ZumbaFunk.com

In February I was invited by London Mums Magazine to interview Beto Perez & Gina Grant at the ZIN (Zumba Instructors Network) Convention in London – what a treat, and an honour!

London Mums magazine is a fabulous on-line and hard-copy magazine catering specifically for ‘mums on the go’, whether they’re working full-time, part-time or not, with it’s finger firmly on the pulse. Monica, it’s editor, is hungry for information and news which is pertinent to London Mums readers and doesn’t fail to consistently provide.

An exert of our interview with Beto….

Rebecca: Hi Beto, our readers would love to know what’s next for Zumba®?

Beto: Next, we have many many plans! We have just launched Zumba Sentao™ (dancing using a chair as a prop). London is holding the first training of this, but this is a process, it takes one or two years for the program to take form. We have plans to support more of the speciality programs and also our other new project in Zumba® is to launch new (musical) artists. We already work with established artists but feel we can use the Zumba platform to promote new artists such as Mara from Colombia who’s music we already use in Zumba®.

This project is very personal to me because I love music.

Rebecca: Do you still give classes yourself?

Beto: Yes! I teach my classes when I’m in Miami, 2 or 3 regular classes. For me, it’s important to teach classes, to retain contact with the people. I love this.

Rebecca: How about Zumba® for kids?

Beto: Yes, we have a program Zumbatomic® for kids. We try to provide exercise in a fun way. We are also working on a new program providing Zumba® for mums and babies using drums This is new, we’re working on this project. We don’t have a name yet.

Rebecca: What other sports do you enjoy? Tennis? Golf?

Beto: I love sports. I love soccer but I don’t play because I work with my legs. I need to be careful. But I have my personal training and I run on South Beach. But I do all my Zumba® programs, I dance about 4 hours per day. But I’m 41 and I think I’m doing ok!

Rebecca: Do you do yoga or anything else to balance out the cardio?

Beto: I need to do more yoga, or stretching, because my body really needs it right now.

Yoga and Zumba® have a special connection. Before, exercise classes consisted of ‘step’ classes, weights, kick boxing – now I think there’s a new way of aerobics: Zumba®, yoga, Pilates – it’s a new age.

More fun, more spirituality, more feeling.

Before, the message was ‘no pain, no gain’ – no, for me it’s “ have fun, you see results”. The most important thing for us in Zumba® is to have fun. Smile. If you smile in a positive way, you body answers in a positive way – cosmic equation. People don’t come to a Zumba® class just to lose weight, they come to have fun! After the class, I often have people telling me “Beto, I don’t need to have a coffee, after (the class) I have energy for the whole day”.

Rebecca: Beto, I know you’re busy and have a tight schedule today, but before you go, can I ask you a few quick one word questions?

Beto: (big smile) sure!

Rebecca: Baseball or American Football?

Beto: (long thoughtful pause) American Football

Rebecca: Ok, American Football or British soccer?

Beto: (no pause at all!) British soccer of course! No really, I love that!

Rebecca: finally.. blondes or brunettes

Beto: (stunned silence, than laughs) I love them all!

Perfect!

For the full article and video of our chat with Beto and Gina’s demonstration of Zumbatomic, please click on this link London Mums Magazine, interview & video with Beto Perez

Well, to start at the very beginning, what does 'Zumba®' mean?

Nothing, actually. It's a sound, a feeling, a wild sensation. It's a mixture of hot Latin rhythms, moving to a Tumbao beat. It's new music, movement, dancing. It's Montuno, Boogaloo, Salsa, Reggaeton, Cumbia & Merengue all rolled into one delectable package.

Pronounced "Zooomba". Go on, say it - slowly. Let it fill you up & fall seductively from your mouth – do you see what I mean?

"Zooooooooomba"..............Oh yeh!

But the word ‘Zumba®' is derived from a Colombian word that means ‘to move fast & have fun' and I think that pretty much hits the nail on the head!

It's a fast, fun dance-fitness workout that was brought to America by one Alberto 'Beto' Perez, a Colombian dancer, in the early 1990s and then bundled up in bright packaging and lovingly sent over to us here in the UK.

Rebecca of ZumbaFunk, London meeting with Alberto ‘Beto' Perez, 2012

It is now enjoyed in over 125 countries by more than 12 million people every single week! Wowza! And with very good reason…

• Between 500-1000 calories can be burned in a 1 hour Zumba class. Cripes!
• Zumba® mixes high-cardio with muscle toning for incredible results.
• It's fun!
• It's social!
• No previous experience required.
• With the various Zumba® programs offered, Zumba® is truly accessible to everyone!

Zumba® brings dance and fitness together in a wonderfully dynamic union and because of this, every instructor delivers a different style of class – some more focused on the dance, some more on the fitness, but with over 30,000 registered instructors, you're guaranteed to find a handful you love who'll float your boat and boogie you into shape without you even noticing!

Personally, I've always been passionate about dance & fitness. I've enjoyed my fair share of ballet, Greek, tap, Ceroc, jazz & even disco dancing lessons over the years, I've been a wall climber, tennis instructor, event cyclist and runner and so, when I threw myself into my first Zumba® class on a whim approximately a year and a half ago, I was immediately smitten. Everything I'm bonkers about seemed to come together. Not only was the class a ludicrous amount of fun, I was loving the impact it was having on my body.

For a woman, dance creates elegant lines, strong yet feminine muscles and improves general posture. We tend to hold our heads a little higher and our backs a little straighter. I have met so many fabulous women who have managed to lose unwelcome kilos and develop muscles through Zumba® they didn't even know they had and the best part of all is the beaming smile that, honestly, seems to be a constant theme with every single Zumba® dancer.

Now, that's what floats MY boat!

To me, exercise shouldn't just be about trying to get into a bikini or summer dress now that winter's behind us & the sun's shining, although I won't deny that is, without a doubt, a common & important incentive – but exercise should be a way of life and I don't subscribe to the notion that it should be painful or hard work.

It shouldn't be a competition either, we all have different body shapes and we should be striving to achieve what suits us. We really don't need to waste energy beating ourselves up by comparing our bodies with our friends or airbrushed magazine models – no, instead we need to find that comfortable shape & size that works for each of us – that's what's attractive, confidence & comfort in our own body.

I believe we should all find activities in our lives that we find fun, workouts that make us smile and teach us something new in the process. Cross-training is important: running in the park, cycling along the river, joining a sporting team perhaps – and, at only 1 hour a class, Zumba® can easily be squeezed in to our busy schedules to provide an all-over body sculpt. It also opens a big, colourful door to a wonderful, infectious and happy community of like-minded folk & new friends. It's a Zumba® party train. If you love meeting new people, come on your own, many do, if you feel a little more self-conscious, grab a friend and bring them along – trust me, they'll thank you for it afterwards!

Remember, stepping out of our comfort-zone by trying something new is good for both the mind & the soul. Come on, give it a go! I promise you'll be welcomed with open arms & will leave grinning!

See you in the Zumba® zone – love Rebecca x

Rebecca of ZumbaFunk, London (representing London Mums magazine) meeting with the inspirational (and really rather charming) Beto Perez, creator of all things Zumba®.