Lately, I have been asked many questions about the skill level needed to take Zumba. People have asked me all sorts of questions about necessary levels of fitness or coordination needed in order to take Zumba. My answer is always the same - you just need to have enough strength and courage to be able to walk through the door to your first class. I cannot emphasize enough the fact that I never exercised before I took my first Zumba class. I was so out of shape and averse to exercise that I would drive to the 7-11 in my neighborhood which was only 1 block away! In all of my Zumba classes, there are people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. Zumba is designed to be accessible to all fitness levels. All you need to do is move to the music. You don't need to follow the teacher exactly or at all. I would say I have a pretty close to 100 percent success rate of going left when the teacher is going right. In one recent class, I was attempting to bend over backward in a bellydancing move and am pretty sure I saw a student practicing her golf swing. I've seen students march in place or sway their arms to the music. I try to keep moving although it is hard sometimes. When I am able to lose myself in the music and just dance, it is truly a joyful experience.
At times, I cannot follow along no matter how hard I try. The Samba music starts playing and my teacher Elena's hips start moving and I think to myself, "Oh, hell no. I'm never going to be able to do that!" Sometimes I just stop and look at her in wonder and think, "Am I at a dance concert at the Kennedy Center or Zumba class?" So I understand everybody's anxiety about going to Zumba and possibly not being able to follow along. I take Zumba nearly every day and can't follow along some of the time! For everyone that is very anxious about taking Zumba, I understand - really I do. Just today, Elena reassured me that she has been dancing Zumba for a much longer time than me (years), and not to get too worried about not being able to do the Samba!
