Zumba makes me happy

It's no secret that I've always enjoyed movin' and groovin' to music. There are a two ultra-embarrassing home videos that come to mind of spazz-tastic prancing and spinning in the living room (Paula Abdul and Garth Brooks...), both at a fairly young age. Then, of course, there are the more sophisticated moments of actual choreographed movements that have been captured on video from numerous Nutcracker and Spring Recital performances. Ultimately, I really love to dance.

When I started getting serious about ballet, I was constantly told that to be a good ballerina means having some experience in other forms of dance, like jazz and modern. I was hesitant to try anything other than ballet because I felt I was more the graceful type. The reality was, I carried myself in a more balletic way, and it was somewhat awkward to let loose. To this day, standing with my feet in a parallel position feels so weird; standing turned out feels much more natural. I tried jazz, modern, and tap in conjunction with ballet, and I can say I really did enjoy them. At the time, I'm not sure I really drew the connections between the disciplines that I can now, but it was a smart move to at least expose myself to other forms of dance.

Recently, I decided to try dancing again. I found a great studio that is for adults only and really focuses on the fitness side of things. My favorite class is their Bella Barre, which incorporates ballet, pilates, and yoga. There's lots of stretching and strengthening, all set to whatever type of music the instructor feels like playing. I've never been particularly strong in any area of my body, but after four months of classes, I'm starting to notice muscles in places I didn't know I was even supposed to have muscles. I'm no where near looking like a body builder, or even sporting anything resembling a six pack, but I can just feel a difference in the way I move. Awesome!

There are so many other classes offered at the studio, and I thought I would try Zumba. I was totally nervous at first, recessing back to my old awkwardness of movements outside the realm of "ballet technique". When I signed up for the class online, I almost chickened out at the last minute. But Zumba has become one of my new favorite styles of dance! There's a little hip hop, a little aerobic dance, and a whole lot of Latin moves. Best of all, I leave every class absolutely drenched in sweat - not because I'm insanely out of shape, but because there is so much cardio and non-stop movement. Yes, there are times when I feel like a total dork, but there is such a wide range of skill levels in the class that everyone just blends in. There's no judgement. No competition. Really, there isn't even any particular technique to master. It's all about moving in a somewhat choreographed manner and just letting go of the stress.

Every Friday and Sunday, I sweat it out in Zumba. Mondays and Wednesdays are focused on toning and limbering in Bella Barre. I think I've finally found what I've been searching for.