Zumba: Unlocking the Secrets of Life

When I was a little girl, and even now to a certain extent, my parents always told me I could do anything I set my mind to. Great advice right? Really empowering and just the sort of positivity you want from the two people who gave you life. But I’ve come to a startling realization. They were wrong.

This epiphany, so to speak, hit me yesterday evening in Zumba class. Because while I define myself as a very motivated and driven woman who can tackle almost anything that’s set in front of her, there’s one thing I absolutely cannot do. And that is dance.

For those of you who have not yet caught the Zumba fever, let me explain. Zumba is a fitness craze that has swept the nation, actually I’d dare say the world. It is a cardio workout like no other. You thought you knew what an aerobics class was until you’ve been to Zumba. It is supposed to be a mix of globally inspired dances and rhythms that come together to help you keep in shape and toned. It is somebody’s attempt to make working out less boring. And I’ll say it’s worked for me so far for a couple of reasons.

It is indeed a lot of fun, especially in comparison to running on a treadmill for 45 min. You get to shake what your darling mother gave you in ways you didn’t know was possible. And you get to watch the other women in your community do the same. I definitely break a sweat and get that nice little twinge of soreness after a good session of Zumba. But being the observant person that I am, I can’t help but watch the other people in class while I’m there. I’m happy to report that everyone looks like they are having a great time even if they are struggling with the steps. That’s because no one, not even the lone man in the room, was struggling with the steps more than me.

They have these horrible things called mirrors in the workout rooms. And you want me to dance in front of them and ignore the fact that I look like a flailing creature that can’t stand up on two legs, let alone pop lock and drop it? It was laughable, truly. Especially when I attend this class with one of my best friends who has great rhythm and used to dance in the high school’s show choir. She picks up on even the hardest moves almost instantly, and I stand behind her with a very confused look wondering how on earth I am supposed to shake my hips, salsa with my feet and swing my arms elegantly all at once.

Last night, though, it hit me. I just have to accept that I cannot dance, and once I have come to terms with that, I can just flail away and enjoy myself while getting a decent cardio workout. While I’d like to say I can do anything I want to do, you have to understand that everyone has their limits. There’s no harm in pushing them, but only if you’re ok with laughing at yourself a little bit along the way.

Image from http://miamizumba.com/

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