Instead of the usual boring and uninspiring personal fitness program, add some zest to a workout regime. Zumba Gold - the fitness craze sweeping the globe - might just fit the bill. It’s a chance to shake those shoulders, roll those hips, and feel the beat while turning fitness into a fun experience.

Georgiana Evans caught the Zumba bug early. A retiree in Delta, Georgiana maintains an active exercise program - possibly influenced by a pre-retirement career as a physical education teacher, so it may not be too surprising that she recently added Zumba Gold classes to her already impressive fitness repertoire of line dancing, lawn bowling and swimming.

Zumba fitness involves dance and aerobic elements with choreography that incorporates dance moves from hip-hop, samba, salsa, mambo, tango and even belly dancing. By using the beats of international music with fast and slow rhythms, followers describe this fitness program as exhilarating, effective, fun and easy-to-follow.

Zumba Gold is an adaptation of regular high-impact Zumba, suitable for the baby boomer population because it’s a low-to-medium impact version. It takes the Zumba formula and modifies the moves and pacing to suit the requirements of an active older participant, as well as those just starting on their path to a fit, healthy lifestyle.

Georgiana, who takes part in the weekly class offered at the Delta McKee Seniors Recreation Centre, says: “I liken it to line dancing, except there is a lot of upper body motion, whereas in line dancing mainly the feet move. I don’t do anything else really to get a lot of upper body exercise. Because I broke my arm last year in a fall, I felt I needed something to get my left arm strengthened, so I started Zumba.”

Georgiana travels to sunny Mesa, Arizona every winter, which is where she first started Zumba Gold. She attends the classes in Arizona, where Zumba popularity among seniors has seen class size grow from 40 to 80 participants per session.

“In one hour, you get a good amount of exercise in a class,” says Georgiana. “I lawn bowl too, so I do get some exercise for my right arm, but with Zumba both arms are almost always in motion as part of the routines.”

McKee Centre volunteer Jean also enthusiastically takes part in the classes. Because she loves to dance, this type of fitness suits her.
 
Patricia Simpson is the certified Zumba Gold instructor.
“Zumba Fitness is great for all ages, no matter what your age, ability or fitness level,” she says. “I love Zumba because it brings my favourite things together - dancing, inspiring people and having fun.”

Zumba is still new to Canada, but it is spreading fast. Now in over 11 different countries including Australia and New Zealand, it has become very big in Britain. Some followers also wear special clothing, branded T-shirts, cargo knee pants, bangles, and other gear to promote their love of this exercise phenomenon. 

Patricia has been teaching the class for seniors at McKee since January 2011. She starts each session with a warm-up stretch and a message to “listen to your body and take water breaks to stay hydrated.” She also varies her music selections to add extra spice to the class. A session might include creative moves that are Latin-inspired such as cha-cha or tango with Eastern Indian music mixed in with the charleston, the twist and belly dancing thrown in for extra fun.

Zumba was originally created by dancer Alberto “Beto” Perez in Columbia during the 1990s. Zumba Fitness company history claims that Beto's life took an unexpected twist when he rushed off to teach an aerobics class and forgot his traditional aerobics music. He quickly improvised using his own mix of music from salsa tapes he had in his backpack. Thus was born a new kind of dance-fitness that centres on letting the music move you instead of counting repetitions with music.
 
In 2001, Beto took his new dance-fitness style to Miami, Florida and the Zumba program took off in a big way across the U.S. and internationally. Special branded clothing, accessories, music CDs, a fitness DVD and a video game all spread this fitness craze. The Zumba program in its various forms is now taught in gyms and studios all over the world to millions. It’s also become an Internet YouTube sensation with thousands tuning in to watch the fun.

Metro Vancouver area Zumba locations include Surrey Newton Recreation Centre, White Rock Community Centre, Delta’s McKee Seniors Recreation Centre and others. Visit www.zumba.com to find more B.C. locations.

JANUARY 2012 SENIOR LIVING MAGAZINE VANCOUVER & LOWER MAINLAND