Workout designed to feel like dance party
But the Santaquin city recreational center does have one thing no one else in Utah County offers: Zumba.
"You can go anywhere to play baseball or soccer," said Kevin Schmidt, Santaquin's recreation manager. "I wanted to bring something new to the area, something that had never been done here before."
Zumba, a trendy, Latin-inspired aerobic workout, certainly is different from the traditional step and kickboxing classes most city recreation departments offer. Created by celebrity fitness trainer Alberto "Beto" Perez, it mixes interval training with basic steps from traditional Latin dances like the cha-cha and the merengue to sculpt and tone. During a one-hour session, Zumba's official Web site states, participants can burn up to 1,000 calories.
Zumba's not meant to be a hard-core painful workout, though. It's designed to "feel like a dance party," said Ruth Robbins, who teaches the class in Santaquin. The program's name means, literally, "to move fast and have fun." Budget permitting, the city hopes to invest in a lighting system to create a club-like atmosphere in the old gymnasium where Robbins teaches class.
Robbins had no idea what Zumba was before the city approached her about getting certified.
"I was a little overwhelmed when they asked me to teach," she said. "I come from a background of kickboxing and step and here I was having to shake my hips."
She found the idea intriguing, though. Soon she became one of the first people in Utah to complete the certification required to teach Zumba.
Robbins has taught for six months now, but it still takes her a considerable amount of time to prepare for class.
"I still feel like I'm learning Zumba myself," she said.
Robbins choreographs the routines she uses during class with the aid of Zumba Fitness videos. It takes her between 15 and 20 hours, she said, to work out the kinks and memorize the hourlong dance sequence.
The intricate footwork can be a little tricky for first-timers, she said, but most people who stick with the workout routine end up loving it.
"I tell the ladies they have to try it at least seven times before they can decide they don't like it," she said. "It's like anything else, you have to get used to it."
The 20 women who showed up for Robbins' class Tuesday night didn't have too many problems keeping up. Of course, most of them got hooked on Zumba several months ago.
Recent comments
I take Zumba at the WVC rec center and LOVE it! Just started in...
Zumba Lover | May 7, 2008 at 2:35 a.m.
