Zumba classes offer health benefit
The popularity of an intense Zumba class held at Cape Coral’s Rhythm in Motion Dance Academy is exploding with no end in sight.
Every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., and Saturday at 10 a.m., local Zumba instructor Adriana Follese leads dozens of students in a fitness program which combines Latin dance rhythms – such as the Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia and Reggaeton, for example – with styles of belly dancing and aerobic exercise.
The draw for most students is that they are burning calories and exercising while having fun in an exciting atmosphere.
“It’s fun and you don’t realize you’re exercising,” said Tina Viera, a Cape Coral resident and student on Thursday nights. “And it goes by so fast. The turnout is ridiculous.”
Follese has seen class attendance climb each week and now there are so many participants that the crowd twists around the dance academy and near the front door. Viera said she tries to get to class early each week to get a good spot, but it keeps getting harder with the growing crowd.
It’s been a year since the class was first started by Follese, who holds a certification in Zumba that obtained in May 2009 from a program in Miami. A stay-at-home mom, Follese said she’s always been interested in fitness and teaches classes six nights a week.
“I’ve gotten great results here,” she said. “It’s what I love to do.”
Besides offering an intense, exhilarating exercise regiment, she believes part of her popularity is the fact that she charges by the head. Many gyms and dance classes often require a membership fee as well as charges per class, but she only asks for $5 per person.
Students can also use a punch card and after purchasing 10 classes they get one free.
Follese said the average class size is approximately 50 students and recently she began using a portable stage so all of the students could see her.
Before the class begins the academy’s lights are turned down low, the music is turned up and party lights are activated, as well as a disco ball. During the workout the dance floor resembles a night club rather than a traditional dance academy.
“We dim the lights, crank the music and everybody has a good time,” said Follese.
Zumba is estimated to burn between 600 to 1,000 calories in one hour and there are a number of different types of classes available – Zumba Basics 1 and 2, Zumba Toning, Zumbatomic for children and Aqua Zumba in a pool.
For more information on the workout, visit www.zumba.com or e-mail Adriana Follese at zumba@follese.com.