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Friday, August 27, 2010

The old girl AINT what she used to be...

Back in April my neighbor made me try ZUMBA. I had never tried it before and had only heard of it. So we went to the gym down the street and I LOVED it! It felt SO good to dance again. I spent my high school years on the school dance team and my first year of college doing ballroom classes but then I completely stopped and dived into studies... then I got married... then I had babies... and that was that, dancing days were done.

Then after the class, this neighbor tells me she has been certified in zumba and wants to start teaching her own classes. She had found a dance studio that wanted to offer adult classes and she was all set and wanted me to come. So I went and the classes started April 9th. In Mid May she tells me that she needs to train me to substitute for her and be a fill in teacher if I was interested. By then I had most of the dances memorized but was still running a lot and doing races. So I ran my last race memorial day weekend and started to work on choreography and early June I was teaching the classs. TOTALLY intimidating but so good for me, the back row girl too comfortable behind the scenes.

So I taught my first class on a Saturday morning and got a ton of people, most first timers who had never done Zumba before. I broke down dances and TAUGHT the steps, I encouraged them and coached them through the foriegn (literally foreign... African, Ballywood, and Latin) choreography as I did it in front of them. Then, I realized that I LOVED being up there in front- it was totally scary but it was so much fun to watch them learn from me and to tell them how great they were doing.

However............ now its become a full time thing. I am teaching at least 4 times a week and always practicing, learning new routines at home, finding new music, etc. We have gone from 5 classes a week to 10 classes. I hope my body holds out! Today my knee decided to grow a little swollen again (reoccurring running injury)and I am just thinking... the old girl, she AINT what she used to be. I am happy, swollen, sore, tired, but still thru it all I am motivated to always improve. Thank u ZUMBA for reminding me how important dance is to me physically and mentally...BUT U ARE KICKING THIS OLD GIRLS BUTT!!! :)

1 comment:

Becca said...

pahlease! You are not an old girl. And I want a free lesson when I see you next. I will trade you, photos for dancing. I am the whitest white girl every. I am stiff and nothing shakes the way it should. My zumba is like zumblack. great entry. I want video next.