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 Zumba NewbiesIf you're feeling a little shy to try your first Zumba class, you're not alone. Everyone feels that way at first. Shake off that awkward feeling of stepping outside of your comfort zone, and know that it will fade and eventually turn into confidence with each class.
I visually cue each move, so that you can anticipate where I am going next. We repeat different combinations of steps over and over, from week to week, so that you will build familiarity with the rhythm and the choreography no matter when you begin your first class. The most important thing is that you are moving, getting up your heart rate and building up a sweat. Your finesse will evolve over time...I see it happen all the time.
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Tips on Keeping up in Class - Focus on the footwork first. Once you have your feet going, add in the arms.
- Modify the movements to what you are comfortable doing. If I jump and you don't want to jump, replace it with a squat, a wiggle, a punch, or whatever you like.
- Follow your neighbors when you can't see me. I will try to be as visible as I can to everyone and sometimes flip the room so that you become the front row. But look around, and you'll see there are many seasoned dancers sprinkled around the room you can follow.
- Work your way up. If a whole hour is too much, start with a half hour. Endurance will build gradually. Keep your strides short in length and when you are ready for more intensity, lengthen them by taking wider steps, making bigger arm movements and more exaggerated movements with your body.
- Stay hydrated. Take water breaks when you're thirsty.
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Tips on Dancing - Wear good shoes. If you become addicted to Zumba like the rest of us, you will want to invest in good dance sneakers, with smooth circular tread that allows for turns and pivots. Adequate support for toes, arches and ankles are recommended for higher impact movements. I prefer Ryka Studio D and Bloch Boost Jazz sneaker.
- Stand up straight. Think tall, keep your shoulders down and back and your core engaged.
- Dance with your core. Think of each movement originating from your core and let the energy move from there into your hip or arm or leg. Keep your knees pliant and pelvis tucked in to allow your hips to move naturally.
- Exaggerate. Once you have the movement down, work on finessing it either by smoothing it out, adding more jump to it, more stomp to it, or adding more core power to it. The more you exaggerate the, the more you will get out of it.
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