Zumba: Hips Don't Lie

As promised, my first few posts will be about some of my favorite classes that I already attend. Don't worry, though, these classes have fab deals to get you in the door for your first time, and the dynamic teachers and classes will keep you coming back for more! 

Where better to start than one of the trendiest workouts these days...Zumba! Whether you live in a big city or a small suburb, I'm sure you've heard some hype about the high energy workout of Zumba (hopefully more than just the Zumba scandal in Maine). You may have heard about it when your gym started offering Zumba classes; you may have seen an intriguing infomercial; or you may have heard about it from your peppy friend who always seems do be doing something exciting in life. Seriously, though, if you haven’t heard of Zumba, you must be living under a rock. I’d consider putting up a video of me doing Zumba, but as this is only my 2^nd post, I don’t think we’re on that level yet. Oddly enough, I first heard about Zumba in a statistics class from one of my classmates.

As you all know from my first post, I’m a workout class junkie. My classmates didn’t need to do much convincing for me to hop on board the Zumba train, but they still did, “Oh, it’s so fun! Our teacher, Wil, is amazing. You will probably be terrible at it your first few times, but you have to keep coming! First class is free…” Obviously, that last line had me completely sold, and I experienced my first Zumba class with Wil, who now teaches at LA DanceFit. Little did I know that I would be spoiled with my very first taste of this fun dance workout.

Sweat Factor

Zumba with Wil definitely rates highly on my Sweat Factor. While I would never go running for an hour straight, Wil keeps my booty and hips moving for an hour straight. What's great about Wil's class is that he does a fantastic mix of the Latin steps interspersed with some high intensity hip hop moves. With that combination, he has a great playlist of songs that include the more Latin-y flare as well as some Top 40 hits. 

Stretch Factor

Generally speaking, stretching is not a major focus of Zumba. In most of his classes, Wil either starts and/or ends with some basic stretching. This stretching might include some forward bends, lunges, pliés, or side stretches. To increase the stretch factor, I try to arrive early and stretch a little in the back of the studio or round out my workout with some stretching at home after the class. Since my body is already warmed up after the class, the latter strategy usually works better.

Swag Factor

On one of my favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance, a judge once observed one of the contestants, "You don't just dance. You have to dance." Maybe those weren't the exact words, but I feel that this sentiment directly applies to Wil. He was born to dance. Even the simplest or most basic of moves, he has such animation and tons of swag. While I look no where near as good as him when I'm following along in class (because unfortunately and much unlike Shakira, my hips do lie), for those of you with the "moves like Jagger," you will definitely enjoy the high Swag Factor this class offers!

What's the deal?

Wil offers his swag-tastic Zumba class at LA DanceFit multiple times a week. I started going to LA DanceFit on a Groupon that included 4 classes for $29 ($7.25 per class...not too shabby for my budget!). I've seen this studio on Groupon multiple times; so keep your eyes peeled if you're interested!

If you can't wait for another Groupon...there's still hope! Like several other local dance studios, LA DanceFit offers a first class free promotion to new clients. I live for these first class free offers because a.) I’m frugal and b.) it makes my blind date with a daring new class much less intimidating. If I have a terrible time on this blind date, at least I don't have to pay the bill at the end of it. If you end up falling in love with Wil's class (or some other great class selections at this studio), the prices for class packages at this studio are very affordable, especially for the West Side. Check their website for their specific prices! 

And there's more...they offer free classes of the month for people who have a class package. So you may have a 10-pack of classes, which equates to $13 per class, but if you take advantage of the free classes of the month (usually a couple offered each month), you could potentially drop that $13 per class even lower!

A penny for your thoughts?

• Have you tried out Zumba here or somewhere else? What was your experience like?
• What do you love about Zumba?
• What do you think is missing from this workout?