I have been a licensed Zumba instructor for almost 11 years and it has been one of the most rewarding and valuable times in my life. It has helped me become confident, introduced me to so many incredible people including instructors around the world, some of whom have become good friends, and helped me get through some tough times.
I am a firm believer in the mental health benefits of exercise and quite a few people have commented on how much better they have felt or how Zumba has helped them cope with life in general.
Every class I teach brings something new into my life, sometimes small and sometimes, like last week, something big and extra special.
So we teach at a facility within a football (soccer) club and the grounds are used by a soccer academy at the same time we have classes. Last week Wednesday as a result of a power outage, the academy practice finished early and the kids (most around the ages of 8 - 12) were hanging around waiting for their parents to fetch them. I started teaching one of my absolute favourite tracks (Sugar Free by T-ara) and 10 of these kids just spontaneously decided to join us.
They were fabulous! Dancing their hearts out and singing along, I could not contain the smile on my face and I was on a high for the rest of the night. And as kids do, they aced the choreography pretty much instantly.
Dancing and exercise have this amazing power to heal and make people happy and I wish we could bottle that energy and sell it.
It was a class I will never forget!
