Zumba began by accident when a trainer forgot his music. Discover how it became a global fitness phenomenon and fun facts that might inspire you to join.
Zumba is a fitness direction created by trainer Alberto Perez back in 2001. This young and fresh movement has quickly won the hearts of people worldwide and become incredibly popular.
People love it for its brightness and joy, for the ability to combine useful exercise with simply having a good time.
As we said, Zumba is a very young but no less popular dance, yet there is a lot of interesting information and little-known facts about it!
In this article, you'll learn something new about this exciting fitness project. Maybe you'll even be inspired to start.
— The first fact takes us back to the very beginning of this dance, its birth, which happened completely by accident. Here's how it went: Alberto was about to teach a class in a studio when he suddenly realized he had forgotten the flash drive with the workout music. He had to improvise, so he grabbed music from his car.
Thus, the class was filled with infectious Latin American rhythms, and simple exercises were infused with elements of their cultural traditions. That's how Zumba was born.
— In a short time, Perez's fitness program became the most popular and sought-after in the world, turning into a real business project. Two businessmen (Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion) helped the creator in this endeavor. Together, they founded the company Zumba Fitness, which today trains qualified instructors and specialists.
— The name itself translates from Spanish as "buzz" or "have fun." Unsurprisingly, this dance was given such a name because it's full of energy and zest for life! As Hugh Jackman said: "It's Zumba! You can't dance it halfway. Do it with enthusiasm or get out!"
— If you love counting calories, this fact is for you: typically, in one session you can burn between 500 and 700 kilocalories. Thus, an hour of active class equals about an hour and a half of running.
— Zumba can work every muscle in your body. Its workouts aim for harmonious development of all muscle groups. This not only improves your appearance but also enhances your health and endurance.
— Relatively recently (in 2015) in the Philippines, the largest flash mob took place, featuring this dance! Over 12,000 people danced in one place for half an hour! This event was even registered in the Guinness Book of Records.
The GoDance team crafts articles about dance, technique and inspiring stories from dancers.
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