Hi, my name is Jo and I’m 35 years old. My love affair with Zumba started last year, on a fun-filled holiday to Mexico. Every day at 4pm on the beach there was a half hour Zumba class and as I lay on my sunlounger on day one getting over the jetlag and slowly working my way through the cocktail menu I watched a group of people gather on the beach. I listened to the intoxicating music and saw how much fun they were having and the next day, I couldn’t help but join in. From that moment on, I was hooked! Every day without fail I was there, dancing in the warm sand, feeling the heat of the sun on my face and shimmying away. The classes were so much fun that people staying in different nearby hotels often came to watch us. And afterwards I would run into the sea to cool off, or stop for a cheeky icecream or mojito on my way back to my sunlounger. When we returned to the same hotel again this year it was once more the highlight of each day and I resolved I really must find a class back in the UK to join.
Fast forward a few months and I looked up local classes and came along one Thursday night in June to the Deepcut Zumba Fitness class. As I walked in for the first time, slightly nervous as to what to expect, I was greeted by Sveta and was immediately made to feel welcome. The class was great fun, there was so much energy in the room and the other members were so friendly. And to my delight one of the songs from Mexico – Fireball by Pitbull – was on the playlist! To this day it remains my favourite routine. I remember someone that first week telling me how easy it is to get hooked on Zumba and they were right! The next two weeks, which I didn’t think I’d be able to make initially, I was there, even when I was still on the Isle of Wight at 6pm one week for a business trip! I dashed home, and 10 minutes after getting home I was changed and at class, raring to go.
Several weeks later I increased my classes to also include Monday night Zumba Fitness at Heatherside, Fitsteps on a Wednesday, the occasional Zumba Gold on a Friday and sometimes also private classes in PiYo and Sentao at the weekend too. Dancing is now such a huge part of my life and Zumba is an all-consuming passion of mine. I find myself singing along to the songs from my classes (sometimes out loud without realising to my embarrassment at work!) or playing the songs on YouTube and dancing around in my flat at the weekend (much to the amusement of my boyfriend!).
My addiction to dancing is now well known amongst my friends and colleagues and I’ve shared this love by bringing my mum and various friends along. Everyone always gives great feedback about the classes – Sveta is so welcoming and positive and you can’t help but smile during the class and get swept up in her amazing endless energy. Even if I’ve had a long, tiring day, as soon as I get to class and hear the first few beats of the addictive music, I’m renewed with energy and buzzing. And I always feel fantastic after a class.
Whilst my sense of co-ordination has never been my strongest point, and in all honesty probably never will be, I feel that I’ve really improved in just a few months since I started and I love the fact that by having to concentrate on what I’m doing, any stresses of the day are wiped from my mind. And I’ve definitely improved my fitness levels and toned up. Having lost four stone in the last two years from dieting I’ve noticed a real difference in muscle definition and feeling more toned since starting dancing back in June, and that’s what kept me going on the weeks when the scales haven’t shown the loss I was wanting. At the end of the day it’s about how you feel in yourself that counts, and dancing has made me much more positive about my body and how I feel.
I really love our Dance4Ever community and it’s so lovely to catch up with all my new Zumba and Fitsteps friends before and after each class. Going to Zumba that first Thursday night has opened me up to a totally addictive world of dancing, energy, positivity and lovely new friends. My only regret is not having looked up classes to find Sveta and Dance4Ever sooner!
