Empowering Women through… Zumba?

I know. It sounds crazy. I’ve been taking Zumba classes for a while now, since the fall of 2008. It’s great fun, and I’ve been lucky enough to sample a variety of classes in both PA and FL. By far, my favorite class is Lynn’s Tuesday-Thursday class at the sports complex. It is wildly popular with women of all ages and a few brave men.

When I returned from the south this spring, I went to Zumba class and immediately noticed some changes. A number of women looked noticeably smaller, fitter, trimmer. After a 3-month hiatus, I could see the difference. Not only were these women having fun, but they were also getting fit. It was also obvious from the pre-class chatter that the women were becoming good friends. In our WASP-ish township, more Hispanic women were now attending the class. Of course this makes sense since the origins of Zumba and its music are South American and in Spanish!

Typically, there are 40-50 people in the class. The dance studio is crowded, hot, and everyone sweats. Move in the wrong direction, and you will be taken out by the domino effect of a line of 10 dancers.

One young woman who wore her hair in a long ponytail had previously caught my eye because she danced in a hugely exaggerated way. She seemed awkward in her movements, and between dances, she did splits on the floor or stretches. She was definitely into it. In fact, I once saw her accidentally punch another woman in the face through her exuberant flailing. The other woman had to leave the class, but she was OK. By her movement and facial expressions and from observing Ponytail before and after class, I could tell that she was somewhere on the autism spectrum. Still she was physically fit, and had exercise clothes that were perfectly coordinated with her dance shoes.

During one of my early spring classes, I noticed that Ponytail had moved up to the front row of the class and danced just as enthusiastically as before but also seemed angular and dramatic instead of awkward. One day, Lynn, our instructor, stepped aside and let this slim young woman lead the class through a dance. She was well prepared and led the Zumba class very dramatically in a new number with just the right amount of repetition to make it fresh but easy to follow. I thought, wow, Ponytail has come a long way in this class. She has gone from awkward student to coordinated teacher in a very short time.

When the dance number ended, the entire class spontaneously burst into applause. We were all so happy for this young woman’s success. Zumba has empowered her to become a leader of our group. Today when I went to class, a young Hispanic woman took a turn as our leader. Her dance number, like Ponytail's, was clearly the result of hours of planning and practice. She was awarded with applause from the class and congratulations from her friends, another Zumba success.

“Peace, Love, Zumba.”