Zumba!

My dear friend is a dancer, and she recently said she wanted to take a Zumba class together. Enthusiastically, I said yes. And went to work to find a class that fit our schedules. Last evening, I decided to try a class on my own at the YMCA just to see what it is like. Oh my gosh. I don't care who you are - when the teacher tells you to swivel your hips, then jump to the side and clap and then salsa, you can't help but feel like you're a superstar dancer in a chorus line. And feminine! I was hot - and not in a h-o-t-t way, in a red tomato face way, super duper sweaty and kind of confused. Positives about the class - it is definitely fun, engaging, heart-rate raising, and you can choose how much effort you expend. The negatives - when no one explains the moves in advance of doing them, it is very difficult to follow - but I kind of have these special cement feet that don't move unless they know EXACTLY where to go. When it is the last 5 minutes before cool-down and the instructor does a ramp-up super cardio carnival song, and you are feeling kind of exhausted, you can't really set your own pace and perhaps meander to the left instead of salsa-ing, because if you do, your right-hand neighbor will crash into you. I aimed for keeping moving, when I couldn't figure out what to do exactly. I also can't hold my abdomen in when shaking my bust and hips at the same time - brain overload. Also, this is strange, but it made me feel very feminine - moving your body to music is very liberating! It was so fun to try something new for exercise - I'm looking forward to more classes. And note to self - get Mr. Black to take me dancing!