Published: January 28, 2010 07:40 am      

Senior Focus: Zumba Gold is exhilarating

Dancing has been thrust into the forefront of fitness routines with the popularity of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Over the last few years, Zumba, a Latin dance fitness program, has become nothing short of a revolution, spreading like wildfire and positioning itself as one of the most influential programs in the fitness industry.

The word "Zumba" comes from a Colombian word that means to move fast and have fun, which is just how people describe the aerobic fitness routines. Zumba was created in Colombia in the mid-1990s by Alberto Perez, a Colombian celebrity fitness trainer, when he forgot to bring the music he usually used to teach aerobics and had to improvise by using the Latin music he had in his backpack.

Martha Hubbell, a licensed Zumba instructor, brought Zumba to Traverse City about two years ago and recently expanded her classes to the Traverse City Senior Center with Zumba Gold.

The greatest feature about Zumba, according to Nancy Sanchez (also a certified Zumba Gold instructor at the Senior Center) is that you don't have to know how to dance. Anyone can do it whether you are young, old or in-between. There are no requirements other than liking music and wanting to dance for fitness.

Zumba Gold is specifically designed for the active older adult and is being taught at the Traverse City Senior Center on Tuesday afternoons and at the Grand Traverse Band Education Center at 845 Park Drive on Friday mornings. It's a less intensive version for those seniors who don't want to miss out on a good thing.

"The steps are easy and anyone can learn them," Hubbell said. A typical class consists of a warmup session, the main routine and a cool down. Instead of the full hour, most classes for Zumba Gold last about a half hour.

"The movements are not as fast," said Sanchez. "Zumba Gold helps seniors with mobility and continues to help them be independent. With those seniors who are having trouble with movement, it may recoup a little bit of that movement, as well."

Even though Zumba Gold has a lower impact, it still gives the same benefits as the regular Zumba. Seniors can do the routine either standing or in chairs. Just because you have a slight disability doesn't mean you can't do Zumba. You still get great effects from Zumba in a chair.

With this in mind, I took a step outside of my comfort zone and decided to try it myself. On my part, there was major apprehension about my dancing abilities, but Sanchez assured me that the movements were repetitive and I would pick them up in no time. I found my two left feet didn't matter during a Zumba routine, as it's not based on your form and technique. It's really about keeping your body moving and enjoying your workout.

We started Zumba using the dance steps of salsa, a simple matter of stepping forward and back or rocking side to side. Even I could handle that. Accompanied by the Latin beat, I also accomplished dance styles from the merengue, a sort of march in place, but with loose, swiveling hips, and the cumbia, a Colombian move, involving bobbing back and forth, pivoting on one leg, and mixing in a sweeping arm motion tantamount to a slice with a machete. Finally, the cha-cha, the Cuban triple-step that supposedly everyone can do. To my amazement, I found I didn't get hung up on the steps of the routine, but just felt the energy and excitement of the Latin music. I found Zumba great for the mind, the body and the soul.

Zumba dance steps create an aerobic workout, but are designed to put fun back into fitness. The Latin music includes both fast and slow rhythms, allowing for a great cardio workout, as well as body sculpting exercises. Depending on the instructor, you may even get a taste of belly dancing. I did. Also included in Zumba routines are the mambo, rumba, flamenco, tango and calypso.

Now, I can say I've tried it, and the dance-as-fitness Zumba phenomenon is no longer such a mystery. Just don't forget to wear comfortable workout clothes, take water, a towel and, most of all, a festive attitude.

For more information on when classes are available and the cost, contact the TC Senior Center, 922-4911 or lwells@tcseniorcenter.com.

Kathleen Bellaw Gest grew up in the Traverse City area, where her great-grandparents had settled in 1864. She attended Michigan State University and graduated from the University of Michigan with a major in journalism. She is a freelance writer who has been published in several local publications.