If you are up-to-date with the latest group fitness crazes, then you have probably heard about Zumba. Like your favorite dance club, you may even have to stand in line just to get a spot in a class. A different kind of hot Colombian import, this one has people doing the cha-cha and merengue to funky Latin rhythms. Created by celebrity fitness trainer Alberto "Beto" Perez, the Zumba fitness fever has spread all over the world,with 90,000 locations in 110 countries, according to Zumba.com.
The Birth of Zumba
In the mid 1990s, in his home town of Cali, Colombia, Beto arrived to teach one of his regularly scheduled aerobics classes, only to discover he had forgotten his workout music. Creative and quick on his feet, he grabbed his favorite listening music out of his bag and started teaching traditional Latin dance steps, such as the Salsa and Cumbia. By the end of the class, a new trend in fitness was born --- turning low-impact aerobics into a Salsa sensation.
Coming to America
Beto's creation was an instant success with fitness enthusiasts in Colombia, so in 1999, he brought the class to the United States. In 2001, after meeting with a couple of business entrepreneurs, the dance workout that was born out of a mishap was trademarked Zumba -- and the global spread of the Latin based fitness phenomenon began. In 2002, the infommercials started airing, which resulted in significant sales of Zumba videos in the United States. The success of the video created a need for certified Zumba instructors.
Zumba Academy
In 2005, the Zumba Academy was created to meet the demands for more certified instructors, as well as for educational purposes. In order to meet fitness industry standards, Zumba aligned with several national organizations such as the American Council on Exercise and the Aerobics Fitness Association of America. This association made it possible for national certified aerobic instructors to receive continuing education credits for their Zumba education.
Zumba Fever
With the motto "Ditch the Workout -- Join the Party," it is easy to see why there are reportedly more than 10 million Zumba fanatics getting their groove on every week. Zumba has also expanded class design to include the active older adult population with Zumba Gold. Aqua-Zumba takes the Latin flavor into the water with a class designed for all ages. More recent instructor training programs include Zumba for kids and classes that include toning and sculpting with special Zumba toning sticks for aerobic and strength training benefits.
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