
            S: turn and transfer weight to right foot (both feet turn at same time to face diagonal left)
            (repeat on other side)

          5) Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q ( with crossing)
              1) Q: right foot crosses back
              2) Q: left foot steps to left side
              3) Q: right foot crosses front
              4) Q: left foot brushes to side (weight stays on right foot)
              5) Q: left foot crosses front.
              6) Q: right foot steps to right side
              7) Q: left foot crosses back
              8) Q: right foot brushes to side (weight stays on left foot)

                ( could scoop kick up and begin cross over on 4.  could raise right knee on 8.  same on opposite side.)

Why you should Zumba!

     There are so many reasons to start Zumba, to get back to it or to just keep on doing it!  Five years ago, I had never even heard of Zumba!  After I went to my first class, for the first 20 minutes, I thought it was weird!  Why are people doing these simple salsa moves with tennis shoes on and without a partner at 9AM???  I used to go salsa dancing with my heels and spin all over the place with 30 different guys at midnight.
       But during the 60 minutes of following what I didn't know at the time was a rather monotonous Zumba class, I had some time to think.  Wow!  I could do this!  And I could make it so much more fun.  And it's relaxing to dance without those 3 inch heels!  And I don't have to dance at midnight!  I don't have to risk getting my toes stepped on an elbow in my head!  I don't even have to dance with the slimy guys who breathe in your ear and grab your you know whats.  And I don't have to look like a fool when a guy leads something I can't follow or have my wrist dislocated because he pulls too hard.  Besides, I'd been trained in all the Latin dances and competing in them, and I'd been studying and performing belly dance and hip hop, and I was already an aerobics instructor!  So I got certified and my new life began! 
     Practicality
     Many students have told me they would love to go out to the clubs and dance, but maybe their spouse isn't interested and doesn't want them dancing with strangers of the opposite sex,  or maybe the alcohol or sleezy environs turn them off.  Or they just don't know what to do when they get on the dance floor!  Or they know, but they're sick of doing the same steps they've been doing for years!  With Zumba, you can dance in a safe, healthy place, without getting picked up, at a time of day when you still have energy and you can pick up some new dance steps to pull out when you go to your next party.
     Body Exploration
     Plus,  you'll learn to move your body parts in ways you never did before.  I love freeing up student's hips and chest.  Once you attain that new movement, it's a whole new world that you never felt before.  And there's lots to learn but no rush to learn it all at once.  Learn as you go and enjoy yourself.
     Brain Exercise
     Zumba is good for your brain.  As we age and tend to relax in front of the tv or computer more and more, and become memory loss candidates, we're not using part of our brain,  the part that makes us follow cues and music and dance at the same time.  And Zumba is not so stressful like a hip hop class.  After I go to one of those, my brain hurts because there's a different move every beat, and they don't even do the same thing on both sides!  In Zumba we do the same move for a whole section of music, so it's not constant brain thinking trauma.  But just enough to keep you engaged and free of boredom.
     Musicality & Passion
     With Zumba I'm so much more involved in the music than I was when I taught or took aerobics!  The same aerobics routine can be done to any song that has about the same tempo.  It becomes robotic and certainly not passionate.  But with Zumba, each song has it's own choreography!  I love figuring out what each part of the song makes me "feel" like doing.  Students can feel the music with me-  really feel it and identify the pattern so they can follow along.
     Creativity
     And Zumba is not a show, or sport or competition where everyone has to look the same and wear an uncomfortable costume.  Students can bring their own creativity to each routine.  You can strike your own pose,  move your arms with your own flare, and just give the teacher some ideas!  I often see one of my students following me but giving it their own style, and I often absorb that and copy a part of my students.  I love it!
     Music Exposure
     Plus,  how else can you request your favorite song and have a professional teacher make a custom routine for your song and be able to dance to that song just a few days after you make the request!  That's incredible!  Music is so powerful.  It drives us to work harder!  At Zumba class, you'll discover so many poweful, intense, heavy beat, rhythmic songs,  you'll be writing down the titles and looking for them to listen to at home.
     No Plateau
     Zumba is always changing!  So they say you shouldn't do the treadmill or the stairmaster every day and nothing else.  Because your body gets used to the same exercise and it becomes less effective, too easy for you.  But I keep changing my songs from week to week.  And new songs sound- well- different- and that difference inspires me to come up with new moves- moves that your body hasn't got used to yet.  Zumba is packed with an infinite variety of moves.  It's not like running-  where you keep just running forward, or swimming or biking-  those sports don't have such a variety of possible movement,  but Zumba- where every song is from a different part of the world - inspires your body to take a tour through all possible movements. 
     Safe Workout
     Zumba is safer than a lot of sports or exercises.  We're not trying to make you follow a professional jazz routine with leaps and splits where you could twist an ankle.  Zumba is full of safe moves that ordinary people can do (or learn to do easily).  When I go jogging, I have to worry that jogging on pavement will be too much trauma for my joints but jogging on grass might wind me up in a hole with a broken ankle.  But the dance floor at my studio is spring loaded- great for your joints- and certainly contains no potholes.  When I go play tennis, the ball moves so fast that I don't have time to react and suddenly I've twisted my knee getting to the ball and it hurts for a couple weeks.  But in Zumba, everything is done to the music- everything is predictable- no sudden twists!  When I go skiing,  I have to worry that some crazy snowboarder is going to lose control right behind and plough me down.  We're not doing Zumba on ice!  And there are no rocks or trees to run into either!  On the bike trail, I even have to worry about pedestrians suddenly walking out in front of me.  But in Zumba, everyone is going in the same direction because they're all fascinated by the same music, taking them on the same journey.
     Total Body Workout Efficiency
     Zumba is cardiovascular exercise, muscle toning, and flexibility stretching all in one.  I can get a total workout in just 60 minutes- and it never feels like 60 minutes-  just 20 because it goes by so quickly when we're having so much fun.  While we are dancing we are squatting- but it's not boring squatting; it's squatting incorporated into the dance move, so you don't even know you're squatting.  We're doing ab work at the same time we're popping to the house beat.  We're kicking and getting our leg up high not just because we're standing and doing 50 kicks in place but because the jive rhythm is calling us to it's jackhammer beat!  Every step I take in the slow, sensual bachata, is stretching out my hip.  I could go on and on.  Your total body workout has been planned for you in a bundle of incredible music.
     Increased Energy
     After Zumba, I have so much energy, always more energy than when I came.  That's why you hear me scream at the end of some songs-  the song got me so pumped that I have to scream at the end to release that excess energy that just got created.  And students have told me they know it's ok to come to my class tired and not in the mood because they know they can count on me to wake them up within 1 minute.  So if you work hard 9-5 and think you don't have energy to Zumba, just come anyway.  Think you can't wake up early- come try it anyway- we'll wake you up.
     Social Health
    

Zumba can be a good excuse to get out of the house, away from your kids and meet other people who like to have a good time and take care of themselves just like you do.  Or it can be a way to do more with your family.  I have some students who bring their kids to class!  Kids love to dance too.  And when we've seen each other dance, a barrier goes down.  You can feel more comfortable around someone who has already seen your booty shake and your thighs wiggle- you've got over that hurdle!  Zumba also makes a great date with a friend.  "I'm busy this week, but let's meet at Zumba at 9AM tomorrow."  It could be cheaper than going out to lunch and certainly better for you!
     Reproductive Health
     One student told me she couldn't get pregnant.  Then she started Zumba, and started moving her pelvis around a whole lot more than a lady sitting at home and going to work would normally do, and she got pregnant!  The doctor said Zumba may have changed the position of her uterus to help her achieve conception.  Wow!
     Romantic Health    
     I don't want to make this blog inappropriate for young readers, but you can imagine what happens if you take Zumba hip and pelvis movements and apply them in a more private setting.  You and your partner's life will change!  just from a shimmy or a grind.
     Weight Loss
     That's a lot of reasons to start and keep up your Zumba, but did I mention it burns calories and burns fat??  Zumba advertises that individuals burn 500-1,000 calories/hour.  I had a student with a heartrate monitor who told me she burned 650 calories during my class.  And that's a 50 something year old woman, short in height, not in the best of shape and not the most energetic dancer.  She follows all my moves but may only move half as much as me.  Imagine how many calories you might be burning.  Because we are keeping the heart rate up for 60 minutes, that's a whole lot of fat burning.  And you can keep this up because Zumba is fun and always changing and convenient and happening everywhere everyday, so you won't get sick of it- just build it into your lifetime daily habits!

Did I miss any reasons?  Most importantly, it's just fun, and everyone deserves a fun 1 hr break!  I have had students tell me it's the highlight of their week, it's the best part of their weekend, it's what they look forward to all week, they're sad when they miss a day . . .And remember, don't be shy- no one is looking at you;  they're either looking at themselves in the mirror or at the teacher to follow those cues.  Post other reasons in the comments section please!  I'd love to know why you do Zumba!

How can I get a better arm workout during Zumba?

You can get an arm workout from Zumba, but most students tend to have mushy arms or not keep their arms high enough.  When my upper arms are parallel to the floor, I see many students with their upper arms angled 45 degrees downward.  Here, I'll just go over a handful of arm movements to get you thinking about how your can use your arms during Zumba.  Choreography will often involve switching off between mushy and sharp movements, so don't go just sharp or just mushy all the time.  The mushiness or sharpness can be felt in the music and your instructor should lead whatever is appropriate for each portion of music.  See the video for examples. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52DVo2kqpZM

Try this:

1)Freeze your arms.  Freezing them for a moment requires a sudden, sharp stop.  A sudden stop takes a lot of muscle control. So get an arm workout by having less mushy arms and more sudden freezes.  You'll look more dramatic too.
     Try the tricep freeze to the side.  First draw your right arm across your chest.  Keeping your forearm parallel to the floor, quickly draw it to the right till it comes to a sudden stop with your upper arm almost perperdicular to the floor. Hold there for a moment, or as music allows.  You will be holding it in a tense position.
     Try this bicep freeze. Use a sudden upward movement as you bend your elbow. It works well with a pelvic rock.
     Try an overhead arm sway. sharp arms to one direction.  This goes well with walking forward or backward or doing a hip bump or twist in a circle.
     How about forearms fan out to side?  Keep your elbows next to your waist and fan your hands out to the side. End with a sudden stop. This works well wth a jump to either side.
     Or try the sprinkler.  Hold your arm straight forward and move it sharply to one side on each beat.
     Try the arm push forward.  This goes well with a booty hop back or heel jacks.  Snap those arms forward and hold them in the tense position for a moment as the music allows.
     Don't forget arm circles.  Small arm circles are usually done during very fast music and accompanied by fast movements elsewhere in the body.  Hit each beat sharply during an arm circle, so people can see the music in your arms. no mushy, boring circles.  Even on a slow hip circle or corkscrew, you may do a slow arm circle overhead, like a lasso. Again, try to accent the beat.

    
2)Retraction: After you freeze your arms on some moves, like a punch, there is a small and sudden bounce back, where you arm muscles are still tense and working.  When you punch, if you move slow and mushy, your opponent will see your arm coming.  Imagine your arm movement is like a punch- you don't want anyone to know it's coming.  Rather, it's like a sudden surprise.  You also don't leave your fist, in your opponent's face;  you quickly draw it back.  Retraction could be done on many of the above moves, depending on the music.

3) Bend and Straight: Even when you're not freezing your arms on a sharp move, your arms may still be working back and forth.  For example, look at the basic merengue march.  Rather than just keeping your elbows bent as you swing your arms back and forth (not much arm work there), try straightening the elbow as the arm goes back and bending it as it comes forward.  On the straightening movement, you'll be using your tricep.  On the bending movement, you'll be using your bicep.  Try the same on a charleston step, but add a little more swing to the arms. Try the same while holding your arms up, parallel to the floor and bending them from right to left, during the merengue 3 step, for example.

4) Mushy, Snake arms:  At a softer point in the music, we often do this softer movement, which still keeps the arms engaged because you have to hold them up, parallel to the floor.
a) Ribcage slides right
b) Elbow leads to the right
c) Elbow straightens and wrist leads to the right.
d) Fingers stretch right
e) reverse process, but elbow draws in front of body, engaging bicep

5) Mushy, Thick swamp: This has to be a part of your imagination.  If you imagine that you are moving through molasses or a thick swamp, you will engage your arm muscles to get through.
     Move out of my way:  Start with your right arm extended straight out and to the left. Then draw your hand to the right, clearing a path in front of your body.  This works well with jazz walks to the left at the same time.  It also matches a side step, together.  And it's very common during the Flamenco Ole.

How to Jive or Swing dance for Zumba

Jive is a fast, heart-pumping rhythm.  I'm not going over every possible step here,  just the ones I commonly use that have a lot of technique built into them.  See videos, Footloose, Tu Vuo Foi L'Americano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwO0KRAHnbU&feature=plcp&context=C3c80d7fUDOEgsToPDskKEH68t58oxW-n_26So8WmK, Hey Mickey,  Hafanana for examples.  For a descriptive video of this post, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxCxKhzCkw&feature=plcp&context=C3295737UDOEgsToPDskJUcscfXuQUxWoWWZagQIwt

Basic step
Timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4, 5 6  (This is a 6 count step done to 8 count music.  It's normal.)
footwork: R L R (to the right), L R L(to the left), R(backward) L(forward)
knees: They pop up high right before each whole number.
body weight:  forward, on the balls of the feet, just like any Latin dance, and on 5, step back on your whole foot, to sink your hip into your heel.  Keep your upper body weight forward on 5, so you can quickly come forward for count 6.  The music is fast!
hips:  The dance is called swing because your hips swing.  Do a hip bump at the same time the opposite knee pops up, on the "a" before each whole count.  Then on 5, step back on your right foot as you do a right hip bump toward the rear.  On 6, put your weight on your left foot and do a left hip bump.
Just Say: triple step, triple step, rock step

Jackhammer
timing: (straightforward), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork:   At the same time, point your right foot, bend back your right knee and kick toward the floor (don't touch the floor), right next to your standing foot.  All your upper leg muscles should be engaged to make a sharp, stacatto kick.  After the kick, quickly retract your foot to repeat.
body weight:  Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.

Sailor's Shuffle (pas de bourree) - See in "Hey Mickey"
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R L R, L R L
foot direction: Right foot diagonally back, left foot to left, right foot diagonally forward.  Repeat other side.
body weight: (This step has the appearance of a drunk sailor, hence the name)As soon as your right foot goes back, begin tipping your whole body to the right. Second, your left foot should push off, causing your body to tip even more to the right.  Finally, your right foot coming diagonally forward, catches you and keeps your from toppling all the way over.  All of your body weight will be on that right foot. 
hips: When your left foot pushes off, your left hip bumps up.  Then your whole hip slides to the right till stopped by your right foot ending diagonally forward, at which point your right hip is up.
ribcage: Between the 2nd and 3rd, your ribcage slides right and up, so that on 2, your body weight is on your right foot, and the upward rib cage movement is causing you to start tilting toward the left.
arms: Lift your right arm up on 2, as an extension of you rib cage sliding right.  same on other side.  Let your arm float as hold the 2 and 4 as long as possible.

Tap, back, side, cross - see in "Footloose"
timing: (straightforward)  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat.  Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: 1=tap right foot next to left foot, 2=right foot diagonally back toward left side***, 3= left foot to left, 4= right diagonally forward to left side / repeat other side   ***Try pushing off with your left standing foot on count 2, to add pep and momentum.
direction: Start count 1 by standing on a diagonal facing the front right corner of the room.  End on count 4 facing the left front corner.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
arms: On right tap, left forearm comes down sharply, (contract bicep).  Then on 2, 3 4 left arm more gently goes down up down, while right arm goes up down up.  Note that as your forearm goes down or backward, you should be focusing on your tricep.  As your forearm comes up, you should be focusing on your bicep.

Kick Ball Change
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R RL, R RL
description: Snappy kick on 1 with right foot, quickly step on ball of right foot , keeping body weight in the middle,.  Keep right knee bent.  Then place ball of left foot right next to right foot. Keep left knee bent.  Left leg straightens during right kick. 
hips: On kick, left hip bumps up.  On 2, right hip bumps up.\
arms:  Here's a good chance to pump those arms.  On the kick on count 1, punch them sharply out to the side - don't straighten them, but them let bounce back in. The sharpness and sudden stop will cause you to contract your muscles.  On the even counts, cross your arms in front of you, with the same sudden stop and bounce return.